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History Project: A Detailed History of our Fellowship...

Where there are not common memories, there cannot be common hopes. – Anonymous

Early 1950s

It all began with founding member Mary Woodward (17th generation Unitarian!). Mary and husband Arthur were Unitarians living in St. Louis and moved to Harford County in 1953. After arriving she immediately looked in the phonebook for a Unitarian church and spotted the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore. Next she joined the local chapter of the League of Women Voters and found five Unitarians. The inconvenience of traveling with their children to Baltimore and back each Sunday led them to form a religious group at home.

1955

On March 13, 1955 a gathering of some ten liberal religious Harford County citizens met at 730 North Hickory Avenue, Bel Air—home of Art and Mary Woodward—to create an established Unitarian presence in the area. It was most important for those gathered to provide a liberal religious education to their children and the children in their lives. This took a couple years to come about, as different circles began discussing the lack of a Unitarian voice in the County and the inconvenience of a commute to the nearest Unitarian Church in Baltimore. Florence Marzulli, Wilma Elton and Mary Woodward met some time before to initiate this first step in discussing the forming of a Fellowship. With the help of the Unitarian Church of the Larger Fellowship (which is a correspondence program), and general word of mouth, 22 people were contacted for this first of many living room meetings.

By April 17, 1955, this growing group decided to contact Munroe Husbands, director of the Church of the Fellowship Program (CLF) out of 25 Beacon Street, Boston, then the headquarters of the American Unitarian Association. (We did not become a Unitarian Universalist denomination until the merger of the denominations in 1961.) By October, a Temporary Steering Committee had formed, consisting of: Charlie Reed, Chairperson, Mary Woodward, secretary and Dirk Reuyl, treasurer.

One month later, on November 20, 1955, the first recorded business meeting was held in the Bel Air Library.

1957

In the spring of 1957, five signatures were sent to the American Unitarian Association to officially register the Unitarian Fellowship of Harford County.

Members soon realized that they needed a regular meeting place and began to look for accommodations. The Fellowship found its first home in the Seventh Day Adventist Church at Wilna, which its owners used on Saturdays and let us use on Sundays. The group prospered modestly and began its social service to the community. We advertised our convictions about racial equality, and were gratified to receive a positive response from Harford County minorities. Out of this connection grew the Human Relations Commission, established by Harford County's Charter.

New Member:

1958

1959

In August of 1959, Charles Reed, a beloved lawyer in the County, filled out the necessary papers to create a religious corporation so that a 2 1/4 acre tract, lovingly named Agnostic Hollow could be purchased in September 1959 for $5,000 on Lee Way in Bel Air.

1961

We were able to buy from Aberdeen Proving Ground two surplus Army buildings for $3000, which were moved to the Lee Way site in June. A wide hallway was built to connect the two buildings. It is rumored that the bulldozer was christened with a bottle of Sloans linament.

Thus began the seriously vibrant tradition of sweat equity amongst this congregation. The building's yellow paint was removed and two coats of white were painted by the membership. This congregation has decades of experience in bringing their whole selves to corporate endeavor: heart, soul, body and mind applied to the making of a religious home. Hundreds of hours of hard work were required of members to turn these structures into a pleasant, attractive and functional home. Photographs now hanging in our library give an idea of the undertaking.

Quickly this Fellowship's reputation was of a community of social action. The buildings were offered to many religious and community organizations for like-minded projects, ranging from stopping child hunger to mental health care. The most persistent collective voice was for racial justice, which included brave acts of dissension in KKK meetings and other forums. We have been asked to help in integration Emmett Pybus wrote, we act now—or never. The Unitarian Fellowship of Harford County decided to act.

Since we knew at first hand the difficulties of finding appropriate meeting space, we determined to offer our building as freely as possible as a means of serving the community. Over the years, a Lutheran congregation, a Christian Scientist church, an Episcopal group, and many community organizations met there.

Having no minister, we arranged Sunday services in various ways. We called upon ministers of other Unitarian churches to supply the pulpit periodically. We had many stimulating lay speakers. Members of our own Fellowship frequently spoke as well.

