A Bit of Westside History

 

Westside had its beginnings in 1984, when members of the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, along with the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church, expressed a desire for a UU church in Knoxville's west side.

 

A planning committee was formed, and TVUUC, ORUUC and the UU headquarters in Boston all agreed to contribute money to our effort to begin a new church.

 

The earliest incarnations of Westside's services were held in the Farragut school. The Chorus room was used for worship, and the Band room was for RE. We did not have a minister, and our services were planned and conducted by our charter members.

 

Our first building was a storefront in Farragut, near the corner of Kingston Pike and Concord Road. It was one big room, which we soon divided up into a worship space, offices, and Religious Education rooms for the children.

 

We finally broke ground on our church's permanent location in 1997, and moved in the following year. Our first service in the new building was in February, 1998.

 

Today, Westside Unitarian Universalist Church is a vast and welcoming community of over 200 people, from all walks of life.