Unity of Birmingham hosts its first Party in the Park

Unity of Birmingham is a progressive Christian church on Highland Avenue that is not particularly well-known in Southside, despite having been in existence for nearly a century.

To help raise its local profile, Unity held its first-ever Party in the Park fundraiser in Rhodes Park on Saturday, May 13, despite intermittent rain showers.

The event included local vendors, a bake sale, food and beverage and a silent auction of artwork and other items.

There was also live music -- some student rock bands from Mason Music and a jazz band from the church.

Unity’s minister, Rev. Charles Perry, said the church began as a study group in 1919, and was organized officially in 1926. The church has been located on the same property in the 2800 block of Highland Avenue since the 1940s.

“I don’t know many funds we’ll be able to raise this time, but what we wanted to do was increase our visibility in the community and let the people in the neighborhood know we’re here, because people who drive by that building don’t even know that it’s a church,” Perry said.

The church has something unique to offer to spiritually curious people, according to Perry.

“Unity is a very progressive, open version of Christianity,” he said. “We honor all paths to God, so we don’t claim to have the one and only way. So you will find people in the Unity church that self-identify as Buddhists if there is no temple around.”

“We like to call ourselves practical, progressive, positive Christianity,” Perry said.

Bruce Glenn, the primary event organizer, said that Party in the Park attracted about 15 vendors this time and that the church intends to repeat the event in 2018.

“We would love to keep doing it,” he said. “I learned a lot this time. We just need to get the word out more and maybe get some more vendors next time.”

Perry also wants to put out the good word about Unity.

“There are a lot of people in the Birmingham area who would like to find a church like this but they don’t know we’re here,” he said.

For more information, go to unitybham.org.