08/15/2026
There are 201 incarcerated UUs in North Texas.
At Newton Correctional Facility in Iowa, incarcerated men have formed the Newton Unitarian Universalist Fellowship—a growing UU community within the prison centered on worship, reflection, belonging, and shared values.
The fellowship formally launched in 2025 and now includes nearly 30 members who gather regularly for spiritual community and connection.
As Rev. Dr. Michael Tino of the Church of the Larger Fellowship reflects, this ministry offers something profoundly counter to a prison system that so often defines people by their worst actions: a reminder of dignity, the possibility of transformation, and the power of love-centered community.
The Newton fellowship is also a reminder that Unitarian Universalism can take root anywhere people choose covenant, connection, and hope.
Read more in UU World at the link in the comments.