About Summit Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

Summit Unitarian Universalist Fellowship is a growing, caring, intergenerational congregation of diverse backgrounds embracing the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. We are committed to promoting spiritual and personal growth, social justice, environmental awareness and participation in the greater community.

Our Seven Faith Principles

We, the member congregations of the Unitarian Universalist Association, covenant to affirm and promote:

The inherent worth and dignity of every person

Justice, equity and compassion in human relations

Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations

A free and responsible search for truth and meaning

The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large

The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all

Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part

Covenant of Summit Unitarian Universalist Fellowship

We, the members of the Summit Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, covenant to affirm and promote the well-being of this fellowship.

Let the Fellowship be a caring community where we may share our Unitarian Universalist beliefs through the acceptance of the world as one living system.

Let us be mindful of and nurture the emotional, spiritual and intellectual needs of our members.

Let us dedicate ourselves to influence the larger community by works as well as by words.

Let us create an atmosphere of freedom in which we may explore ever-changing individual truths.

Let us promote the right of conscience and the use of the democratic process in our Fellowship and in society.

A Brief History of Summit

In San Diego over a hundred years ago, a Unitarian congregation was established by twelve New England families who had settled here. Alonzo Horton (for whom Horton Plaza was named) was a Unitarian of profound influence in San Diego. Since that time, there have been many off-shoots of the first church, among them Summit Unitarian Universalist Fellowship.

1987: The four UU congregations in San Diego County send Dona Foster to Boston to learn how to form a new congregation.

1988: Prospective members meet in private homes and decide upon the name "Summit Unitarian Universalist Fellowship." Regular Sunday services begin in the East County Masonic Lodge.

1991: The Rev. Ned Wight is sent from Boston as an extension minister. In 1994, he is called as our Senior Minister.

1999: We become a Welcoming Congregation, open to and affirming of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people.

2005: The Rev. Tom Owen-Towle becomes our Interim Minister.

2006: The Fellowship votes without dissent on February 12 to buy the Santee property, embark on a capital campaign, and approve a new 10-year comprehensive plan. June 11, 2006 -- we hold our first service at our first real home: 8778 Cottonwood Avenue, Santee.

2007: The Ministerial Search Committee selected a ministerial candidate, Rev. Kathleen A. Green. to present to the congregation for approval. Rev. Kathleen received 100% of the congregational vote. She became Summit's settled minister in August, 2007.

Many things have changed since our first meeting in September 1988, with about twenty adults and three toddlers in our church school. Today, the congregation has grown to approximately 150 members, and our religious exploration director oversees a well-established program covering all ages from infants to high school. Summit Singers furnishes choral music, and our services are also embellished by musical presentations from members and guest artists. Our Social Action Committee is active within the larger community, partnering with programs like Esperanza and the Interfaith Shelter Network to make a difference in San Diego and beyond. Today, Summit UU Fellowship is well established as a voice for liberal spirituality in East County.

Summit Bylaws