First Unitarian Society of Madison has nurtured a reputation that rests upon the remarkable architectural landmark to which we are devoted stewards and a flourishing spiritual fellowship that espouses liberal religious values in South Central Wisconsin and beyond.

Our sustained growth, our strong programs, and our respected position in the Madison community poise us for a greater role, limited only by dramatic space constraints. We have a plan to address this deficiency with a creative design by the renowned Kubala Washatko Architects - a design that honors the historic Meeting House while proposing an innovative expanded home of sustainable design and environmentally-conscious construction.

With this restoration and addition, we can welcome our current community and attract new members to our unique spiritual and physical home.

A Special Time in Our History
This opportunity to infuse growing numbers of people with Unitarian Universalist (UU) values flows from our current position of strength:

• For a UU congregation, we already have an unusually large reach and impact. Madison has perhaps the greatest per capita number of UU's anywhere.
• And we are still growing. This is, foremost, a sign of continuing thirst for our message. National surveys suggest that for every UU member there are five more who think of themselves as spiritually UU's.
• Our programs are stellar. They are excellent and engaging to all generations - riveting worship that speaks to the soul, music that lifts the heart, burgeoning children's education that inspires our youth, plus dynamic initiatives in social justice, adult education, campus and young adult ministry, chalice groups, and lay ministry.
• We are on the threshold of national prominence. Already designated a "Breakthrough Congregation" by the UUA, we are positioned to demonstrate what has not existed for many decades - a thriving Unitarian Universalist congregation of over 1,500 members.
  

A Physical Space That Echoes Our Spiritual Vitality
To realize this potential, we must relieve space constraints, especially felt during the Sunday morning experience. The quality of services remains high, but the Meeting House auditorium cannot accommodate our growing community. After services, we wish to invite our community into a large, appealing space for the fellowship that connects and sustains us as our numbers expand. Young families seek religious education for their children, but our youth are now crowded into restricted and inflexible spaces.The rest of the week, our staff labors under crowded, constrained working conditions. They too need a more flexible and humane environment.

New building space will not only address these limitations but also free up the National Historic Meeting House for uncrowded worship services, special celebrations, small concerts, and much needed preservation maintenance.

Our Congregation has thoughtfully and deliberately prepared for this moment and we have a plan ready to go.

• It is carefully designed with a humble profile that continues to celebrate the historic Meeting House.
• It will be replete with features of sustainable design and construction.
• Total floorspace will increase by 18 thousand square feet.
• It will include a new 500-seat auditorium with a convenient dedicated music room for rehearsal and staff.
• Congregants will exit the new auditorium into a new two-level "crossing" space for fellowship that also includes a kitchen and library.
• Floorspace available for staff offices and dedicated classrooms will increase by more than 40 percent.
  
  

This Is Our Moment To Make A Difference. As A Community.
This opportunity to go forward falls at a critical juncture in history. Values like ours are sorely needed in a time when bigotry is on the rise, when the few mislead and manipulate the many, and when stewardship of our earth is vital to a healthy present and sustainable future.

To simply sit on our franchise and allow the world to turn steadily rightward before our eyes would be a disservice to succeeding generations, to the children for whom we wish a more just, collaborative, and peaceful world than our own.

The First Unitarian Society of Madison has always been about more than its world-renowned home. But we also understand and appreciate the importance that architecture and physical space have played in our success. Like those who came before us, we have an obligation to do all we can to preserve the ideals of our Society and provide a warm and welcoming home to those who seek our message.

Please join us in creating this future today.