February 1, 1961 is considered the founding date of the church at 210 Lee Way. The January 1991 Newsletter advertises the 30th Anniversary as February 1, 1991. The founding members are listed as

Mary Woodward Mary Lukas
Art Woodward Arne Lukas
Charlie Reed John Buis
Lois Reed Inez Buis
Jean Graybeal James Wilding
Fred Bennet Eve Wilding

Some of the work in the 60's and early 70's include these highlights:

1967

In 1967 the UUA published a supplement to the UU Curriculum then called Church Across the Street based on the experiences and written by the teachers and students here at UUFHC. Middle School to High School-aged children learned about other religious denominations and visited services at these churches. (The curriculum was later retitled How Others Worship and then Neighboring Faiths.)

New Member:

1970

New Member:

1972

New Member:

1978

New Member:

1980

New Members:

1983

New Member:

1984

Geoffrey Drutchas

UUFHC welcomed the Reverend Geoffrey Drutchas as half-time extension minister in September 1984; he concurrently served the UU Congregation of York, Pennsylvania.

Rev. Drutchas was raised as a UU in Michigan and was very interested in UU history, especially regarding Rev. William Ellery Channing's Baltimore sermon for the ordination of Jared Spark—who lived for a time in Havre de Grace. Geoeff's sermons were always well thought out and polished, and he had congregational talkbacks after the service so that members could continue the discussion. During his tenure here he was active in setting up a summer meals program for children who were eligible for free summer meals. Our Fellowship was instrumental in creating the Harford County Food and Nutrition Committee. Since then, we have helped put in place the Brown Bag Program to supplement household food budgets for low income families. The Harfod Food and Nutrition Committee also began the Summer Meals for Kids program, funded by Harford Food Bank, Maryland Food Bank, FEMA and private donations.

Rev. Drutchas was our first dedicated minister. Prior to 1984, UUFHC was a lay-led Fellowship with occasional guest ministers and for one period, a minister-on-loan for several weeks. With the end of Rev. Drutchas's tenure, we felt we had the resources to call a full-time minister.

New Members:

1985

New Members:

1986

Ernest H. Sommerfeld John Hardwicke

During our first years, when Rev. Drutchas served half time, we had lay-led services, as well as an interesting array of guest speakers. Most notable were frequent visits from well-loved Rev. Ernest Sommerfeld (left), retired minister of the Harrisburg, PA church who gave heartfelt sermons, and John Hardwicke (right), then Harford County Council president, who gave scholarly sermons on early Christian history.

New Members:

1987

New Members:

1988

Alice Blair Wesley

The Reverend Alice Blair Wesley is called as our minister in September, thanks to a Chalice Lighter grant, the first one awarded in a new district program. In May 1988, she accepted our call and we celebrated with an Installation Ceremony.

New Members:

1989

Dorris Alcott

The Rev. Dorris Alcott (whose husband was descended from Louisa May Alcott’s uncle) was an official member of UUFHC and the Joseph Priestley District (JPD) Religious Education Chair. She served as Minister of Religious Education for the Towson Church and then was the JPD RE Consultant during the 80s and 90s.

When we were at Lee Way she did teacher training and led the children’s worship services and preached sermons on Transcendentalism and other topics, including one on Hinduism. On that particular Sunday, an Hindu family visited. Rev. Alcott said she felt a little nervous giving a sermon on Hinduism in front of a Hindu family, but after the sermon the father thanked her for making some aspects clear for his children! Rev. Alcott also facilitated DRE covenants with the congregation.

Rev. Alice Blair Wesley began the tradition of having summer services. In previous years members took the summer off, but Rev. Wesley thought it was important to be a year-round church.

New Members:

1990

New Members:

1991

On January 6, 1991, Patty Bashar interviewed Fred Bennet, Mary Woodward, Art Woodward and Henry Wills on the founding and early history of UUFHC. Transcript of interview.

New Members

1992

The growth of our Fellowship under the able ministry of Rev. Wesley soon made it obvious that we had outgrown our original building. Early on we learned that the presence of wetlands on the Lee Way property, and then the neighboring homeowners not wanting to sell, virtually ended the possibility of building expansion. We therefore began a search for a suitable affordable site elsewhere.

In 1994 Rev. Alice Wesley described the discovery of the site for the new church:

Mr. Walter Banks
...one day on my way to the office, I saw a man working in his garden on Churchville Road... I pulled into the driveway of the house next to the garden... as we walked towards each other, I realized the man was no stranger. He was Walter Banks, a distinguished Black leader, now elderly, widely known as the Harford County Father of the NAACP... that first time we talked of Walter's cornfield as a possible site for our new building, he said he hadn't really thought of selling. I asked him to consider it... A day or two later, seeing him out working again, I stopped again, thinking just to mention...a tax deduction for anyone who sells land to a church for a price less than the appraised value. But...as we neared one another, Walter began our conversation by calling out, I decided I'd let you have it.

