by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

Over the course of our nearly 200 years of existence, we have seen many families contribute greatly to the support and functioning of our church. One of those families was the Littell family. Our church records indicate that the name Littell begins to appear in the 1870’s when William J. Littell became an active participant in the church and its management. Over the course of nearly forty years, he served many terms on the Board of Trustees and also gave service to many committees. He first appears in December 1870 when he was elected to serve as a deacon in the church.

William J. Littell was born in 1837. He was the son of William M. Littell and Elizabeth Scudder Garrison. This family was among the early settlers of the city. William J.’s grandfather, Samuel Squire Littell, was born in Cincinnati in 1786 when there was little more than a fort and some log cabins along the banks of the Ohio River. In 1859 William married Miss Anna Smith. She gave birth to three children, William Henry, Nettie and Orin. She died at the age of 32 in 1871.

William remarried on November 19, 1872, to Miss Annette Dinsdale McKimmie, a school teacher. Her parents had immigrated to the city from London, England. She bore five children to that marriage, Ada, Cora, Edna, Grace and Clifford. Sadly, Ada, Grace and Clifford all died in infancy.

William took up work in the financial sector of the city. He identified himself as a real estate and money broker and worked out of an office at 7 W. 4th St. in downtown Cincinnati.

During the 1890’s, William chaired a critical committee that attempted to sell property the church owned to raise enough money to build a new church. Our congregation had sold its Plum Street Church and were worshipping in a former Methodist Church on McMillan Street. No satisfactory buyers could be found, so a second small structure was constructed on the site and the “flat building” was rented out to neighborhood businesses including a bakery and a druggist. Eventually, loans were taken out using the property as collateral and along with money earned from the sale of the Plum Street church, enough funds were raised to construct the Essex Place church which opened in December of 1898. During that period, William J. Littell also served as superintendent of the Sunday School. He also returned to his former role of deacon. He remained active in the church until his death in 1919 from a cerebral hemorrhage. One of his final acts was to oppose the sale of the new church in 1913 when another church group offered what seemed to some First Universalist members an attractive sum of money for the Essex building.

Orin Littell, the son of William J., also contributed greatly to the church for a period of forty years. At a young age he was elected a deacon, following in his father’s footsteps. He later became the clerk of the Board of Trustees and served in that capacity for nearly 30 years. The clerk was responsible for keeping the Board of Trustees records and also served as a church treasurer. Late in his years of service, his title was changed to church treasurer but he continued to serve on the board. He also succeeded his father as superintendent of the Sunday School.

Orin was born in 1865 but must have projected a promising future at an early age. In 1881, the German National Bank was opened in downtown Cincinnati on the corner of 4th and Vine. Orin was appointed cashier at the bank and held that position until his death in 1921. In 1906 he was elected President of the local chapter of the American Institute of Banking. During his church tenure as clerk and treasurer, the church did much of its financial business with this bank, including possessing a safety deposit box which held the church’s most valuable records.

Orin was also active in the community. He was a leader in the Masonic organization, served on a review board for the city of Norwood and headed a committee to pressure the Cincinnati Board of Education to build a new high school in the area of the church. He married Miss Alice Bently and they had three children. Orin died suddenly just two years after his father from an intestinal blockage which caused a pulmonary embolism.

During the years from 1870-1920 other Littells attended and joined the church. William J.’s father, William M. became a deacon during the 1880’s. Another son of William M., Joseph, was active during the period and served several terms on the Board of Trustees. At one annual meeting in the early 1900’s, 25 full members of the church (at that time the church offered full and associate memberships) attended the meeting and six of them were Littells.

The last known Littell to serve the church was Cora, Orin’s half-sister. She never married and devoted much of her life to the First Universalist Church, although she also worked as a seamstress at a local department store. She was a member of both the church’s women’s groups as well as the church missionary society. She hosted church functions and volunteered at Longworth Hospital. She served as a delegate to many state conventions and was one of those church members who was always there to help when a job needed to be done. Her name appears throughout our church records from the early 1900’s until her death in 1961. In her will, she bequeathed most of her estate to the church. Our Heritage Room is dedicated to her memory. Her death ended nearly 100 years of Littell membership in the church.

