Outing to Lake Blue Ridge on 1999 April 18.


This page was updated on 2022 NOV 14.

The History of Mountain Light Unitarian Universalist Church (MLUUC) began in fall 1998, when the realization of a dream for offering a liberal, alternative religious group in north central Georgia began. A few ads resulted in well attended public meetings from which a core of supporters emerged. Moral, emotional, and financial support came from Georgia Mountains Unitarian Universalist Church in Dahlonega GA, from the larger Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) of Boston MA, and the Mid-South District. Georgia Mountains UUC became our sponsoring congregation.

A steering committee and teams formed by 1998 December provided what was needed to sustain the group – available space, program development, and children’s religious education. For many months we alternated services between Blue Ridge GA and Ellijay GA, meeting twice monthly. We found our first home with weekly services in the Catholic Church Annex in Ellijay GA in 1999 September.

On 1999 September 13, we filed the Articles of Incorporation.  1999 December 05 was the legal beginning of the organization in conformance with state corporation requirements. On that date, Mountain Light began to officially accept members and held its first Congregation Meeting, adopting the Bylaws, a budget, and electing the first Board of Directors.

Charter Members continued to sign the Membership Book through Charter Sunday, 2000 March 05, as we were conforming with UUA membership requirements.  43 people signed the official charter parchment which we submitted with our application to UUA the next day.

MLUUC became officially affiliated with the UUA on 2000 May 06, and we were welcomed into membership on 2000 June 22 at the UUA General Assembly in Nashville TN.  In November of that same year, MLUUC moved to a new home, a rental space at Walnut Mountain near Ellijay GA. We were there for the next seven years.

In 2007, we moved to the Gilmer Arts & Heritage Association (GAHA) building in downtown Ellijay GA. On 2007 September 23, we had our first service at GAHA. We were there nearly four years, but we were reduced to a Sunday-only space.

On 2011 April 03, we moved into the “The Church on the Hill” in Cherry Log GA, which we voluntarily vacated a few months later for the larger congregation of Cornerstone Baptist Church, whose building was lost to lightning. So, on 2011 July 10, we moved to the nearby Cherry Log Mountain Pavilion, while we considered a more permanent arrangement with better opportunities for religious education and fellowship to further our mission of offering a home for liberal religion in the mountains of north central Georgia.

We found a more permanent home on Tails Creek Road early in 2012, a space that we could use seven days a week, twenty-four hours a day. We held our first service there on 2012 March 11 and began converting the former Mountain Creek Log Cabin Store into a more functional church, adding a new front entrance, signage, space for religious education, etc.

We received some unsettling news in 2015, when the building was seized from our landlord by the U.S. Marshal’s office.  We eventually placed a bid on the property, much lower than the asking price. With little hope of acquiring it, we proceeded to look for a new property.  We found and rejected several prospects.

Surprisingly, on 2017 April 13, after 18 months in limbo, the U.S. Marshal Service accepted our bid.  Yes, we believe in miracles!  We started to make real our dream of ownership on 2017 May 12 when we signed the Limited Warranty Deed.

On 2017 May 26, our Board members met with Cliff Lancey in the closing attorney’s office in downtown Ellijay and signed the papers that gave us title to the building.  Enter, Rejoice, and Come In!

On 2017 June 16, we signed the Promissory Note between Ann H. Low and MLUUC and the Deed to Secure Debt and Security Agreement.

The story continued with remodeling, adding a connecting doorway between the east and west sides of the building, making it much more functional.  And, in 2019 July, we undertook a major remodeling project, to add a second restroom and full kitchen.

We held our 20th Anniversary Celebration on 2019 OCT 27.

On 2020 MARCH 29 in response to the COVID lockdowns, we held our first “Zoom only” Sunday service and continued full weekly Zoom services for mor than a year. On 2021 JUNE 6, Mountain Light re-opened the church with multi-platform (in person and Zoom) Sunday services.


To read about the history of the Unitarian Universalist Association, please click here.