The Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Bozeman (UUFB) grew out of a small, liberal discussion group that began meeting in 1955. In 1959, after a Unitarian minister’s visit, the discussion group voted to affiliate with the then American Unitarian Association. The Fellowship met every other week and offered a Sunday School throughout the ’60s and the ’70s. They met in local venues or in homes, and they invested in the future by buying land for the site of a future church.

In 1982 The Montana Cluster (fellowships from Great Falls, Helena, Missoula, and Bozeman) called Rev. Mary Scriver to travel once a month to each fellowship for services. She strengthened our bonds with the denomination by introducing hymns, chalice lightings, formats for services, and creating communication with the UU Mountain Desert District and the Unitarian Universalist Association. She served us for two years.

Click here for a past list of ministers.

From the mid-eighties into the late 1990s the fellowship hired consulting and visiting ministers to help us grow not only in numbers, but in social justice activities, organizational skills, training for lay leading and visions for the future. Following the 1988 sale of the land purchased in the early days, a Long Range Task Force was formed with the intention of being more thoughtful and deliberate in our growth. In 1997 the UUFB participated in the first Montana Gay Pride Parade in Bozeman by providing security for the participants, providing a buffer between them and the street, offering a Sunday Service and a Commitment Ceremony. In 1998 we became a Welcoming Congregation.

Click here for a list of our Social Action activities.

Rev. Lois Van Leer was welcomed in 2003 as our first settled minister. During her years with us we met at the Senior Center and Temple Beth Shalom. Following her resignation in 2010, we hired an interim minister for a year, and then called Rev. Dr. Nina Gray as our settled minister in 2011. During her tenure we hired our first RE Coordinator and strengthened the Adult RE program with Spiritual Pluralism discussion groups – Humanism, Buddhism, Mysticism and Earth-Centered Spiritualties. Rev. Gray retired in 2016, and Rev. Duffy Peet was called to serve the congregation.

 In 2015 with a generous jump-start from a member, we purchased the Shining Mountains Lutheran Church at 325 N. 25^th Ave., our current home. Following a vigorous, enthusiastic Capital Campaign, we undertook extensive remodeling and renovation of the building, helped by amazing contributions of time and talent from members and friends.

The Dedication of our first home took place in the fall of 2017. We celebrated our 60^th Anniversary in 2019 with a service led by Rev. Duffy Peet and the UUA Western Region Representative.  Rev. Duffy retired in June of 2022. Rev. Margo Rinehart was hired as our Interim minister in spring of 2022. Her contract with the UUFB was renewed for the 2023-2024 year as we go through the UUA Settled Ministerial Search process.

We offer in-house Sunday services with live streaming on You-Tube. We also have a presence on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Adapted by Susan Backer, 2023