The old German National Bank Building still stands at 4th and Vine.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

From the Cincinnati Enquirer of August 11, 1899: In the article, our First Universalist Church was reported to have reached an agreement with the Christian Scientist Church of Cincinnati to lease to them the Universalist’s former home on McMillan Street. The church had been a temporary home for our congregation after leaving the downtown Plum Street site. Eight months earlier they had moved into the new Essex Street church. The Christian Scientists had been worshipping in various public venues around the city. However, their plan was to lease for a short time and then tear down the half century old structure and build anew.

From the Cincinnati Post of November 18, 1913: “More than 300 suffragists representing all the counties in Ohio were welcomed by Vice Mayor Simeon Johnson Tuesday at the opening of the twenty-eighth annual convention of the Ohio Woman Suffrage Association in the Sinton Hotel. The first suffragist to address the convention was Rev. Henrietta G. Moore, Universalist minister of Springfield who made the report of the plan of the work committee. She outlined the work now being done in the rural districts by the distribution of initiative and referendum petitions and said the petitions will be distributed in all cities of Ohio after January.”

From the Cincinnati Enquirer of December 27, 1916: The article gave notice that “How to Live Twice as Long” would be the subject of an address at the First Universalist Church that night. The address was to be delivered by Dr. D. H. Kress of Washington D.C. The relationship of a vegetable diet to high cost of living and its effect on health and bodily vigor would be his principal points. It noted that Dr. Kress would prepare a vegetarian dinner with the assistance of the church’s Women’s Missionary Alliance prior to his speech.

From the Cincinnati Post of December 10, 1930: “Dr. Robert Cummins, pastor of the First Universalist Church will be the speaker at the Reading Road Temple Round Table meeting of the Cincinnati Club Thursday, noon. His subject will be ‘Can Christianity Be Liberal.’”

From the Cincinnati Enquirer of June 9, 1934: The article reported that Mrs. Powel Crosley, Mrs. Orin Littell and Mrs. Elizabeth Todhunter would represent the Women’s Universalist Missionary Association of the First Universalist Church at the state convention in Rockland, Ohio. This convention was specifically for auxiliary groups from Universalist Churches across the state.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer of May 11, 1935: The article informed the reader that Mother’s Day would be honored at the First Universalist Church by a performance of “The Mothersingers.” The group was made up of 40 mothers from the church. They were led by Mrs. Stanley Clarke and planned to perform Brahms “Lullaby,” “Call of Home” and “The Mothersingers,” written by Mrs. Clarke and fellow choir member Margaret Bronson. Mrs. Clarke would solo “Mother’s Hymn.”

From the Cincinnati Enquirer of April 9, 1938: The article reported that a communion service was held on Good Friday evening. The choir gave selections from Stainer’s “Crucifixion.” Rev. Carl Olson gave an interpretation of communion. On Easter Sunday, Rev. Olson spoke on “Faith in Times of Impending Disaster.”

From the Cincinnati Post of May 9, 1940 : The article stated that the Rev. Ralph P. Boyd of First Universalist Church was to be heard in an analysis of “Die Meistersinger,” the Wagnerian opera. It was illustrated with music from the work. The presentation was broadcast over WSAI on Friday afternoon.

From the Cincinnati Post of April 22, 1946: The article noted that David Gillard, baritone soloist of the Church of the Redeemer in New York was to give a recital at the First Universalist Church on Monday. The Clara Barton Guild was sponsoring the program. The newspaper reported that Mr. Gillard is a Cincinnati native and attended the Cincinnati College of Music. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Gillard of Erie Avenue. He studied at the Royal Conservatory in Antwerp before the war. He also sang in many of the major cities of Europe while serving in the armed forces. He traveled in France with the Paris Ballet to raise money for the destitute of France and performed weekly concerts in Cherbourg.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer of May 24, 1947: On Sunday, May 25th, The First Universalist Society celebrated its 120th anniversary. In the article it mentions that the first Universalist preaching in Cincinnati was done by Abel Morgan Sargent in 1791. The first meeting of the Universalist group was in 1825 in the home of Mrs. William Hughey who was the great-grandmother of the wife of current minister George Thorburn. The church was officially founded in 1827 and Eliphalet Case delivered their first sermon.

