Unity of Kalamazoo sits on Whites Road in southwest Kalamazoo, set among graceful trees and quiet neighborhood greens. The community traces its roots back more than a century to a parlor on Dutton Street, and today gathers each Sunday in a fully accessible sanctuary with seating for more than two hundred. Known locally for its inclusive, progressive approach to spirituality, the congregation draws from the teachings of Unity founders Charles and Myrtle Fillmore while welcoming people of every background, belief, and life experience.
From Dutton Street to Whites Road
The story begins in the early 1920s with Amy Moffett, who moved to Kalamazoo from Chicago for the express purpose of establishing a Unity center. She had studied under the Fillmores, received her Certificate of Ordination in May 1922, and was officially ordained in July 1923. For nearly forty years she held Sunday services and weekly classes in her home on Dutton Street. As the group grew, gatherings moved through a long succession of borrowed spaces: the YWCA on Rose Street, Lilac Cottage on Elm Street, the Burdick Hotel, the Kalamazoo Inn on Park Street, and the social rooms of Fidelity Federal Savings and Loan on West Main. There were seasons when only five or six attended, and Sunday services sometimes relied on cassette recordings from the Unity Tape Library in Los Angeles when no guest speaker was available.
Steady stewardship carried the group through those lean years. Ernest and Mildred Jansen and Kenneth and Helen King kept meetings going in their homes. Ward Goff arranged for Rev. Bob Wallett of Unity of Grand Rapids to come to Kalamazoo. In January 1964, Rev. Edward Hoge, minister of Unity of Grand Rapids, began coming down for Sunday afternoon services. When the YWCA room was no longer available and guest speakers were hard to schedule, members themselves conducted services. Many Sundays drew fewer than a dozen people. During that period, Vi Davis organized a Sunday School for the two-to-six-year-olds called The Angel Factory.
The turning point came in 1970, when the congregation began meeting Sunday mornings at the YWCA. Two years later, Rev. William "Bill" Kozy, a recent ministerial graduate, arrived with his wife Jackie and their daughters; a small group in Battle Creek contributed to his salary so he could teach there as well. In 1976, the Board of Directors purchased a small church on Fairfax Avenue for $42,500, financed in part by the Justus Credit Union at Unity Village, marking the congregation's first owned building. The Fairfax building was sold in 1979 to a Montessori school for $75,000, and Unity of Kalamazoo became the owners of the former Second Church of Christ, Scientist at 910 West Main Street in the historic district, a property appraised at $400,000 and purchased for $200,000.
Rev. Robert "Bob" Barth became minister in 1980 and led extensive renovations. Volunteers sanded through many coats of white paint to reveal oak woodwork, rebuilt the platform, cut the pews to create a center aisle, polished brass sconces, refurbished the fellowship hall, and created a kitchen from the cupboards and sink of Charlotte and Charles Nikitas. Phyllis DeBor became the first regular vocal soloist. Barbara Hong, a member of the congregation, became organist and later Director of Music. The mortgage was burned less than eighteen months after Rev. Marty Newman arrived in March 1998, a tribute to the regular, dependable support of the congregation.
By the early 2000s, the lovely but dated West Main building no longer supported the ministry's vision. A church-wide process led to the 2004 move to Unity of Kalamazoo's current home at 1204 Whites Road, a fully accessible facility with a spacious sanctuary, downstairs classrooms, a fellowship hall, kitchen, dedicated youth ministry areas, nursery space, and offices. In 2018, a seven-circuit labyrinth designed by Kent Brigham was added to the grounds.
A Positive, Practical, Progressive Path
Unity's teachings rest on four pillars. Unity Is Inclusive: while rooted in Christianity, the movement draws wisdom from many spiritual traditions and metaphysical perspectives, and there is no requirement to use a particular name for the Divine. Members and friends are free to call it God, Spirit, the Universe, Divine Love, or any name that feels meaningful. Unity Is About Personal Spiritual Growth: every person is on a unique journey, and members are encouraged to ask questions, explore ideas, and discover practices that support their own development. Unity Is Practical: teachings are intended to be lived through prayer, meditation, positive thinking, forgiveness, compassion, and conscious action. Unity Is Community: people come together to learn, share, celebrate, support one another, and grow in an atmosphere of love and acceptance.
The community's mission statement reads: "As an all-inclusive community, we awaken to Spirit, grow into our souls, and build a better world."
