Westside
Unitarian
Universalist
Church
Love Unites - Caring Connects - Community Thrives
Have Your Next Event at Westside!
We do so much more than weddings at Westside! Classes, workshops, music lessons, Mommies' Day Out Groups--we have the space for all of the above. If you have big needs, rent our big space, the Sanctuary. If you'd like a more intimate setting, choose a room in our religious exploration wing.
For Large Events & Parties
Sanctuary - Our peaceful Sanctuary is well-suited for the joyous occasion of a wedding, and also the solemnity of a memorial service. Other typical events held in our Sanctuary include neighborhood meetings, holiday parties, large classes and seminars, family reunions, graduation parties, public speaking engagements, community forums--even baby showers!
A Sanctuary rental includes the use of our many long dining tables and tablecloths, as well as our sound system.
Note: If you are serving food at your event, in any room, it is usually required to rent our kitchen as well.
Sanctuary Configured for a Party
Sanctuary & Classrooms Configured for a Community Event
Kitchen - Our kitchen is generally rented in conjunction with another event. A serving window connects with the Sanctuary. Features 2 ovens, microwave, gas stove, professional-grade dishwasher, coffee maker, double deep sink, refrigerator. You must provide your own teas and coffees.
Kitchen rentals include the use of our supply of dining & flatware, glasses, and mugs. NOTE: Our kitchen is not licensed for commercial use. Food prepared here cannot be sold to the general public; but it can be prepared and sold/consumed as part of a class, workshop, or events held on the premises.
For Smaller Groups, Seminars, and one-on-one meetings
These are our "Religious Exploration" rooms, and on Sunday mornings, they're bustling with children AND adults, learning about spirituality and faith in a very large world. But Mondays thru Saturdays, these rooms are available to rent. We've hosted mommy-and-me exercise classes, girl scout troops, seminars, and more.
Note: These rooms are not suitable for parties. For parties, please rent our Sanctuary.
Note: Light refreshments can be served in these rooms; kitchen rental is also required.
Adult Religious Exploration Room - Features two conference tables that can seat ≈ 12 people. Also features 2 couches and 2 chairs. This room is perfect for small meetings, lessons, or one-on-one counseling. Additional seating available. The piano in this room is available for instructional use.
Elementary Room - THIS ROOM IS CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE. Our longest room can be configured for larger classes. Typical uses include exercise classes, seminars, and small group lessons. Stackable plastic classroom-style chairs as well as additional tables are available.
Nursery - This room can only be rented in conjunction with another room. Appropriate for children age 0-3. Includes: Private bathroom, changing table, sink, child-sized table, stationary exersaucer, many children's books and age-appropriate toys. Max occupancy: ≈ 8 children.
Library - This cozy space is great for private lessons, counseling, or tutoring. Features: Two comfortable futons, miniature refrigerator, sink. Additional seating available.
Rental Rates
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Rental Fee: Beginning at $175 for the Sanctuary. This includes full use of all chairs, tables, and tablecloths, as well as the sound system. Rental fee may be adjusted depending on usage.
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Kitchen Fee: $50 REQUIRED IF SERVING FOOD IN ANY ROOM. This includes full use of all plates, glasses, and flatware. Also included are the sinks, dishwasher, and coffeemaker. (You must provide your own coffee/tea.)
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Damage Deposit: $50. Any rooms used must be returned to their previous state (or better). Chairs returned to original configuration, floor vacuumed, dishes washed, dried, and stored, coffeemaker cleaned, etc. Once the church Sexton confirms that everything is ok after the event, the deposit will be returned via check or return debit within 30 days.
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Classrooms: Any rooms in the RE wing are available for $40.
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Early Entry: For a fee of $50, access to the building may be granted 1-2 days early for preparation/decoration, if Westside's schedule allows and there are no other events.
Required Additional Fee
Church Representative: $17/hr fee for a church Sexton to be on-site during the rental, plus 1/2 hr. before and 1/2 hr. after. 1 hour minimum.
NOTE:
Recurring events have a different fee schedule than one-time events.
Ready to get started? Contact us today.
Fill out the below Interest Form to tell us about your needs. This is NOT a rental agreement.
Want to get married at Westside? Click here.
NOTE:
For the protection of our building and its contents, most events require the hiring of our church Sexton. The Sexton will be on the premises for the duration of your rental. They will assist in chair arrangement, and can guide post-event cleanup. The Sexton fee is in addition to the rental rate. For recurring rentals: after a trial period, renters can choose to forgo a Sexton in exchange for a slightly increased rental fee. This increased fee is less than the previous Sexton fee.
NOTICE:
The terms "rent" and "rental" are used for the sake of brevity and understanding. However, the building is not actually rented. To utilize our space, we ask for a small donation to cover the maintenance, utilities, and materials (for example, paper products) used during your time in the building.
With this in mind, Westside Unitarian Universalist Church cannot and will not provide space to entities that are strictly for-profit, or are political in nature. Entities requesting building space must align with our Mission and Vision statement (see below). Primarily, these entities must provide a means to improve the lives of the church community and the community of Knoxville. If you are unsure if your workshop, seminar, or class (or anything else) meets our requirements, please don't hesitate to ask. We will work with you.
Our Mission: We are a religious community that nurtures each person’s unique path of spiritual development as we live our values through service to each other and to the larger community.
Our Vision: We strive to be a religious home to all people, regardless of age, gender, race, sexual orientation, opinions, beliefs, or abilities, and to be good stewards of the Earth. We support everyone in our congregation and extend that support to the larger community through social action activities.
