Our Story of the Abundant Love Unitarian Universalist Congregation (Abundant LUUv) Established 2017

Called by the Map

While in seminary (2008 to 2011) at Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Duncan E. Teague sat in Church and Community classes about how the religious community, the church, was in a dialogue or sometimes not with the larger community. Drs. Luther Smith and David Jenkins taught the class about the significance of the geography of the location of the church community. Who lives next door and down the street is important, and what is our relationship with our actual neighbors? Teague imagined the map of the UU congregations in the metropolitan Atlanta area and how none of them were located south of the bisecting freeway of I-20 East and West within the Perimeter, I-285. He supposed it would be a good idea for someone to plant a UU congregation where there were still largely African American folks living in-town. 

Not the First

That was not an original idea to do UU congregational life in an African American cultural way. This had been done in several other cities before and even in Atlanta. The previous congregation was called the “Thurman, Hamer, Ellington” Church or T.H.E. Church, and it held worship at the Friends Meeting House in Decatur and enjoyed success for a time. They were pastored by a minister from Detroit. They eventually chose to fold themselves into the larger UU Congregation of Atlanta.

The Core Team Joins In and Builds

As even an idea, Abundant LUUv attracted followers who became the Core Team leaders of the congregation with Teague steering the way. They began discussions of what would happen with Rev. Wylie Hughes, an African American Presbyterian minister who was seeking, and Earl Daniels who had been a part of several congregations while discerning his calling. Kenneth Clark is a longtime friend, fellow activist, and organizer with Teague. He is the current co-treasurer of Abundant LUUv. We also had Jena Jones, born and raised in Southwest Atlanta; Lyn May, a television personality and former resident of the West End Community; Bobby Smith of New York, NY; Michael Ross, who has assisted Abundant LUUv in locating our first and second sanctuaries; Arlene Edwards, of Adair Park, Atlanta; Young Hugley of the West End, an art and community organizer; and Nicole Pressley, who while living in Atlanta, sought our Abundant LUUv while employed by UUCA and now resides in Chicago, and she works for the national UU Association.

There was one delay in the initial planning of Abundant LUUv, that being, Teague was diagnosed with prostate cancer months before his ordination in 2014. His surgery was on the Wednesday after his ordination. The Core Team insisted that he prioritize his health. He did while he finished the course of two therapies and was declared undetectable for cancer in January of 2015 and has remained so currently. The Core Team picked up right where they had left off that year.

Help Came to Launch Us

Rev. Robin Tanner and Rev. Jake Morrill formed Launch Pad, which offered fledgling and newly started offshoots of larger UU congregations assistance as consultants and advisors. They were great and raised the seed money that assisted in the planting of Abundant LUUv. They met with the Core Team and Teague, through data gathering, affirmed that the West End was ready, and among the Southwest Atlanta communities, it was poised to be a receptive one for Abundant LUUv. And indeed, it has.

In late 2017, Teague became clear that for Abundant LUUv to become a thriving community, they would have to begin worship. This was somewhat of a surprise to Teague who thought that doing good community work would attract the people who were interested. That was a miscalculation. It was decided that our Inaugural worship would happen on February 11, 2018, with Rev. Sherman Logan of Richmond, VA, as our guest moderator. The next year, he returned to preach our first anniversary service. We were blessed to have wonderful crowds come to our anniversary services and we began with more than 60 guests at the very first worship service and have maintained well attended celebrations ever since in the Black Church tradition previously at Hammonds House Museum, and now at 1187 Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard, SW.

Covid-19 and 2.5 Years Online

We were building a steady small group of attendees when Covid-19 was declared an epidemic in America that was worth shutting down the most public gathering spaces in March of 2020. The President of the United States at that time knew the threat and put lives at risk until he could no longer avoid the public health advice to have a shutdown. Abundant LUUv complied and adjusted. While Rev. Teague felt great concern in how to pivot in terms of hosting the weekly worship service; we had the talent in the husband of Teague, David Thurman, who initiated and coordinated hosting these services via Zoom. We grew as an online congregation and have maintained the relationships built of people who attend, serve on the Board of Directors, and participate just as fully as some in-person members and friends.

In 2024, at the worship service for the 7th Anniversary, Abundant LUUv walked from Hammonds House Museum to the space where First Iconium Baptist had begun. We now rent from this historic African American Baptist Congregation, pastored by Rev. Timothy McDonald, at rates that are reflective of their desire to help foster our growth and success. 

Found a New Sanctuary

We have taken good care of our blessed sanctuary at 1187 Ralph David Abernathy Boulevard SW, and made it much more accessible to enter the building thanks to the miraculous generosity of retired contractor and member Gordon Crain, assisted by his son Bruce and his friend John Chambers, as well as Daniel Crain, Earl Daniels, Larry Long, Larry Davis Jr., Dave Mardis, Rev. Barrington Walker, David Thurman, Charles Braxton, Kevin McCullough, Marcus Bruce and John Angelo. Other plans to continue this effort are forthcoming. 

Our First-elected Board of Directors

Being eight years old has signified the growth and development of Abundant LUUv into a congregation that can now reach up and do things on its own volition. Rev. Teague fulfilled the part of his call to initiate a church plant. The plant must become strong and able to serve while withstanding the challenges of our world. We hope to do this and much more with the inaugural Board of Directors who are assuming the leadership from the Core Team. 

The current Board of Directors includes:

• President: Larry Davis
• Vice President and Chaplain: Rev. Dr. Qiyamah Rahman
• Treasurers: Dave Mardis and Kenneth Clark
• Secretary: Latasha Willis 
• Members: Dr. Ayana Campoli, Nicole Pressley, Rev. Duncan E. Teague (ex-officio)

Ministers of Abundant LUUv

Rev. Duncan E. Teague is the Lead Minister of Abundant LUUv, and Rev. Jonathan Rogers is the Affiliated Community Minister and also serves as the Affiliated Community Minister for Social Justice.