The Banks offered the land, 3 1/2 acres on a well traveled roadway, for $70,000: essentially $50,000 less than its appraisal. (It should also be mentioned that Charlie Reed was the reason Mr. Banks sold his property at such a good price to us. Charlie had worked with him as his attorney and pro bono to help them keep their church.) That was only the beginning of the miracle. It was now up to 75-80 pledging units to come up with the money to purchase the land and build the new church.

On September 14, Alice wrote a letter to the congregation about the upcoming Special Congregational Meeting to decide whether to move or stay. Four days later, September 18, UUFHC President Ruth Sheridan sent a letter to the congregation describing the recommendation of the Long Range Planning Committee to move. In the fall, Ruth called the Special Congregational Meeting to decide our future. Would we stay at 210 Lee Way in Bel Air or move? The vote was 53 to move and 27 to stay at the Lee Way site.

New Members:

1993

These next few years were geared toward growth which caused a lot of dissent within the congregation. The congregation was on the threshold of change, a new adventure, which naturally brought about great uncertainty and a sense of peril, a vulnerable time. There were attacks from within and from others to obstruct progression. It was a reworking of identity. The arguments of how to grow and who to lead the growth became so acrimonious that 13 members resigned and another 6 removed themselves from membership soon after. This was a painful split, for a sense of ownership could not be fully relinquished by some into the expanding Fellowship and new direction. A great sense of loss was felt by all. It was determined to find a new location for the growing Fellowship.

A Building Committee was formed to make plans for a new building/location. Dyrck Van Dusen served as chair. Thus began a long and arduous process that finally gave us the beautiful home we have today at 2515 Churchville Road.

Video of interview of Inez Buis by Ryan Stehlik and Micah Van Dusen in 1993. (Note that it was digitized from a damaged VHS tape.) Transcript of interview.

New Members:

1994

At a small lead giving meeting, ten people, amounting to seven pledge units met to determine their lead gifts. These members, exhibiting an extraordinary leap of faith, pledged an immediate $70,000 with promise of another $74,000 later. These pledges were extraordinary in their generosity. More pledges, a UUA Building Loan and a Bridge Loan from a bank created the capital to build this building.

We also carry with us the hope and strength from efforts of heart, body, spirit and mind: Here is an excerpt from a Letter to then President John Buerhens by the Rev. Alice Wesley, dated Jan. 12, 1994:

How fabulous our story! So many people have made contributions, every one of which was absolutely essential and necessary if we were to do this, though only all together were they sufficient to make our future possible! Without the patience and keep-on-anyway determination of our Long Range Planning Committee Building Chair... Without our Vice President's knowledge of environmental issues and his high tolerance for governmental red tape... Without the fund-raising expertise and inspiration ... Without the ingenuity, charm and brute labor of our Capital Finance (CF) Chair... without the steadiness, good humor and unflappability of our President... without the extraordinary generosity of the Banks (Walter and Maudeline) and so many of our Members... without the talent and work of all our folks in RE, human concerns, youth programming, adult education, worship and music, who have kept high the quality of our Fellowship programs while we wrestled with all these complicated matters... without any one of these marvelous people and their labors and talents, the UUFHC would be just another little Fellowship, rocking along without hope of knocking on the door of being a larger and more influential church. We have a great history to live up to in a new era.

New Members:

Video of groundbreaking ceremony (August 14, 1994). Transcript of Groundbreaking Ceremony.

1995

The religious education of our young people has been an integral part of our Fellowship since it's beginning. Our founding members wanted a place close by where they could bring their children to receive a liberal religious education.

Through the years the Religious Education Program has grown in many ways to where we have a comprehensive RE program for children and adults. We have recruited teachers, an RE Committee, a volunteer DRE and now a part-time paid DRE. As the number of children increased to where we had no more space to put RE classes, we as a congregation decided to construct a new building where there would be enough space for children and adult programs. In September 1995 we started the church year in our new building.

In 1995 we had eight classes:

  1. nursery for 0 to 3 year olds
  2. preschool for 3 and 4 year olds
  3. K and 1st grade
  4. 2nd and 3rd grade
  5. 4th and 5th grade
  6. 6th grade
  7. 7th and 8th grade
  8. high school

We had over 90 children registered in the RE program. We also had a number of visitors each week. We had two paid nursery attendants, 21 volunteer teachers, plus a number of adults who take turns leading discussions with the high school class, 9 assistants who aided the 4th and 5th grade class, and the junior high class, a RE Committee that is co-chaired plus 9 members, and a paid part-time DRE. As you can see, we had a very active Religious Education Program.

