1. Together In Unity

2. Unity Center of Christianity Incorporated in April 22, 1949 Various spiritual leaders until 1983.

3. Rev. Chad O’Shea & Lytingale August 1983 - 35 members

4. 1985 Built sq. ft. Chapel seating 125 Dedicated on Palm Sunday 15 Airport Rd. Arden, N.C. (Expanded ‘87 & ‘88)

5. 1987 congregation purchased land on Fanning Bridge Rd. $110,000.00

6. 1989 Luther Smith & Associates render a Master Site plan for property.

7. 1990 Architect Chris Larson designs plans for Unity Center featuring an “energy-efficient inspirational dome”.

12. Seating for 565 and parking for 200 cars

13. 1st Phase of new building was completed and moved in 1992.
“Unity of Mills River”.

14. Immediately
Structural problems.
Building is not “safe”.
Church meets
temporarily at
Seventh Day Adventist Church.

15. Support Beams are
added and a
subsequent
lawsuit settlement
of $400,000.00
takes place.

16. Over next 20 years
congregation slowly declines and reserves are steadily applied
to operating expenses.

17. Associate Minister
Rev. Pat Veenema – 2012
Rev. Pat becomes Minister in 2013
Rev. Chad’s death January, 2014.

18. Time of Transition
Rev. Bonnie Ashe
2014
Church works with Unity Worldwide to find a new Senior Minister.

19. Rev. Darlene is selected from 3 candidates and begins
as new Senior Minister
January 2015

20. Average attendance approx. 75 per Sunday.
Community Grows –
We add 68 new members
in first six months.

21. Easter 2015
We go to 2 Sunday services
And change DBA name
Unity of The Blue Ridge

22. Adopt-A-Room Project
Paint and organize foyer, office & classroom space
Create space for Bookstore
Montessori school moves out.

23. Rev. Therese Lee
leads us through a weekend of vision & mission discernment.
Fall Study Series
“Wizard of Us”

24. Sell back acreage
To Carolina Memorial Sanctuary $100,000.00
Membership continues to grow. Knock out back wall and add space. Raise funds in one Sunday.

25. Change service times to
9:45 and 11:30 to better balance attendance.
Averaging over 200 each Sunday by 2017
Small Groups
Vision 2020

26. Small Groups
Vision 2020

27. 2017 Add part-time
Associate Ministers
Our Love is Power
Summit
Compassionate Congregation

28. Small Group Book Studies
Inter-generational
Outreach
Interfaith
Dinner & Concert Series
Labyrinth donation

29. Church Database System
Building staff & infrastructure
Church Directory

30. Paint chapel stage wall &
Add chairs
Begin live-streaming

31. Our Cause – Our Focus
We teach & honor the Sanctity of all Life.
Peace & Non-Violence
Earth Care and Stewards of Natural Resources
Interfaith & Inter-Religious Harmony
Engaged Spirituality

32. Dealing with building maintenance issues
Parking issues
Space issues…
AKA opportunities.

33. Unanimous Decision to hire John Yurko Development Plan
2018 Annual Meeting
Unanimous Decision to hire John Yurko
Development Plan
Where do we focus first on repairs?
Can we make improvements or are we wasting money?
How can we accommodate natural growth?
How can this building & property be maximized?
What are our limits?

34. Joe Weigner Understand what we’re dealing with.

35. John Yurko Planning for Development