From the Cincinnati Post of December 9, 1960: It was reported that the Clara Barton Guild met on Monday at the Universalist Church on Essex Place. Following the meeting, a Christmas party was held and members returned stocking baseball and coin cards they had received to fill earlier in the year. The cards were slated to go the Clara Barton Camp for diabetic girls at North Oxford, Massachusetts and to the Elliot P. Joslin Camp for diabetic boys in Charleston, Massachusetts.

From the Cincinnati Enquirer of September 13, 1975: The newspaper gave notice that a joint worship service of Cincinnati UUA churches was scheduled for Sunday, September 14, 1975 at the UU church on Linton to celebrate the 150th anniversary of Unitarianism in America. Robert Nelson West, president of the UUA was the featured speaker. A special presentation was made to councilman Charles P. Taft, son of former President and Supreme Court Chief Justice William Howard Taft who was a member of the host church.

August 2021.

by Russ Araujo

I have a memory from the late 1980s, when Shelley Jackson Denham was our Music Director at Heritage UU Church. One Sunday morning she distributed hand-marked sheet music for a hymn she had composed, and we all sang “Credo.” I loved the song so much that I kept the handout. You can see it in the picture below.

The hymn was later included in the new UU Hymnal, Singing the Living Tradition, as hymn number 354. They changed the title to be the same as the first line, “We laugh, we cry.” That must have happened to follow a rule the hymnal committee made, since I noticed it occurred with other hymns as well. But I still think of the song as “Credo” – a personal statement of belief.

Click the “Credo” sheet music image once or twice to see an enlarged image. Below the sheet music is a video of our current Music Director, Les Tacy, playing the hymn.

 

6/22/2021.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

One of the most comforting aspects of our church activities is our music program. We are all so fortunate to have dedicated persons who devote so much time to presenting us with varied selections, inspiring pieces and soothing melodious works. This thought is coming from the person who is notorious for not singing along in church. Rather than sing, I love to follow the poetry of the music and soak in its meaning. I find that when I sing, I focus more on not hitting a sour note instead of understanding fully what I am singing. I even love to see who wrote the work and speculate on what its origins might be. Also, I have to take pity on those sitting in front of me who might double over in laughter or look desperately for their earplugs to escape the noise. Studying the music offers me insights and meaning that I might miss while trying to decipher the difference between a quarter and a half note or a B flat and a C sharp.

During the first century and a half of its existence, Universalism celebrated with much of the Christian music of most Protestant religions. However, even by 1950, it had created its own set of hymns which reflected its liberal theology. Published in 1951 by Beacon Press, the hymnal used by our church for many years during the mid- 20th century was entitled Hymns of the Spirit: Services of Religion for Use in the Churches of the Free Spirit. Nonetheless, it did contain many of the old-time favorites.

Music is a powerful highway into the memory bank. While the old hymns of my childhood are infrequently sung in our church, we occasionally take that trip down memory lane. When Bob Booth offers his stirring rendition of “Oh, Holy Night” at Christmas, I am propelled back to my Sundays at the Congregational Christian Church in Franklin, Ohio. I think not so much of a miraculous birth as the memories of sharing Christmas with my mother, step-father, half-brother and grandmother so many years ago. When I hear “Amazing Grace” I think not so much of a Godly blessing as I ponder the story of the repentant slave ship captain who wrote that famous hymn.

While we do not often sing those “old-time religion” hymns that at one time were an integral part of all Christian worship, we are blessed with new music which inspires and teaches. One of my favorites in our hymnal is #221 “Light One Candle” written by Peter Yarrow of Peter, Paul and Mary. Our choir has occasionally sung it and when I listen to the P, P and M version, I inevitably think of our chalice lighting ceremony and the celebration of social justice both of which are such important foundations of our church culture.

