And Then We Were One

(continuing the series on the local Unitarian congregation by Sandra Maze)

We are the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fort Wayne and a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association. But, it has not always been so.

Unitarianism took form in Transylvania in 1568 after splitting from the Reformed Church. After receiving approval from the Prince and many in the nobility, Unitarianism became one of the four recognized religions and spread rapidly. Then there was a change in government and the movement was oppressed for about two centuries.

Universalism is based on the premise that all will finally be saved. This doctrine is ancient in origin. During the middle ages it became neglected. It was revived in the 18th and 19th centuries and developed in England. It was taught in the colonies by Mystics, Anabaptists, Episcopalians, and Congregationalists.

The history of our religion is rich and much too long to go into in this article. There are books in our UUFC library and articles on the UUA website.

In America the Universalist and Unitarian denominations were founded in the 18th and 19th centuries by such theological liberals as John Murray, Hosea Ballou, George de Benneville, William Ellery Channing, Ralph Waldo Emerson, and Theodore Parker.

There were theological differences. Thomas Starr King, one of the earliest Unitarian Universalists and minister, put the differences as follows “The one thinks God is too good to damn them forever - the other thinks they are too good to be damned forever”. In other words the Universalists put more stress on the love and grace of God, and the Unitarians put more stress on man’s natural goodness.

With the events of the 19th century, which included the Civil War, the differences between the religions seemed to become fewer. The social, cultural and economic differences lessened.

We know that the Unitarian and Universalist merged in 1961 but this was not the first and last meeting regarding this issue.

The World’s Parliament of Religions was held in Chicago in 1893. There was also the First Congress of Liberal Religious Societies which included Unitarians, Universalists, Reform Jews, and Ethical Culturists also held in Chicago that same year. The Unitarians and Universalists began moving closer together. Speakers such as the Unitarian Jenkin Lloyd Jones saw their separation as impeding the growth of religious liberalism.

At a General Convention of Universalists held in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1895, a motion calling for the cooperation of Universalist-Universalist cooperation was made and then tabled. It was again tabled in 1897 at a Universalist Biennial Convention in 1897 in Chicago.

In 1908, the National Federation of Religious liberals was formed “for cooperative effort among the friends of Liberal Religion regardless of denominational lines.” They were active until the 1930s. In 1908, the Missouri Universalist Convention introduced a “memorial on organic union with the Unitarians”. It was concluded that the “organic union be left to make its own way as the divine spirit of truth and Christion Brotherhood may move our hearts.”

By the 1930s, cooperation became stronger. In 1951, a Joint Commission was appointed to by both the Unitarians and Universalists to consider methods of union. At that time, a merger was not recommended but closer cooperation and fellowship of the two denominations. The Free Church of America was created which later became The Free Church Fellowship.

The Unitarians held a Biennial Conference in 1947. Another Joint Commission was appointed. As a result of the Joint Commission, 75% of Unitarians and 72% of the Universalists “authorized the formulation and presentation to the two denominations of a plan for federation”. In August of 1955 , a Council of Liberal Churches was established to work jointly in the field of Education, Publications, and Public Relations.

In the 1950s, 36 local congregations merged and became Unitarian Universalists. They strongly recommended a merger of the two denominations. In 1956 the Joint Merger Commission was appointed and the merger was accomplished in 1961.

In looking through the old Newsletters and Annual meetings, it was found that The Unitarian Congregation of Fort Wayne did not change their name to Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Fort Wayne until after The Articles of Incorporation were signed on October 26, 1980.

Sources:

The Encyclopedia of Religion Edited by Vergilius Fern copyright 1945

Unitarian Universalist Merger 1961-1975 UUA.org

Where Do We Come From? -- Our Holy Space Part Two

(Part three in a series about the Unitarian Universalist congregation in Fort Wayne. Written by Sandra Maze.)

In the late 1990’s the growth of our church came into the forefront.  The issues that needed to be addressed were handicap accessible restrooms, a kitchen remodel, and Religious Education and meeting space.  On January 9, 1996, the Building Futures Task Force, headed by Rachel McNett, met for the first time.  They started by collecting information from the UUA and other congregations who had undertaken a building project such as the one our congregation was considering.  We were on our way!

         

In her article, in the February 11, 1996 newsletter, the Rev. Dr. Laurie Proctor wrote about the process the church was embarking on for the new building.  She also expressed her dreams for the new space.  She wrote, 

      “I dream of religious education space that is bright and big enough to hold all of the children at once and allows each group to concentrate without hearing every other teacher and child in the place.  And I imagine a social hall where we can move around without bumping into one another and where we can pull up chairs for a Quiet tête-à-tête - a place where we can share meals together and with lots of bulletin boards where we hang information about who we are and the great things we’re doing. And a library—a room for small meeting and thinking.

      We are in the process of building a building, but, most importantly, we are creating our religious home, “The cradle for our dreams, the workshop of our common endeavor” a place large enough to welcome in all those Unitarian Universalists who don’t yet know about us.  In regard to the latter, I was told by another colleague that once a congregation commits to building, people start coming because they know there will be a place for them.”

This building was finally built with some ups and downs.  You will notice that the new addition is raised above the original structure.   This is because we are in a flood plain.  Many of Laurie’s dreams were realized upon completion of the project.  We have a dedicated Sanctuary with upholstered chairs, which came much later, but we have them now.  We have been using the Social Hall for potluck dinners and wedding receptions and meetings.  The Bhajan Society also uses this space to worship, building their own altar in 2004.  The RE now has space for several grades and a nursery, as well as adult religious space.  The choir also has a space to practice.