Video of our last service held at 210 Lee Way, Bel Air, Maryland on June 11, 1995. Transcript of Last Service at Lee Way.

We vacated by Mid-June and since our new building wasn’t ready, we had a summer service hiatus. But this summer, many members put in sweat equity hours to put the finishing touches inside our building, often on Sundays when we didn’t have services.

Video of the Building Dedication Service held at 2515 Churchville Road, Churchville, Maryland on Sunday September 17, 1995 with pianist Ginny Chang. Transcript of Building Dedication Service, Order of Service.

At 4:00pm Sunday September 17, 1995 we had our Building Dedication Service.

New Members:

1996

Kathie Davis Thomas

But as it often goes, from chaos comes creation, and the birth of this place had painful beginnings. Rev. Wesley ended her ministry with UUFHC in March of 1996 in the midst of that chaos, and the Fellowship carried itself through until August 1996 when Rev. Kathie Davis Thomas became our Interim Minister for a constructive period of two years to help the growing congregation in its new era find its footing.

New Member:

1997

New Members:

1998

Lisa Ward

In August of 1998, the Reverend Lisa G. Ward came to us as our full-time extension minister, and became our called minister in April of 2000.

From April 2000 until June 2016, the very capable Reverend Lisa G. Ward led the congregation through days, months, and years of countless challenges along with the volunteers and the congregation-elected Executive Board. The dynamics of a growing congregation during those years are documented in our archives in the large church binder titled Roots and Wings which contains historical documents dating from ca. 1955-1956 through part of 2016, and its sequel binder which continues with 2016 and later. Input from members and friends are included in the first binder to record the activities, sermons, religious education programs, and pictures of many members. We also have close to 100 written sermons by Rev. Lisa Ward in our online Sermon Archive.

I came to UUFHC in the fall of 1998, and after the first service, I was hooked! Nan Cerio and I had a good conversation about RE, and I loved the service with Rev. Lisa Ward. (I didn’t know it then, but she was new to the congregation herself). From the beginning, I felt at home here and always have. -Beth Wood-Roig

New Members:

1999

Richard Schroeder

Richard (Dick) Schroeder is hired as Music Director and began in September. Dick's beautiful classical piano music added so much to the Sunday services until he passed away on December 19, 2019.

I met Ed and Kim Roberts, Marty, Beryl Fleming, and Laura Hofberr. -H. T. Wolf

New Members:

Video of interview of Inez Buis by Tracy McMullen on April 20, 1999. Transcript of interview.

2000

At the Annual Meeting in April, UUFHC votes to become a Welcoming Congregation, continuing the cutting-edge advocacy of civil rights, honoring, out loud, the welcome of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people. It offered a safe place to come and worship, host meetings, and generally to know that they are accepted by Unitarian Universalists. The caring and trust offered by the UUFHC members is evident. These words are indicative of the support offered by the congregation:

Whoever you are, whatever your history, and whomever you love, you are welcome here.

We are known in the County, as well, for our work these last few years with AIDS awareness, domestic violence awareness, interfaith awareness, and support of the homeless. We invite many teachers of varying approaches to well being into these halls, which creates a spirit of welcome that reverberates far beyond these mere acres we inhabit.

New Member:

2001

Spearheaded by member Dorothy Lemmey, and with growing awareness of domestic violence in the county and state, in 2001 the congregation began the Silent Witness Ceremony every October with the support of the Harford Community College and the non-profit SARC (The Sexual Assault/Spouse Abuse Resource Center). The complete remembrance ceremony was held outdoors. Eventually, it began indoors to accommodate a growing attendance with a quiet procession to the roadside for a benediction. The ceremony grew in community interest, and by 2019 the entire Service was held in the Sanctuary with several persons speaking to the attendees: members of the congregation, the Sheriff of Harford County, a representative from SARC and the State’s Attorney. The ceremony remembered twelve women, men, and children through life-size plywood silhouette figures painted red. On each figure there is a plaque stating the circumstances of death surrounding the victim. Many persons who travel Maryland route 22 (Churchville Road) have commented to members of UUFHC about the silhouettes, and some drivers actually pull off the road and get out of their cars to read the plaques. The silhouettes have been loaned to other churches and to the Harford Community College for their efforts to raise awareness of domestic violence.

