In 1951 an ad from the American Unitarian Association appeared in the Winston-Salem Journal asking: “Are you a Unitarian without knowing it?” The ad suggested that you might be a Unitarian if you believe that:

•  The Bible is an inspiring human document but not the literal word of God.
• People are not condemned by “original sin” but are inherently capable of improvement.
• Development of character is more important than accepting religious creeds.
• The purpose of religion is to help us live this life well, rather than prepare for an afterlife.

The people who responded to the ad soon formed a Unitarian Society and began meeting for informal, lay-led discussions exploring religion, the arts, philosophy and social issues.