Harry Chapin recognized the power of memory and music with his song “Remember When the Music”. One stanza reads “Remember when the music was a glow on the horizon of every new born day. And as we sang, the sun came up to chase the dark away. And life was good, for we knew we could.” Chapin’s song, “All My Life’s a Circle”, inevitably reminds me of the final activity of our church services when we join hands for the benediction. “All my life’s a circle; Sunrise and sundown; Moon rolls thru the nighttime; Till the daybreak comes around. All my life’s a circle; but I can’t tell you why; Seasons spinning round again; The years keep rollin’ by.” This weekend, Les Tacy struck a familiar chord with his singing of “All You Need is Love”, a Beatles favorite by Lennon and McCartney and a hallmark of the goal of our religious practice.

A tip of the hat and a round of applause should go to all those who kept the music alive during the challenges of the pandemic including the Tacy family, Steve McCamley, Mimi Sinclair and many of the choir who offered solo performances that kept our spirits from crashing into the depths of COVID-19. Bravo!! and Encore, Encore!!!

6/22/2021.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

In the last few issues, we talked about the unification of the Unitarian and Universalist Churches. To understand what issues were confronting Ohio Universalists, we can look to the 1955 state convention which offered no less than 18 recommendations for improvement to its membership. Some will seem familiar as topics we are still confronting in 2021. Others seemed linked to the distant past. Here are their suggestions for a better church:

~ Because so many of the Ohio member churches were lacking in youth leaders, a strong training program must be continued and further strengthened. Statewide meetings of youth advisors should be held at least twice a year and financial support from the state organization should be provided.

~ Reports from church trustees should be provided to the state organization no less than four times a year.

~ It was recommended that members of liberal churches should become more well-informed about India. This developing democracy was suffering through internal social and political issues which the convention felt endangered the peace of all countries in Asia.

~ It was recommended that thanks be extended to Reverends Maurice Cobb and Ira Benedict for their development of kits to be used in religious education classes.

~ Further investigation needed to be made to secure property for summer institutes and these institutes should be made available to other like-minded religious groups who could share in the cost of acquiring the property.

~ Churches should continue to assume their fair share of paying off the debts of the state organization.

~ A total of $2,000 should be sent to the Universalist Church of America over the next fiscal year.

~ Praise for Rev. Albert Q. Perry was offered for his work as editor of the Universalist state newsletter. Reverend Perry was the minister of our church at the time. A subscription to the newsletter cost $1.00 for ten issues.

~ A charge was given to the state nominating committee to complete their work by May 1956 and publish the names of candidates in the Ohio Universalist. Churches were also asked to submit names of potential candidates for state offices and the Board of Trustees.

~ A recommendation was made to contribute money to several liberal religious youth groups operating in Ohio.

~ It was recommended that the next state convention operate a book shop for the sale of books, pamphlets and other materials.

~ At this time, a bill was pending in the state legislature which allowed for the censorship of movies and films. It was stated that Universalists stand for freedom of expression and a statement of opposition would be immediately sent to the state legislature.

~ The previous year, the United States Supreme Court had declared segregation to be unconstitutional. The state board recommended that “we go on record as favoring in principle integration, that this is an issue in which we need to proceed with all patience and humility and that we ought to practice this principle in the program of our churches.”

~ Concern was expressed for basic freedoms and the board recommended that local churches make a sincere attempt to familiarize themselves with the Freedom Agenda program and to promote this as much as possible in local committees.

~ It was recommended that each church develop a program of Youth Advisorship.

~ It was recommended that ministers serving near colleges and universities attempt to identify liberally minded students and forward their names to the national office. Also, attempts should be made to start Channing-Murray groups on those campuses.

~ The upcoming national assembly was scheduled to be held in Detroit. Each Ohio congregation should attempt to send two representatives to that annual meeting.

