Most people describe Unity Temple as unconventional. My first three visits to Unity Temple were just that – unconventional.
The first time I visited was with a friend who was helping UTRF with accounting and he showed me the very upper concrete columns where rain was literally pouring in. An unconventional visit for sure.
The second time, the (then) executive director invited me over to see where original paint colors were found behind some HVAC pipes and equipment. Exciting, but again, not your conventional visit.
If you haven’t seen Unity Temple from this perspective, we welcome you to take a tour and try it for yourself!
But the third time was the best. My young daughters were there for a kids’ stained glass workshop and they were lying on the floor of the sanctuary looking up. They invited me to join them. It was wonderful — probably the best way to view the architecture in the sanctuary, if not a bit unconventional.
My experiences at Unity Temple like that have continued. I have never taken a formal tour, never attended a religious service, but I have had wonderful people show me the extraordinary details of Unity Temple that keep bringing me back to this unconventional architectural gem.
And, now as the Vice-President of the Board of Directors for Unity Temple Restoration Foundation, it’s my turn to bring everyone into Unity Temple. I’m involved in lecture planning, the Vintage Home Show, board development, and much more.
I invite you to come see the unconventional details that make Unity Temple one of the best buildings in the world. Hopefully you will be able to lie on the sanctuary floor and look up!
Written by Laura Mercier Thompson
Vice-President, UTRF Board of Directors
