[1] Beacon UU was founded by area residents who felt that Summit needed a liberal church, emphasizing ethics and love as the core of religion, and encouraging all members to search for their own religious truths.

[15] The years from 1970 to 1988 saw half a dozen ministers and interims, and reduction in the church membership, before David Bumbaugh served from 1988 to 1999, after which he became professor of ministry at Meadville/Lombard Theological School.

Beacon UU has an unusual leadership model, combining two ordained ministers with a lay executive director.

Beacon's Social Justice Committee provides tutoring, educational workshops, holiday gifts, and fund-raising events for the children in the largely African-American school.

The congregation voted to call for an end to the war in Iraq, began a weekly tradition of striking a gong for each service member killed that week in Iraq or Afghanistan, and prepared a wall of ribbons, one ribbon for each service member killed, to display in front of the building on Springfield Avenue.

"[21] Beacon UU is an active member of the Summit Interfaith Council, a coalition of 19 local religious groups that “seek the welfare of the city.” Rev.

[23] The congregation has sponsored numerous talks on such subjects as racial justice, experiences of civil rights protesters in the 1960s,[24] readings of speeches by Martin Luther King Jr.,[25] "intentional integration,"[26] Darfur refugees,[27] healthier eating and diet,[28] shamanism,[29] meditation,[30] and other topics.

Beacon UU cooperated with other churches on a project entitled Raise the Roof to build affordable housing for persons in Summit,[31] working alongside Habitat for Humanity.

It is varied, and features an Afternoon music series, including performances by jazz pianist Bill Charlap[34] and harpist Elaine Christy.