~ Through public advertising and communication, each church should attempt to spread the word of Universalism.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Posted 5/26/2021.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

The similar histories of our church and the First Unitarian Church of Cincinnati, as well as the much different path taken by St. John’s Unitarian Church, all led to a convergence in 1961 when the national Unitarian and Universalist faiths merged. (This is sometimes referred to as “consolidation.”) While this joining was an official recognition of the similarity in these faiths, there had been times long before that event when the churches worked hand in hand.

Beginning early in the 20th century, a group of liberal churches in Cincinnati met annually for a joint Thanksgiving worship service. This joining of hands for giving thanks was conducted for sixty years, well past the time of the eventual national UU merger. When issues of great importance and challenge, especially in the area of human rights, confronted our city and country, these liberal churches often worked together to propose solutions to these problems. One of the local liberal churches, the New Thought Temple, eventually merged with our church in the late 1940’s. When other liberal-minded churches closed, often their members found refuge in one of the remaining liberal churches. For about 25 years after World War II, a group of men from these churches met to discuss common causes and issues. They were called BOGSAT which stood for “A bunch of guys sitting around a table”.

In the 1930’s, our church was blessed with a minister named Robert Cummins. Cummins was an early proponent of the national Unitarian and Universalist merger. In a 1949 address he proclaimed that the very name of his church implied a unity and an openness to all. Eventually, he went on to become the General Secretary of the Universalist Church of America. He wielded great influence in planting the seeds for a merger on the national level. However, before that merger occurred, he retired from his church office to serve the Eisenhower administration in the area of international cooperation. But he had begun to pave the road to merger.

While the union of these faiths may seem logical now, it was by no means unopposed in the years leading up to 1961. Each church took a vote as to whether they supported the idea and our own congregation voted overwhelmingly against it. Our minister at the time, Albert Perry, also was opposed and when the two churches joined forces, he resigned as a minister unable to support the new organization. Years later, he rejoined the united church and became one of its most respected ministers.

While similarities in the two groups existed, differences always hung like a cloud over the merger efforts. Perhaps no one could reflect on the merger better than UU minister John Cummins, the son of Robert Cummins. He remembered a Boston Unitarian matron saying that “Universalists were nothing more than Baptists who could read.” Cummins stated that “Universalists complained that Unitarians did not feel they’d had a good sermon unless they couldn’t quite understand it themselves.” Differences were aplenty, many of them organizational and others theological. In examining our own orders of service during the 1950’s, it becomes readily obvious that while liberal in its positions on human rights, it was still very strongly based in Christianity. One of the most contentious issues was how to deal with Christianity in the new UUA. In Article II, hotly debated at the 1959 General Assembly, it was only referenced as “the universal truths taught by the great prophets and teachers of humanity in every age and tradition”. In retrospect, the merger probably happened at an opportune time as liberal thought was to experience a renaissance during the late 1950’s and the 1960’s. Just to name a few issues, civil rights, obscenity laws, personal freedoms, women’s rights, and a host of others causes were being brought to the forefront of American thought. It was a perfect time for a liberal church to reexamine its own values and transform itself into what it has become today.

In sheer numbers, Unitarians outnumbered Universalists about 3 to 1. Of the 151,000 persons who joined the new UUA, only about 36,000 were Universalists. While it is obvious Unitarians could have steamrolled their own positions through any merger agreements, such does not seem to be the case. Interestingly, since the merger the population of the UUA has stayed steadily around 150,000. This has occurred while most other denominations have experienced steep declines in membership over the same period.

Years were spent in formulating the final agreement. And as John Cummins points out, even then the “final” agreement was amended 23 times before the merger was completed. A new UUA tradition had been started. To visually confirm the equality of the uniting of the two faiths, the first sermon was delivered in Symphony Hall in Boston by speakers standing behind a pulpit used by Hosea Ballou and another pulpit used by William Ellery Channing.

(You can also read Part 1 and Part 2 of this series.)