There was a Commemorative Service held in the evening on September 11, 2001 at UUFHC. The entire community was invited. The congregation sends a letter to President Bush calling for restraint in our national response.

New Member:

2002

In October UUFHC began offering Our Whole Lives, a comprehensive, lifespan sexuality education program. There are seven age-appropiate curricula that make up the program.

New Member:

2003

2004

2005

Rev. Lisa Ward took a seven-month sabbatical from June through December.

November 2005: Our first visit to the church! We knew that this was the place for us! - Hazel & Larry Hopkins

New Members:

2006

The Harford County Homeless Shelter, operated by FCCAU (Faith Communities and Civic Agencies United), began February 27, 2006. It is now named the Welcome One Emergency Shelter, and we support it on the 13th of the month.

New Members:

2007

From the first visit I knew I had found my spiritual home. This was a turning point in my like. I've become a better version of myself... and continue to grow and become whole. - Cindy Curry

New Members:

2008

New Members:

2009

The Flea Market started in 2009-2010. Customers and vendors get to know about UUFHC. Fliers are handed out for Holiday Bazaar, Silent Witness, and UUFHC events, which helps to spread the word of our congreation. Environmental friendly items do not go to the landfill. The flea market acquired numerous lightweight plastic tables, replacing the heavy wooden ones.

New Members:

2010

New Members:

2011

New Members:

2012

New Members:

2013

Through continued efforts by Rev. Lisa Ward and many members, Marriage Equality was achieved in the state of Maryland in January 2013. For a few years Rev. Ward did not conduct marriages between any couples until Maryland passed the Marriage Equality Act. Her steadfastness in this issue was applauded by many people—not just supported by UUFHC. UUFHC also became a supportive member of the UU Legislative Ministry of Maryland.

New Members:

2014

New Members:

2015

New Members:

2016

The congregation's membership grew beyond 135 pledging members by 2016, and three years later the membership had increased to 155.

Carol Thomas Cissel

Along with the ending of the Rev. Lisa Ward’s contract in July 2016, and the search and acceptance for serving the congregation for one year by Interim Minister Carol Thomas Cissel, the congregation began its search for a permanent minister. Both searches were supported by the Unitarian Universalist Association guidelines which are very clear as to methods for searching and considerations of the 'fit' for both parties in the contract. Several members participated in each search. However, they were not the same members of the committee which searched for the Interim Minister.

The congregation celebrated its first 60 years in June 2016 with a celebratory worship service highlighting the Roots and Wings theme. During 2015 and 2016 members created monthly themes to remind the congregation of its many achievements. It was followed by a huge picnic. Former members came from many places to enjoy the festivities. A commemorative binder was created by members of the Archives Committee. It began with documents from 1955-56 which recorded the establishment of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Harford County. Plans are underway to digitize these important documents.

60th anniversary

New Members:

2017

Maria McCabe

The Reverend María Uitti McCabe first came to UUFHC as a contract minister on August 15, 2017. UUFHC members quickly determined she was just the right fit for us, and she became an internal candidate for the Settled Ministry Call.

New siding was added to the building and also air conditioning for the first time.

New Members:

2018

At a special meeting on January 7, 2018, the Congregation voted to call Rev. McCabe, with 100% affirmative vote of the 92 members present. She has been a member of the First UU Church of Wilmington, and served ministries and as chaplain in Philadelphia.

The congregation immediately began working along with Rev. McCabe on Social Justice Issues, with Immigration being one of the first. Rev. McCabe, who speaks fluent Spanish, sought confirmation from the members to allow her to go to the southern border of the United States for a week to aid in the transition for migrants. The congregation gave her our full support. Upon her return, she reported her experiences and the congregation was eager to begin in-house programs about immigration and other social justice issues. Black Lives Matter was one of the immediate concerns and another was UU the Vote. She points out, at the start of each Sunday service, that our church sits on the ancestral land of the Susquehannock People.

With Rev. McCabe’s guidance, the congregation grew its membership. She encouraged continuing meetings of groups such as Lunch Bunch, O.W.L.S, and other member-oriented groups. She fully supported the Religious Education Department which has been renamed Faith Formation with an updated focus.

New Members:

2019

New Members:

2020

New Members:

2021

New Members:

2022

2023

Rev. Jennifer Brooks

New Members:

2024

New Members:

2025

New Members:

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