15 December 2021

UK Unitarianism is not a national church

Just in case a passing viewer is wondering - there is not a national Unitarian church. What there is, is a national association of local, independent and self-governing churches and fellowships (although it is allowed for individual persons to also affiliate as Associates to the association). The association is called the "General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches", and it is therefore a 'community of communities'.

(People who don't live close to where a Unitarian church or fellowship operates are encouraged to join what might be thought of the original "virtual" congregation, called the National Unitarian Fellowship (operating since 1945, in the old days only by post). In that way, people a long way away from a physical church are equally represented by their own congregation, the NUF, at the General Assembly.)
This explains why the variety of views and styles of worship exists. Each church or fellowship worships and develops in the way its members and trustees permit. It's not like football with everyone playing to the same rules and doing the same thing: it's more like athletics, with each church specialising in its own "sport".

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