In the early years of ORUUC, many church members had arrived in town from far away. That meant that church membership took on the quality of belonging to a family, especially during the holidays or when facing hard times. Even as ORUUC has grown and its ministries have sprawled out in every direction, the importance of community has endured.  

For more than 20 years, every Thursday evening, people gathered to enjoy a potluck supper; the group now gets together on Thursdays at noon off site to enjoy a meal and conversation. The church hosts Coffeehouse Talent Shows, in which ORUUC-ians share their talents, from the ridiculous to the sublime. An annual fall or spring—sometimes both—Church Retreat at a Tennessee State Park allows our community to get away all together, roasting marshmallows, playing games, hiking, and hearing one another’s stories more deeply. Church youth visit The Mountain for spring and fall weekend retreats. Once or twice a year, ORUUC hosts a big party, where line-dancing has been known to break out. These are just a few of the ways we fellowship together.  

ORUUC has a culture that likes to laugh. And because we laugh together on a regular basis, and because we know each other’s stories and support one another, when the hard times come, as they do in life, we can also cry together.  Lifelong friendships have been forged at ORUUC for decades, and more friendships are forming by the week.