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

The histories of the two large sister UU churches in Cincinnati are radically different. The current First Unitarian Church developed along many parallel lines as our own church. First Unitarian started its life worshipping in member homes in frontier Cincinnati much like our own church did and at nearly the same time. The congregation moved to several non-residential buildings but finally settled into a downtown location at Fourth and Race and built there in 1830. Later, another church was erected at 8th and Plum. This group of religious liberals was known as The First Congregational Church but was affiliated with the American Unitarian Church. It generally prospered and was connected to the heartland of Unitarian thought in New England. On the frontier, there were few Unitarian ministers. Preachers had to be recruited from New England. Nearly all of the early First Unitarian pastors came from there, much as our own early Universalist ministers did. The most famous was William Henry Channing, the nephew of William Ellery Channing. However, these hardy New England clergy were unused to the hot, humid and unhealthy climate of Cincinnati and many suffered medical problems once settling into the city. Their stays were short, an experience our First Universalist Society also suffered through with many of its early New England born and bred ministers.

Abolition was the hot button issue of the day and the local Unitarian church was considered to be liberal thinking and generally supported abolition. By the 1850’s both the Unitarian and Universalist churches were located on Plum Street. A worshiper could walk out of either church and gaze across the Ohio River to see an America where slavery was legal. This angered many parishioners but some had friends and family in the South and were less than enthusiastic about abolition. It caused rifts in both churches.

Both churches also eventually saw a need to leave downtown for the healthier environs of the surrounding hills. Our Universalists settled in Walnut Hills and First Unitarian settled just off Reading Road. Many of the city’s leading lights attended these two churches, so their influence on the city was beyond their numbers. First Unitarian’s most famous member was William Howard Taft, the only American who served both as President of the United States and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.

St. John’s Unitarian Universalist Church had a much different origin. In the early 19th century immigrant melting pot of Cincinnati, turmoil over religious views was common. A group of disenchanted Presbyterians, Methodists, Lutherans and Catholics, most of whom were German, formed their own church. It contained members with many different religious views and disagreements were frequent. Many of the disputes erupted between Northern or Low Germans and Southern or High Germans. The disagreements often centered on the meaning and conduct of communion services. During one heated exchange, the floor collapsed beneath the congregation and many were dumped into the basement. It was then decided that a more solid structure was needed. A stable existing church was purchased in 1833 on 6th Street between Vine and Walnut. Just 25 years later, the congregation settled into a new, beautiful church at 12th and Elm. Germans continued to dominate the church at a time when the German speaking population of the city had swelled to 46,000. The worship services were conducted in German and it was not until 1918 that only English services were offered.

Because of these many disputes over theology, worshipers came and went at a rapid rate and it was only through the efforts of several strong and long-tenured ministers that the church was held together. The church changed names numerous times and had no national affiliation. Finally in 1924, it was noted that unaffiliated churches were suffering losses of members at a rapid rate. The church then joined the American Unitarian Church. Like the other sister churches, there came a time to abandon downtown and a new structure was built in the 1940’s in Clifton.

Next, a discussion of national merger.

(You can also read Part 1 and Part 3 of this series.)

April 2021.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

Because our roots lie in the Universalist faith, much of the focus on the history of our church involves exploring that faith. Last spring, a lot of ink was spent on telling the story of John Murray and the first Universalist Church to congregate in America. However, we have been the Universalist Unitarian faith since 1961 and perhaps we should spend a little ink on exploring the roots of the other half of our conjoined faith.

Unitarianism actually can be traced back to the period after Christ’s death when the apostles tried to spread the faith throughout the Mediterranean world. Many individual sects of Christianity which evolved from this evangelical movement viewed Christ as a messenger of God or perhaps his son but not a God himself. These beliefs persisted until the Nicene Creed was adopted as the sole theology of the Christian church in 325. It professed a Holy Trinity and Unitarian thought was suppressed across the Western world. It persisted in some small enclaves but always at the risk of persecution and death. Those who rebelled against the beliefs of the larger church did so at the risk of their lives.

