First Unitarian Congregational Society is a beautiful church in Brooklyn Heights, originally established in 1833. The Unitarian motto: "The First Unitarian Congregational Society in Brooklyn is a joyful, Loving, religious community that Inspires and Empowers people to Grow Spiritually, Care for one another, and Work for Spiritual Justice and Stewardship of the Earth" I know a few people in the news currently who should follow this advise. We were here with family and friends for the beautiful blessing of our cousin's adorable baby daughter. Thank you for reading. Have a lovely day! read more

See all

I attended services here for almost 20 years and was a member for 10. Things seemed off this past year and now I know why. This church is mostly white, but for most of the time I attended as a BIPOC I thought "they're trying." After a series of events including allowing NYPD to arrest antiwar protestors in our sanctuary, failing to pass a church ceasefire resolution, and shying away from visibility in social justice movements, I see the opposite is true. People who attend this church are white, liberal, comfortable, and will do whatever it takes to wiggle out of anything uncomfortable like confronting their racist/zionist friends or making room for the diverse congregation they claim to welcome. Lots of pretty words, no action to back it up. That is not my Unitarianism. read more

Very patron friendly. Always willing to work with the community. Inside it's clean and beautiful.

Although the historic architecture and windows were worthy of note, I felt a little as if I were at a pep rally rather than a service. Each newcomer had to rise and introduce him/herself (I chose not to) and was greeted with a voluminous WELCOME! from the congregation. The testimonial about "How First UU changed my life" felt like a 12-step program. And the sermon (which was, predictably, about how the world changed for the worse the day Trump was elected) was met with a round of applause. Where I come from we might say "Amen!" with feeling at the close, but we NEVER clap for sermons--it's undignified. Moreover, each speaker introduced him/herself with "And my pronouns are..." This kind of PC pandering to the transgender community really turns me off. The only bright spot is that I found the church history had been written by the mother of 2 women with whom I went to college. read more

I don't write many Yelp reviews these days, but I saw the most recent review for First U of Brooklyn was really harsh, so, I wanted to give a little love. I have always found First U to be caring, loving and nonjudgmental congregation full of civically minded and social justice-oriented people who put in the work in a plethora of ways to make this world a little better for others. They don't "pander"; they respect others and treat people with kindness. (I do agree that the windows are worthy of note!) read more

I feel kinda bad for reviewing a Church so I gave it 2 stars instead of 1. I had the pleasure of being exposed to UU in Boston and I really enjoyed the experience. I set out to explore what NY had to offer and was invited by another curious, and former UU, to this place. The person who was with me insisted on going to the congregations young adults (20-35 yo maybe) brunch . Long story short, I felt like I was trying to be sold something relentlessly. After about 3 rounds of people who didn't sit with us making their way down to solicit us for emails/volunteer/ etc, a member came up and asked if I wanted to be on the newsletter and work for their upcoming flea market. To which I responded " I'm sorry, WHAT's your name?" They had all forgotten to introduce themselves. Which is pretty basic. This kind of allowed them to get back on track and remember that we were actual real people and not just potential bodies to work fundraisers. And the mood softened but still... It also seemed really segregated with the "cooler" adults sitting on one end and the "socially awkward" adults sitting on the other. It made me wonder if they even liked each other.The dude I sat beside, bc that was the only seat open, was raggin on about how he thinks lactose may affect his ADHD... Luckily there was one sweet lady at the end of the table who was quiet but sweet and interesting. An archaeologist i think...anyway, we legit talked about dinosaurs. Felt weird being treated like a number and being solicited while simultaneously being ignored. I'll continue the search. read more

Absolutely gorgeous Unitarian Church! Built in the 1840's in the Gothic style, this does not looke like a Unitarian Church inside! Tiffany windows line the sanctuary, which also contains a massive pipe organ on the South side, so sunlight streams through the pipes. Of course, it's also a thriving seat of liberal religion with a warm, welconing atmosphere and a very active 20's and 30's group. read more

I've been a member of First U since 2012. My relationship with the church has evolved. First year I taught Sunday school for the 7th and 8th graders (an amazing curriculum, really well done -- it was a joy to teach). In short time, I got involved in community events, dinner groups, stewardship campaign, lay leading, and on and on. This year (2015/16) I'm part of First U's Small Group Ministries. A group of six of us meet monthly to discuss in depth one of the more interesting sermons given by Rev. Ana. In January we discussed "Left Hand of God," December was "Born Ready," and the month before was "Forgiving When They're Not Sorry." Go to the fuub.org website to read these wonderful sermons. Meaty topics, each one. The church also has a new Choir Director, Adam Podd. This is his first full year at the church. I actually (nervously) joined the choir and it's been a blast. Every second Sunday is a jazz service. Amazing vocalists and musicians. The candle and gas-lamp lit Christmas Eve evening service is a sight to behold (and the music, once again is amazing). At First U I've had the joy of welcoming of many new babies, mourned a few deaths, sought and found solace in the face of tragic world events (too many to be named). I have refined my values, improved my outlook and behaved a little better (I hope!). I have lit candles of joy and sorrow for myself and others -- a wonderful part of every service. On a recent painful trip home to see my family, I did what I never thought I would and reached out to Rev. Ana for pastoral care. I'm so glad I did. Her ministry made the trip much more bearable. I'm still wondering and questioning about God. It's good to be in a place (First U) where doubt (real doubt) is perfectly okay. I'm doing the work I need to do to answer the big questions and live a life of purpose. Hope this review helps those spiritual seekers out there! read more

