Wherever you come from, whether you believe little or much, whatever you look like, however you are able, whomever you love...
You are welcome here!
During our weekly Sunday Celebration at 11am, we offer services, religious education for children and youth, as well as childcare.
Other events are scheduled throughout the week.
We welcome visitors to our lovely UU home in Fort Bend County!
Many of our events are held in-person on our campus at 3515 Clayhead Rd. Richmond, Texas (Southwest Houston area, just west of Hwy 99).
Our Sunday Celebration is at 11:00 am. Sunday services feature a variety of speakers and formats. We offer Religious Exploration for children and youth, and a nursery is available for the little ones. After service, children love to explore our playground, and everyone is welcome to join us for hospitality.
Other programs at Thoreau are currently offered virtually, in-person, or hybrid - Thoreau’s popular Adult Discussion Group, adult enrichment, community connections, affinity groups, and more.
Get in Touch to subscribe to our weekly newsletter and see what’s coming soon.
About Thoreau
Our Story
We began in a bar...
In 1994, a handful of dedicated people believed that liberal religion could thrive in Fort Bend County, Texas (Southwest Houston). They sent out yellow cards to Unitarian Universalists in the area, inviting them to a happy hour meeting. Around 35 people showed up, surprising everyone with their numbers. The original Thoreau congregation was charted in 1996, and later merged with the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston in 2013, becoming the Thoreau-Richmond campus.
In 2021, campus members decided to pursue a vision to rebuild an independent Unitarian Universalist community in Fort Bend. In early 2022, the newly chartered Thoreau Congregation was recognized by the UUA, and we were able to reach an agreement with First UU Houston to purchase the UU campus at 3515 Clayhead Rd. in Richmond.
We gather for Sunday Celebration every week at our beautiful Fort Bend home for services, religious exploration, discussion, and fellowship. During the school year, regular worship services are held on the 1st, 2nd, and 4th Sundays at 11am. The 3rd Sunday is our “talk back” discussion service. We also meet throughout the week across Fort Bend County (virtual or in-person) for discussion, identity groups, and support circles.
Families are an important part of our ministry. As a multi-generational congregation, we delight in having the young among us grow and learn about our faith traditions. We frequently hold inter-generational celebrations during service. Supported with warmth and love in Religious Exploration, our children and youth have the freedom as individuals to find their own spiritual paths. We offer support to parents, knowing that their job is not only very important but from time to time trying and challenging.
Social Justice is our faith in action. Our community has a strong history of providing outreach in Fort Bend County and the greater Houston area. We frequently share our Sunday offering with local organizations, including the Fort Bend Women's Center, the Fort Bend Literacy Council, and several organizations that serve the homeless. When we gather for worship, we collect an Outreach Offering — items for a local charity such as food for the Fort Bend Food Pantry, items of clothing for Shared Dreams and Common Threads, and school supplies for the East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry. Our members regularly participate in advocating for just causes in the Houston area and Texas.
Our members are theists, humanists, atheists, agnostics, pagans, seekers, doubters, and people who seek to grow a liberal, living faith tradition. Grounded in love, together we learn, reflect on our lives, and find the support of community to be our best selves as we live out our values.
We like to play, eat, sing and learn together. For many of us, we have found deep and lasting friendships in this community and enjoy having fun together.
To learn more about our events, Get in Touch!
Our Mission
We are a spiritual community
of open minds and caring hearts
working for religious freedom
and social justice in Fort Bend.
Our Community
The Thoreau Congregation was chartered May 2021. We are a self-governed spiritual community. Our ministries and programs are run by volunteer teams, coordinated by our Program Council, under the leadership of our elected Board.
We invite a variety of speakers - ordained and lay - to our pulpit each week. Pastoral care is coordinated by our cares team.
We are recognized by the Unitarian Universalist Association as a covenanting community, incorporated as a qualified nonprofit religious organization in the state of Texas, and a church that meets the requirements of Internal Revenue Code 501(c)(3) for tax exemption. In August 2022, we recognized Rev. Dr. Dan King as Minister Emeritus and an Affiliated Community Minister of Thoreau Congregation.
Love is the doctrine of our church. We advocate for justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in our congregation and the world at large. We welcome newcomers to join our journey toward a more just, equitable, sustainable, and compassionate world.
We strive to be welcoming to all.
Wherever you come from,
whether you believe little or much,
whatever you look like,
however you are able,
whomever you love...
YOU are welcome here!
Our vision is to be a beacon of liberal religion shining brightly on Fort Bend.
About Unitarian Universalism
We are people of all ages, people of many backgrounds, and people of many beliefs. We are brave, curious and compassionate thinkers and doers. We create spirituality and community beyond boundaries, working for more justice and more love in our own lives and in the world.
Unitarian Universalism affirms and promotes seven Principles, grounded in the humanistic teachings of the world's religions. Our spirituality is unbounded, drawing from scripture and science, nature and philosophy, personal experience and ancient tradition as described in our six Sources.
Seven Principles
The inherent worth and dignity of every person
A free and responsible search for truth and meaning
Justice, equity and compassion in human relations
The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large
Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations
The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all
Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part
Six Sources
Direct experience of that transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, which moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life
Wisdom from the world's religions which inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life
Humanist teachings which counsel us to heed the guidance of reason and the results of science, and warn us against idolatries of the mind and spirit
Words and deeds of prophetic people which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love
Jewish and Christian teachings which call us to respond to God's love by loving our neighbors as ourselves
Spiritual teachings of Earth-centered traditions which celebrate the sacred circle of life and instruct us to live in harmony with the rhythms of nature
This short animated video introduces Unitarian Universalism - beliefs, principles, worship and social justice.
To learn more about our faith and beliefs, visit UUA.org.