The 1980s, according to history writer Alma Howard, were difficult times for the church. Materialism was up, and church attendance was down.

Still, the spirit of University Unitarian remained. There were UUC study and social groups and neighborhood clusters. The idea of greeters was introduced to welcome visitors on Sundays. Lesbians and gays in the UUC religious community brought to light issues of justice and led the way to our designation as a Welcoming Congregation. The Wednesday Forum and Impact Forum became popular avenues for information on policy and activism. The church continued its legacy of working for justice in housing by establishing the first home for people with AIDS in Seattle, and pushing for housing for those with mental illness. The congregation also worked actively on issues of immigration and sanctuary for Central Americans.

Cynthia Breen (now known as Lena) was the director of religious education for many of those years. She went to theological school while still working at the church in the 1980s, and was ordained by UUC as a Minister of Religious Education. Rev. Breen later went to the Unitarian Universalist Association to serve as the director of religious education.

In the 1990s, we were fortunate to welcome Sue Williams as the director of religious education. And to our delight, Karen Thomas joined our staff to direct the UUC music program.

With the political upheaval and beginning democratization of Eastern European countries, UU congregations were able to reconnect with Unitarian churches in Transylvania, a region in northwestern Romania considered to be the cradle of Unitarianism. Minister Peter Raible was a founding member of the continental UU Partner Church Council and active in creating connections with these Unitarian churches, which date to the 17th century. UUC established a partner church committee and was matched with a congregation in Alsorakos. We raised funds for our partner church so that they could buy a tractor, which is still in use in the village. UUC members made their first pilgrimage to Alsorakos in the 1990s.

The church established many excellent congregational programs during the '90s. The lay pastoral care team began under the direction of Peg Morgan, a UUC member who was preparing for the ministry. Member Linda Kaufman (who was ordained by UUC in 2007) was membership director.

In 1997, Peter Raible retired as minister of UUC, after a 36-year ministry. The church made him Minister Emeritus, and he went on to interim ministries, including service at the UUA as interim director of settlement. The Rev. Raible donated his extensive personal library to the church.

The Rev. William H. Houff, retired minister of the Spokane Unitarian Universalist Church, served a two-year, highly successful, interim ministry from 1997-1999. During that time, the congregation engaged in self-study to prepare for the next ministerial search.

In 1999, the search committee unanimously recommended extending a call to Jon Luopa. The two-year search process ended in an overwhelming vote by the UUC congregation to call Jon to the UUC pulpit. He began his ministry in September 1999. Alicia Grace was called in 2004, sharing in the responsibilities of the pulpit and the parish.

During the period between 1996 and the present, UUC has participated in the ordinations of a number of its members into the ministry: Deborah Raible, Karen Taliesin, Peg Morgan, Bruce Davis, and Linda Kaufman.

Now in the 21st century, UUC enjoys vibrant leadership and energetic participation in Habitat for Humanity housing and the Green Sanctuary Project. The Social Justice Program is poised to reach out to members and the community. Led by Sue Williams, the Children and Youth Program has great opportunities for kids from area churches, with curricula that many UU congregations have adopted as their own. And the Music Program, under the leadership of Karen Thomas, has expanded to include the Intergenerational Choir, the Handbell Choir, and the Loft Choir.

The atmosphere at University Unitarian is one of excitement and activity, with lots of young families, kids, and elders, mixing and meeting and connecting!