Unitarian Universalists church of Southold celebrates rebirth after 2015 fire

Parishioners filing into the Unitarian Universalists church of Southold on a September morning carried a vessel of water to fill a communal ewer for a traditional ceremony.

Some collected drops from a rain barrel or filled a jar with salty Peconic Bay water while another contributed water from the newly built church’s tap — an auspicious way to begin the first service at the property since a fire consumed the historic 1837 church in 2015.

“The water you bring to the ceremony is a symbol of something that nourishes you,” said the Rev. Valerie Freseman, minister at the church. “It seemed fitting to me since the last time we were here, there was a fire that destroyed [the church] that we should remember water, and what water does.”

Nine years after the fire leveled the 178-year-old First Universalist Church, the congregation rebuilt and rebranded as the Unitarian Universalists of Southold. The $3.2 million church took about a year to construct and will be officially dedicated during a ceremony Sunday at 4 p.m.

The quick-burning blaze destroyed the church on Main Road in March 2015 and officials said the cause of the fire was not determined, though church and fire officials suspect outdated electrical wiring could have been the culprit.

'Gateway to Southold'

Members grappled with whether to buy another vacant church in the area or rebuild, according to Mark Sisson, who led the volunteer building team. “We had always been known as the church on the bend,” Sisson, 71, of Mattituck, said. “We are basically the gateway to Southold.”

The building committee worked with architect Ray Calamari from de Bruin Engineering of Westbury and Brian Davis Art and Architecture of Connecticut on designs for the building, and construction by North Fork Woodworks of Southold took about a year to complete. Insurance covered the bulk of the rebuilding costs, Sisson said, and community donations also helped.

Though the new, 4,300-square-foot church is not an exact replica of the original structure, it was designed to fit with the classic, New England style prevalent in the area since it is in Southold’s historic district.

It features nods to the original structure with custom Gothic windows and an oculus. Inside, light filters into the lofty space and draws the eye up to wooden beams.

One notable difference in the new church is a lack of pews.

“When we designed the building, we decided we wanted to make this as versatile as possible,” Sisson said. “So we can have services in the round, we can have concerts.”

The reconstructed church also has updated multimedia technology, allowing services to be streamed and churchgoers to use hearing assist headphones, a new kitchen, community rooms and is wheelchair-accessible.

Sisson said the contractors used sustainable building materials and practices and installed an energy-efficient heating and cooling system. Outside, a native garden is planned by the local chapter of ReWild Long Island, a nonprofit that promotes sustainable landscaping for pollinators and people.

“One of the seven principles of the Unitarian Universalists is to tread lightly on the earth,” Sisson said.

The church is one of 10 Unitarian Universalist congregations on Long Island. There are about 1,004 congregations and 201,541 people who identify as Unitarian Universalists nationwide, according to the 2020 U.S. Religion Census.

'Spacious and peaceful'

Church member Randy Wade of Greenport was impressed by the new space. “It feels really spacious and peaceful,” she said. Wade, 74, is helping organize another nonreligious open house on Oct. 11 with a presentation by builders and tours.

“The community can get a sense that this is their place too,” Wade said, adding that the church hopes to host community, cultural and artistic groups and provide space for weddings and other life events.

Freseman, 54, commended the roughly 40 members of the church for their resilience over the last nine years, with services held in a rented space at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Greenport.

Now that the congregation has a home again, Freseman is eager to bring back programming and community events, ensuring the church is not just used on Sunday mornings.

Some are traditions the fire put on hold, including animal blessing ceremonies, harvest art shows, youth programs, hosting community meals and partnering with Maureen’s Haven to shelter the homeless in winter months.

But Freseman also wants to start new traditions, like community forums on topics like affordable housing, music and poetry evenings, and youth programs.

She said the new church should meet community needs and enrichment, “taking the best of what was in the past and being curious and open to what new things people who come in here need.”