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I make videos focused on Christian universalism for a YouTube channel called “Love Unrelenting.” So any time I hear about a church that is both overtly Christian and steadfastly universalist, I am interested in learning more about it. When the First Universalist Church of Brooklyn PA joined the CUA in 2023, I immediately looked up more information about the congregation. I decided to try to visit the church and make a short video that could introduce people to it.

Months after arranging the date with Rev. Lucas Taylor, I drove up to the township of Brooklyn Pennsylvania about three hours away from another town I was visiting where I had been attending a small family reunion. I noticed that the old church building and property seemed very well-maintained. There was even a nice sign made of stone out front which seemed to be a fairly recent addition. It prominently displayed the off-center cross in the circle, the primary symbol of the Universalist Church of America that was used for many years before the formation of the UUA. The cross as a key symbol in the church, along with a sign at the entrance displaying John 3:16, a large picture depicting Jesus in the sanctuary, and Rev. Taylor’s sermon based on the parable of the prodigal son all confirmed to me that this church was still following the more Christ-centered path of the American Universalists from the 19^th century.

Displayed at the back of the church were some beautiful paintings and windows, but what most drew my attention were the “Five Principles of the Universalist Faith” decided on by the Universalist General Convention in 1899 and a certificate confirming the congregation’s affiliation with the CUA. It was nice to visit a place that focused on the love of God in Christ and the salvation of all people as going hand-in-hand. I am truly grateful that this church is part of the Christian Universalist Association. Please check out the video below in order to better appreciate what this special church is like.