          

On June 3, 2001, our new building was dedicated.  There was also an Act of Rededication of the Meetinghouse as a whole.  The music was composed for this celebration by Anne Littlefield.  She wrote music to the poem To the New Roof Line written by Nano Honeck Coffman in 1960.  The poem was written in honor to the Meetinghouse in 1960.  Anne renamed her piece “Ode to a Roofline”.  She composed two original pieces, “For Our Forebears” and “New Space”.  It was a beautiful and wonderful service, one in which I was pleased to be a part of as a member of the choir.

The following was written by Dodd. M. Kattman, the architect for our new space.

Building

          A celebration of the circle of life!  The expansion to the Meetinghouse respects and applauds the energy and ideas dedicated to the original structure while providing meaningful space to gather, work and learn.  The connection of the new and old allows both to accept one another absent of competition and ego.  The addition opens its arms to a comfortable entry sequence and provides for a future meditative outdoor garden.  The newly created lobby is flooded with daylight and emits a warm, welcoming glow at night.

          I hope that visitors will be well served by the new space and develop renewed a relationship with an old friend.

Where Do We Come From--Our Holy Space

Second in a series about the history of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Fort Wayne by Sandra Maze.


Those of our congregation that came to us after 2000 only know our Meetinghouse as it is now.  However there are also those who know it as it was.

         

 In “Projects ARCHITECTURAL FORUM”, was an article titled “Hyperbolic Church for Unitarians”.  “For the Unitarian Society of Fort Wayne Indiana, Humbrecht Associates have designed twin hyperbolic paraboloids—one to serve as an auditorium for about 200, the other as a religious education area.”

           

The congregation entered the building into what is now the Langhinrichs Gallery. Where the library is now was the minister’s office and the cloak room was the secretary’s office.  The reception hall housed the RE area and the choir also practiced there.

           

This all began in the late 1950s.  The Unitarian Society of Fort Wayne still met in that house on Fairfield Avenue.  They were beginning to have growing pains.   In April of 1957, The Congregation voted in favor of a committee to study the acquisition of a site for and the building of a new meeting place for the Society.  This committee was chaired by Larry Burke.  The committee recommended Humbrecht Associates be retained as Architects to build the Unitarian Meetinghouse.  This recommendation was approved by the Board of Trustees.

          

 In 1958, the task of raising the money for the new space began.  The building campaign was launched on May 13, 1957 and formally ended on June 7, 1957.  On July 17^th Humbrecht Associates became our architects.  At a potluck supper on November 22^nd, a model of the proposed building constructed by Kenneth Cole was the centerpiece of the feast and the discussion.

           

On Friday, December13th, the congregation voted to approve the preliminary plans and also the site of the plot between old Mill Road and Foster Park Road in the Woodhurst neighborhood development.  Peggy Seigel wrote in her “Brief History of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation” that the land itself is rich in history, for it was part of a parcel given (given back) by the federal government to Miami Chief jean Baptiste Richardville in 1825.  It is located next to the new home of Achduth Vesholom Congregation, the same congregation that shared its home with the Universalists a hundred years earlier.

          

 It was reported in the 1959 Profile, Analysis and Proposal for a new building, that there was a membership of 175, of which 140 were resident.  They had a mailing list of 250 and a Church School of 50.  The room that was used for worship seated only 56 and at times there was an attendance was about 60.  The new membership decreased from 40 new members the first year of the minister’s incumbency and had declined to about 12 during the current year.  It was determined that there was a “dramatic need for the new building which would no doubt accelerate the growth pattern as it has typically done elsewhere.”

         

 In June of 1959, The Unitarian Society of Fort Wayne, entered into an agreement with Allied Fund Raising Counselors of Chicago Illinois to receive professional direction for the canvass.

           

The Unitarian Congregation of Fort Wayne dedicated their new building on January 29, 1960.  The Opening Sentences were delivered by The Reverend Robert S Hoagland, our first minister of the congregation.

           

The following words appeared in the dedication program:

Open to us the gates that shall never be closed to any man, whatsoever his race, his class or his creed.  We would enter into them; we would give forth our thanks.

Enter into these gates with thanksgiving, and into these courts with praise. Sir, the Unitarian Congregation of Fort Wayne now enters upon the use of this building.  On behalf of the Congregation I gratefully acknowledge the fidelity with which your committee has fulfilled its duties.

Let us now proceed to the dedication of this church.

To be continued....

Where Do We Come From?

We begin a series on the Unitarian Universalist congregation's history in Fort Wayne, which is celebrating 75 years in 2014. The posts are written by Sandra Maze, church historian. If your church would like to have its history recorded on our blog, please contact Nancy McCammon-Hansen at nancy.mccammon-hansen@fwhistorycenter.com or 260-426-2882 ext. 306. 

First post from September 2013

          In 1876, the first organized Unitarian services were held at the Indiana Conservatory Hall of Music in the same room formerly used by the Universalist.  No formal congregation was formed at that time.

          In 1939, twenty-seven charter members gathered for the first time.  They sought to bring the principles of a liberal religion to Fort Wayne and the surrounding communities.  They held their first meeting in the lounges of the Fairfield Manor.  The Unitarian Society of Fort Wayne was incorporated on April 16, 1939.  The first called minister was Rev. Robert Hoagland.  He served the congregation form 1939 to 1945.  During his tenure as minister, a residence was purchased at 2929 Fairfield Ave.

          The congregation moved to its present location in 1960, when Rev. Hugo Leming was our minister.

          Between 1939 and 2012, our congregation has called eight ministers.  These include Rev. Richard Langhinrichs from 1965 to 1989; The Rev. Dr. Laurie Proctor, our minister emerita from 1991 to 2003; Rev. Dr. Jay E. Abernathy, Jr., 2004-2010; and Rev. Misty-Dawn Shelly, called in 2012.  Two interim ministers and one congregational counselor have also served our congregation.