U Bar U Retreat & Conference Center

After some ten years, it became apparent that the original goals of Quakerland could not be fulfilled without a body of people dedicated to living on the land and turning those goals into practical realities. Quakerland entered a period of spiritual search and of organization and growth. Three permanent residential structures were added, the road and a parking lot were improved, and 132 acres were purchased adjoining the original ten acres.

After a six-year period of organization, growth, and dedicated exertion, the Quakerland Community found that they no longer had the resources to turn their vision into practical reality. Desiring to retain as much as possible of their original intent, the Quakers began a deliberate search for a successor steward for their sacred place.

In December 2000, Quakerland Community queried members of First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin for interest and subsequently invited First Church to submit a letter of interest. Mindful of the significant efforts expended by the Quakers and mindful of their deep residual feelings of obligation toward the land and the vision, First Church solicited consideration for receipt of this grant.

After serious due consideration on both sides, First Church was selected as the eventual recipient. The Unitarian Universalist proposed use of the tract would in many respects echo the expressed original intent of the Quakers. The Site was ideally situated and developed to serve needs for a center for retreats, conferences, and study. First Church was poised for a dynamic leadership role in the expansion of shared ministry in a liberal religion context.

In a mutual spirit of stewardship, the Quakers offered and First Church accepted this wonderful gift. In the summer of 2001, First Church accepted Quakerland in trust for a larger Unitarian Universalist community and acted immediately to create the Unitarian Universalist Friends Retreat Foundation, a Texas non-profit corporation, to hold title and to operate the property as a spiritual retreat and conference center. To that end, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin generously provided initial seed capital sufficient for several years of basic operation.

The charter Board of Directors, mindful of its commitment to the larger Unitarian Universalist community, has made, and continues to make, a deliberate effort to constitute itself with wide representation throughout the Southwestern Unitarian Universalist Conference.