Over a thousand years later, as the Reformation began to explode in Northern Europe, several groups of Unitarians appeared in Poland and Rumania. At the same time, similar theology sprang to life in England and the rest of the British Isles. Nonetheless, it was not sanctioned by the state churches and its growth was inhibited. In the late 1700’s religious freedom was widened by Parliamentary law and the first formal Unitarian churches appeared in England and in other sites across Europe. Just as with Universalism, the concept of Unitarian faith spread to the American colonies and the first American Unitarian Church, King’s Chapel, was started in Boston. The Unitarian building was originally constructed and occupied by Episcopalians but was converted to Unitarian worship in 1785. It closely maintained Episcopalian belief and worship except for the abandonment of the Holy Trinity. The church is still in existence in downtown Boston and is a fine example of colonial architecture. It is now a member church of the Unitarian Universalists.

Unitarianism flourished in the newly created United States of America. Three of its first six presidents—John Adams, John Quincy Adams, and Thomas Jefferson—were Unitarians. Philosophical thought bloomed among the many Transcendentalists who associated with the Unitarian movement in the middle years of the 19th century. Among those who identified with the church were Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Edward Everett Hale, Oliver Wendell Holmes, Julia Ward Howe and Herman Melville.

While Universalism differed from its Christian roots in the belief of universal salvation, the Unitarian Church practiced as a Christian religion except for the belief in the Holy Trinity. Both churches were widely attacked by mainstream Christian religions and their leaders. Also like Universalism, Unitarianism spread to the frontiers of America from its New England roots. Unitarian churches were opened here in Cincinnati and that is where we will continue the story next month.

(You can also read Part 2 and Part 3 of this series.)

March 2021.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

Valentine’s day is upon us. It evokes memories of little pieces of candy adorned with short expressions of love, greeting cards which relate our feelings of love for one another and chocolates in large heart-shaped boxes. Our church is also an endless expression of the love we feel for our fellow parishioners and the world around us. It is not restricted to a single day of the year but is spread over the entire year and often reveals itself in acts of kindness because LOVE IS THE SPIRIT OF THIS CHURCH. A quick review of old Heirlooms and records reveals multiple examples of that love.

In the fall of 2006, members of our church participated in the Walk to Stop Aids, trekking the 5 K route through downtown and raising $1,175 for the cause. In that same issue of the Heirloom, thanks was given to those who donated underwear, socks, diapers, towels and other items for Undie Sunday. These were then presented to House of Peace and Prospect House.

These acts of love can occur at any time of year and in any year. In the fall of 2001 with memories of crashing airplanes and tumbling skyscrapers, Tracy Jo Small conducted walks through our labyrinth on three successive Wednesday evenings. These were held to ease the mind and calm the strife of souls who had witnessed a terrible tragedy. Our national service committee sent out a message of tolerance in the wake of the 9/11 attack. “As the facts surrounding these attacks begin to unfold over the next few days and weeks, we must be diligent and urge our nation’s leaders not to seek retribution against individuals, groups or nations for the sake of proving our might. Instead, we must focus first on caring for those who have been hurt in the attack and on providing support to family members who have lost loved ones in this terrible tragedy.”

Our church has a long history of service to those in need. The church’s Women’s Service Committee for decades maintained a supportive and helping relationship with patients at Longview Hospital and conducted an annual Christmas party for those residents. Alice Holabird, the woman who carved our altar table, was knitting socks and scarves for World War II refugees several weeks before she died at age 105.

In 2012, a horrific hate shooting caused the death of six Sikhs in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The local Sikh temple invited members of the Cincinnati community to join them in a remembrance ceremony which also served as an opportunity for all to learn more about the Sikh faith. Led by Reverend Bill Gupton, a number of Heritage people attended this ceremony to express their sorrow but also to give their support to members of the local temple.

Our national Universalist governing body for nearly 40 years supported a missionary effort in Japan. Unlike many missionary efforts, this was not to convert the Japanese to our faith but rather to rescue young women who were being sold into the Geisha system by their own families. As World War II loomed and Japanese aggression became more evident, Universalist volunteers remained in Japan at great risk to their own well-being. Eventually, they were forced to abandon the effort. One of our own ministers, Samuel Ayres, left our ministry to later become head of the missionary effort in Japan.