I felt really guilty about writing this review but then I saw that "amanda m." was braver than me and basically already said everything I was thinking about this place. I gave it the old college try but ultimately I couldn't get over the phoniness of First U. Everyone is SOOO NICCCCCEEEE except they don't actually want to get to know you as a human being at all. I got suckered into a few volunteer gigs but I never once felt like I was connecting with or being embraced by the congregation, despite attending several brunches and social justice meetings and beer outings and fundraising parties. Oh well. If attending First U is something you do with your own family on Sunday mornings, you'll probably like it just fine, but if you go to First U looking for a family, that's another story. I'm sorry to say that I don't think you'll find it here. read more

Warm and caring community, plus the music and services are actually fun with quiet, introspective moments. The building was opened in 1845 - not from the 1880's as the Yelp website states. read more

Excellent worship and music and religious education here, but the best part is the congregation! This is a welcoming community of social justice minded, multifaith folks. read more

I joined this church in Nov 2016 after test driving my participation for a year and a half. The minister and the choir are hands-down the reason why most people attend this particular congregation. Both are fantastic and well worth an hour of your time each week. Since joining I have gotten involved in a few volunteer opportunities that have enhanced my experience with the congregation and increased my involvement with my local community. Social justice initiatives are common and if you have a specific political or social issue you are passionate about, I'm sure you can find someone or a group of people working on that issue at First U. Just to address the other couple of negative reviews, I get really turned off by sales-y/recruitment type churches. Just the word "fellowship" (which is bandied about quite often at First U) makes me feel a bit icky. I grew up in a Catholic church that did not have any sort of coffee hour after church so it was very foreign to me that I would be expected to mix and mingle after church each week. I'm the kind of lady who HATES networking events because talking to strangers is stressful! Often in my first few months I skipped coffee hour entirely. But as I began joining the others for coffee, I never felt overly pressured to participate in a way that I didn't feel comfortable. One of the things about the church that makes me feel most comfortable and helped me ease into the community was sitting in the balcony during services. This allows me to interact with fewer people during the chit-chat time but still feel like a part of the larger congregation. read more

I've been on this quest for spirituality for quite a while now. Having been raised devout conservative Lutheran and rebelling against it in my teenage years, I feel I've been a bit lost since then. So on this quest, I found FUC in Brooklyn Heights. I've been looking for a community (and that's the BEST way to describe it: community) where I feel welcomed but not pressured; a place where nothing will be forced down my throat. A bit nervous, I attended a Sunday service (conveniently at 11am - enough time to work off a hangover). To be honest, my heart opened up immediately. I felt right at home. The large Gothic architecture with gorgeous stain glass windows appealed to the old world conservative i was used to during my childhood - a security blanket of sorts, but the congregation and pastors contradicts that. The Rev. Patrick O'Neill came down the center aisle and addressed everyone of us with a smile and soothing disposition. Throughout the hour I was overcome with a sense of calm and warmth which was exactly what I was searching for. Following the service, I ventured downstairs for coffee and was introduced to the coordinator of the T n' T group (twenties and thirties) who invited me out for brunch. I met some great people that day. I couldn't have asked for a better experience, honestly. Considering I've vehemently disassociated myself from organized religion in the past, this was an excellent way to slowly bring myself back to center. I brought a friend the next time. read more

I am truly thankful for this church. I attended one Sunday morning, while on business in Brooklyn, and my experience was rather magical - though not for the reasons one might expect. Yes, the service was great, with soulful music and production; and, the church itself was equally notable, being a majestic Gothic structure that felt simultaneously timeless and uplifting. However, the service's message was, for me, the highlight. It was interesting, this particular Sunday's message. Like the rest of the service, the message was overtly impressive, being meaningful, sincere, and well-delivered. But, it was especially important to me personally, for it concerned exactly what I'd been dealing with in the preceding days, to the letter - bringing the precise insight I needed, as it so happens. Every bit a case of "From God's lips to my ears," you could say. (And, an interesting footnote: I'd felt distinctly led to visit this church specifically, out of the dozens in Brooklyn ...) My deepest thanks to all who keep this operation going. Please, continue this critical work. Sincerely, Mr. Chris St Paul South Carolina read more

FUUB has recently become my spiritual home. I was raised UU, so that wasn't new to me, but if you're looking for a progressive and welcoming place to reflect on Sunday mornings with people who will accept you for who you are and won't tell you what to believe, the UU church is the place for you. FUUB is blessed with an incredible Neo-Gothic sanctuary with stunning Tiffany glass windows. This is a wonderful community, always eager to welcome newcomers, with lots to get involved in all week long and a vibrant and active Twenties and Thirties group. read more

Went to this wonderful church for first time today. About 250 people were at the service. Clearly this is a thriving community. Can't wait to go back. read more

I just shot my short film at this church. Noti only is it ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS. But everybody that works there is kind and generous. Rob Petrillo spent plenty of time withmy designers and i and then gave us the run of the church. If you are shooting a movie or TV work with this space-it is WONDERFUL! read more