Sundays at 10
Sunday Celebrations are held at 10:00 AM at 1204 Whites Road. Senior Minister Rev. John M. McLean offers thoughtful commentary on how spiritual principles can help people live more centered, gracious, and effective lives. With warmth, intelligence, and humor, his talks draw from Unity teachings and the wisdom of the Perennial Philosophy, exploring timeless ideas and their relevance to everyday experience. The celebration weaves in joyful, uplifting music and a congregation of welcoming people. The hope is that everyone leaves with something useful: an insight, a new perspective, or a little inspiration to carry into the week.
On the second Sunday of each month, the format changes. There is no traditional service that day. Instead, a Spiritual Salon gathers for a congregant-led conversation over coffee on a preselected topic, designed to deepen connection with one another and with spiritual practice.
For those who cannot attend in person, the Sunday celebration is available through livestream on YouTube.
Music as Ministry
Music is woven through every Sunday gathering. Jonathan Moody serves as Music Director, bringing experience from a jazz-fusion sextet, a Kalamazoo-based cover band, and pit work in the Southwest Michigan theatre scene. Elizabeth Case directs the Joyful Voices Choir and brings a background in education, nonprofit leadership, and ten years teaching middle and high school choir. Carolyn Koebel rounds out the team as percussionist, drawing on three decades of rhythm study that includes Western traditions and indigenous music from Latin and South America, West Africa, the Middle East, and Japan; she leads the Japanese taiko drumming program at Kalamazoo College.
The Joyful Voices Choir, open to anyone with the desire to sing, rehearses Monday evenings from 6:00 to 8:00 PM at the church. During the choir season, the choir performs on nine Sundays per year, October through May, and is a special presence at the Candle Lighting Service each Christmas Eve.
Prayer That Has Continued for Half a Century
The Prayer Team gathers at 10:30 AM on Tuesdays for a simple practice of holding healing and right outcome for all who have submitted prayer requests. The group has been meeting continuously for over fifty years. Though the individuals have changed, the prayerful consciousness has not. Anyone is welcome to join. A pastoral care email is available for those needing individual spiritual support.
A Labyrinth on the Grounds
In 2018, a labyrinth, distinct from a maze, was completed on the church grounds. Designed by Kent Brigham, the work contains seven circuits and offers a contemplative complement to Sunday worship and weekly prayer. The labyrinth is open to the community as a walking meditation practice.
Unity in Community
Unity in Community, led by Kim Varney and Marcia Burgstahler, plans the social side of congregational life. The group meets on the third Sunday after service. Activities range from outings at a Kalamazoo Growlers home game to bowling and potlucks. Friday Game Nights on the final Friday of every month have become a regular fixture. The intent is twofold: to strengthen relationships within the congregation and to re-establish Unity of Kalamazoo's presence in the wider community.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
A standing DEI Team, open to all members and friends, identifies and shares opportunities to increase awareness of DEI objectives, suggests programs and policies to ensure a diverse, equitable, and inclusive environment, and serves as a clearinghouse for information, resources, and activities in the community and the greater Kalamazoo area. The team highlights local organizations including the NAACP Metropolitan Kalamazoo Branch, the Society for History and Racial Equity, ERACCE, OutFront Kalamazoo, El Concilio, the YWCA Kalamazoo Domestic Assault Program, Kalamazoo Loaves & Fishes, Gryphon Place, ISAAC, the Arcus Center for Social Justice and Leadership at Kalamazoo College, and Justice at Work, among others.
A Place for You to Serve
Volunteering is organized around established teams. The Prayer Team offers spiritual support by holding the intentions and needs of the community. The First Impressions Team helps create a warm welcome for those arriving at gatherings. Hospitality supports the practical side of community life. Building and Grounds cares for the physical spaces, while the Technology and Streaming Support team helps make gatherings accessible online. No special expertise or title is required; people are invited to start with whatever interests them.
Visiting Unity of Kalamazoo
The church office is open Monday through Thursday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM. The sanctuary is located at 1204 Whites Road in southwest Kalamazoo and is fully accessible by elevator. The congregation's tone is informal and welcoming; people come as they are. The Sunday celebration is available both in person and via livestream on YouTube, and giving is available online. For general inquiries the office can be reached at (269) 385-2239 or office@unitykalamazoo.com.