There is not enough space in this newsletter to make even scant mention of the long history of Heritage UU’s and our Universalist forebearers handing out those little candies in the form of acts of kindness and love. And it will continue.

In the troubled times in which we now live, there are many opportunities to express our love for our fellow human beings. We are handing out food packets to families in need. We have supported Inter Parish Ministry as it continues to provide food to thousands of local families. During COVID restrictions, they kept food products flowing with little volunteer help and heroic effort from their paid staff. Interfaith Hospitality Network has been supported by our church for a number of years and currently their needs are on the increase as too many have lost their housing due to COVID-caused financial constraints. We have regularly participated in the Pride Parade and other related events. These are only a few of the many ways in which Heritage folks show that LOVE IS TRULY THE SPIRIT OF THIS CHURCH. Watch for e-mails, Heirloom notices and announcements about how you can continue to spread that love and make the world a better place.

February 2021.

by Mike Roberts, Church Historian

January marks the annual attempt to set resolutions for the new year to come. However, to resolve anything regarding next year is enmeshed with the uncertainty of COVID-19. It is difficult to foresee where any of us might be in just a few months let alone at the end of the calendar year.

Making resolutions is much akin to setting goals. In July of 2005, our Board of Trustees produced a Mission and Vision statement and from this produced a set of goals for the future. How well did we do in accomplishing these “resolutions”?

The Mission and Vision statement announced that:

“We are here because we need each other for our hearts, minds and spirits to grow, because our children need us for their own growth, and because the world needs our action for compassion and justice to grow.

“We are here to celebrate the mystery and wonder of life, to share our joys and sorrows, and to care for each other and for the world at large.

“We are here to welcome people of all beliefs, to value diversity of all types, and to offer a safe place to explore all questions with honesty.

“With the strength that comes from community, we move forward with courage into the future, sharing our principles with an ever-widening circle of people, until the world is infused with the values that are the special aspirations of our faith.”

With this Mission and Vision statement, goals were set to accomplish these ideals. They were:

To nurture community for our personal growth…

— The church must develop an overall volunteer strategy. This could include recruitment, the creation of an inventory of volunteer talents and need, education of volunteers and coordinating, supporting and recognizing volunteers.

— The church must create an environmentally responsible outdoor chapel. This would mean creating in the woods south of the church building, an outdoor area for worship.

To nurture community for our children and youth…

— This could include promoting social and fun activities as well as joint youth activities with other UU churches and community groups. Sleepovers could be held at Heritage. Peer offsite activities could be coordinated and a space or game room for pre-teens could be created.

— Provide regular children’s worship through the adoption of new models of education and worship. A combined worship for the first twenty minutes of the Sunday service could be offered as well as adult and children’s education the hour prior to the service. Children’s worship could be led by adults with themes directed towards the youth.

To nurture community for the world outside Heritage…

— We could speak out on and promote our UU values as they relate to issues of the day by holding events with speakers and doing interviews with media. Topics can include current political, social and economic issues. We could encourage members to write letters to editors and have the minister offer inter-faith prayers at public events.

— We could provide avenues for the involvement of Heritage members, friends and youth in social action, social justice and community based organizations. Examples include volunteering in local organizations, working on war issues, working to repeal the “Defense of Marriage Act” and involvement in environmental groups.

— Encourage the use of Heritage space for meetings and community functions consonant with our own values. We could reach out to appropriate groups. The meeting could be used for meetings of AA, the Literacy Council, and faith communities whose services are held on times other than Sunday mornings. Lectures, concerts and performance art could be offered.

How did we do in accomplishing this vision? We’ll let you decide but it seems our current operation includes many of these admirable goals.

As you look into our murky future and attempt to create your own personal goals for 2021, may the new year bring smiles, hope and a sunny optimism about what the upcoming year holds for you and your Heritage family.