Every place has its history. When we find ourselves somewhere new, curiosity begins to bubble up inside of us. Who nurtured this? To what end? When we meet new people, they usually start with an endearingly simple question: “So… is HUUB an acronym?”

Our name reflects our commitment to being a central fixture in the ever-evolving ecology of Orange. In other words, to be a steadfast hub in the network of people, places, activities, and wildlife that our community calls home. In short, no, it’s not exactly an acronym— but it does have one in it. The HUUB name honors our history with The First Unitarian Universalist Church of Essex County, AKA First UU.

A long-standing anchor institution since 1893, the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Essex County has provided a space for like-minded people to meet and worship in Orange, NJ for generations. As the first of its kind in Essex County, the Church also supported the development of other congregations, such as The Unitarian Universalist Congregation at Montclair. Being an anchor institution means committing to community-oriented activity that enriches and bolsters the social fabric. The HUUB carries this legacy of the congregation’s history through everyday work and focused programming for our people and our home.

Prefer a lighter read? You can also learn about our Community Campus and its history in The HUUB’s 10th Anniversary archive!

Specifically, we maintain a role in Orange and Essex County as a Community Campus. Initially inspired by Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) theory, our founding aim in 2015 was to turn outward the Congregation’s most valuable assets: their historic buildings and land. Under our continued management, we develop these grounds into both a welcoming resource for the people of Orange and an active site of community and collaboration. As our people struggle with the uncertainty and social disconnect of modern living, we remain an ark that shepherds and protects all who come to our Campus.

Historically, First UU and other anchor institutions have stabilized our communities in the wake of successive urban policies that shifted investment away from Orange. These destabilizations have included “urban renewal”, deindustrialization, highway construction, and the suburbanization of the middle class— all of which continue to strain our social cohesion today. We acknowledge some of the Congregation’s fellow anchor institutions who could not weather the storm of disinvestment, such as the First Presbyterian Church of Orange, Orange Memorial Hospital, and the YMCA of Essex & West Hudson. First UU was fortunate enough to survive three decades of rapid change, but faced a dwindling congregation as a direct result of these displacements.

“From the start we were guided by a simple but demanding idea: faith without works is dead. The First UU taught us that a faith community can’t simply pray or gather behind closed doors. Faith must be proved through action by living our values out loud and in solidarity with others. Everything HUUB’s become and aspires to be grows from that commitment.”

Charlie Wirene, Board Member & Former Managing Director

It was clear the Congregation could not sustain itself without some change. Faced with difficult decisions, they identified three options: merge with a neighboring UU congregation, dissolve the church to use the remaining resources in support of UU activities, or turn their faith outward to become a more relevant model of urban ministry. The congregation was energized and inspired by two fateful threads. One of these was a meeting that First UU’s Reverend Gordon Bailey held with Rev. Dr. John Gilmore Om Prakash and Rev. Donald Robinson. In Rev. Bailey’s own words, they were “an accomplished Unitarian Universalist minister, a program director, [and] a UU activist” and “a seasoned social worker for 30 or 40 years, [who] was a founder of Beacon House Ministry in Washington, D.C.”.

“Dear friends, on that unforgettable day— that’s what it was for me, because I saw something amazing happen— these two brilliant men brought their wisdom, passion, and faith to Orange. We gathered with open hearts and open minds. Ideas flowed. Dreams were shared. Hope soon filled the room…. We talked about what it means to be a congregation in changing times. How faith must not only endure, but must evolve if we’re going to be relevant. Out of that day of visioning and inspiration came this fabulous program. A place with justice, and art, and community, and living, breathing examples of what an engaged life is all about.”

Rev. Gordon Bailey, previously of First UU

The other call to action that confronted the Congregation was a thesis by Rehanna Azimi & Monique Baena-Tan, in which they observe that “not every organization realizes how vital they are to creating community, or what their role is in the bigger picture. These anchoring institutions might see themselves as humble businesses or community projects, but they create and maintain the fabric of community. To lose them chips away at urban society.” As one of the remaining anchor institutions after more than a century in Orange, we recognized that to leave would be to leave our community behind. Our neighbors were struggling; it was our fundamental imperative to carry our people forward.

First UU’s history as an institution in service of the community and social justice is long and varied, from founding social service programs to participating in civil rights struggles, demonstrations, and events. Bolstering our community has always meant both material and cultural nourishment. In the past, First UU partnered with the First Presbyterian Church of Orange as part of the Interfaith Hospitality Network (IHN) for the Homeless of Essex County. The Congregation provided dinner and other assistance when First Presbyterian hosted unhoused families in partnership with Family Promise. Meanwhile, our Arts on Cleveland program provided one and a half hours of visual arts education and instruction each week for 15 gifted arts students, culminating in an art show and opening reception.

“Why are we here? We’re here because Orange is a poor, working-class city— 40% of the people are immigrants— and we need a place to gather. We need to stand firm, and we need to stand tall. […] We need to keep this place solid so that it can do the work that we need it to do…. And it’s a gift from generations of Unitarians who built this place, and they made it— they infused it with what they believed in. Which we have inherited, and we keep it strong.”

Dr. Mindy Fullilove, Board Member

The HUUB continues this tradition of good works through both regular programming and collaborations with our community and partners. Alongside distribution of our Ben Jones Community Garden harvest at an annual Harvest Fest, we regularly host monthly Solidarity Potlucks. Our Joe Thomasberger Fellows program also develops projects from those confronting concerns such as urban displacement and lead contamination to those that engage our community in art exhibits, open mics, and visual and creative writing classes. The HUUB is also the proud home of University of Orange’s traditional Trinidadian Steel Pan classes, with youth and adult bands ranging from beginner to intermediate proficiency.

We have always opened our doors and welcomed groups with aligned values into our space. Alongside UofO, two of our regular partners are the LANBI Center for Humanities and Civics and the Laundry Workers Center, both of which are immigrant rights and education organizations. Together, we work toward a more informed and equitable vision of our home. You can read more about the Laundry Workers Center and our history with them in Week 4 of our anniversary letters.

“The support and space we received have been invaluable in shaping our achievement and fostering a vital community in Orange…. It’s a place where dreams take flight, and everyone feels empowered to continue. […] As we continue our journey, it is crucial that we all advocate for the preservation of this historical space. This is more than a building, and I know you know that. It is a hub of hope, resilience, and collective strength.”

Rosanna Rodriguez, Co-Executive Director of the Laundry Workers Center

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