The Unitarian Universalist Church of Saco & Biddeford has its roots in two churches, both formed in 1827 on opposite sides of the Saco River.
1st Universalist Church (Biddeford)
2nd Parish Unitarian 1890 (Saco)
In Biddeford, a group of people formed the First Universalist Society of Biddeford-Saco. They built a church on land now occupied by the Peoples United Bank.
At the same time, a group split from the 2nd Parish Congregational Church in Biddeford to form the 2nd Parish Unitarian Church. They traveled across the river and built the sanctuary we now use for worship. The split was rooted in a difference of theology: The Unitarians rejected the Congregationalist belief in the Trinity and the doctrines of predestination and original sin.
In 1964 – following a national trend – the Saco Unitarians and the Biddeford Universalists merged their churches. Both had small congregations and were sharing a minister at the time.
The Universalists sold their church and used the proceeds for the building that connects the sanctuary and the parish hall. As a symbol of the merger, the Universalists brought the Good Shepherd stained glass window that is installed on the right-hand side of the sanctuary.
Our Historical Building
On Nov. 21, 1827 the folks at the 2nd Parish Unitarian Church dedicated their Meeting House. Members and townspeople came to hear the words of Rev. Greenwood as he delivered the inaugural sermon and presided over the installation of the first minister, Rev. Tracy. The Meeting House was chilly, heated only by a pot bellied wood stove in the back. Pews were heated by charcoal braziers brought in by each family. Fur robes and homemade quilts were in abundance and everyone lifted their feet off the cold floor and put them on the foot rests in each pew.