History of the First Unitarian Church of Memphis
In the fall of 1893, a small group of religious liberals were led by Mr. Polk Spinning in establishing a Unitarian church in Memphis. The congregation would grow from 5 to 40 people.
Through the influence of Edward Everett Hale, Unitarian Minister and author of The Man Without a Country, Mr. Frederick Preston came to Memphis as minister. He served until November 1894. The congregation meets at the Knights of Honor Hall on Hernando St.
After a series of short-term ministers and lay leaders, the Unitarian group dissolved and there were no meetings for 8 years.
In 1912, the First Unitarian Church of Memphis was chartered, with Dr. John W. Rowlett as minister.
The congregation purchased the former St. Luke's Episcopal Church at the corner of Union and Idlewild, and held the first services there on Jan. 2, 1913.
In April 1916 the Rev. Mr. William Clark became the minister and under his leadership the Unitarian Church became a social factor in the civic life of Memphis. He served until 1924.
By 1922, church school classes were started with Miss Carlotta Pittman as superintendent. Average congregation numbered 125.
On Oct. 10, 1923, the cornerstone was laid for a new building at the corner of Vance and Bellevue.
Dr. Henry F. Waring, a Canadian and former Baptist minister, takes the pulpit and helps the church become self-supporting. He stays until Dec. 1928
In October 1929, one of the most influential ministers, Rev. John Clarence Petrie, occupied the pulpit. He helped other churches in the Southwest Conference, and in 1938 was asked to take on the struggling Houston church.
Around 1936 and 1937, there were conversations between First Unitarian and First Congregational about merging the two congregations. However, the members could not agree or a name or set of beliefs, and the matter was dropped.
Robert Jones served as minister until 1944, leaving to become an army chaplain in World War II.
Richard B. Gibbs of Boston served as minister, and did a weekly talk show on liberal religion. In the fall of 1954, he accepted a position with the AUA Board in the new outreach ministry program.
The church fought against the legendary Lloyd Binford, the strict chairman of the Memphis Board of Censors. Binford would not allow Charlie Chaplin movies to be shown in Memphis, and would not allow movies the showed African Americans in anything but menial positions. In the Spring of '54, the church scheduled a showing of a Chaplin film as part of its "film treasure chest" series. Binford threatened to send police to stop it, but the church didn't back down. Noting happened. From then on, censorship took a back seat in Memphis.
Rev. Carnes took a firm stand in leading the congregation into an integrated society, following the Supreme Court's desegregation ruling in 1954. This caused controversy: some thought the church as moving too rapidly, others far too slowly. When an African American minister from Second Congregation Church was in the Unitarian pulpit one Sunday, a few active members left. However, at a time when several prominent white Protestant churches were barring the door to blacks, First Unitarian Church was quietly welcoming the few African Americans who chose to come.
Rev. Paul Carnes of Ohio took the pulpit during the period after the 1954 school desegregation decision by the Supreme Court. During his tenure, the congregation grew, the church school flourished, and involvement in the Southwest Unitarian Conference grew. Rev. Carnes accepted a call from the Unitarian Church in Buffalo, N.Y., at the 3nd of 1957.
Mr. Leuning's tenure was not a happy one. His sermons were said to have lacked appeal, and his handling of race relations within the church community caused dissension. The congregation voted to oust him.
The Universalist Church of American and the American Unitarian Association joined together in 1961 and became known as the Unitarian Universalist Association.
Mr. Barr would serve for 20 years, and lead the congregation to a new home on the river bluff. "He was handsome, well-read, unpredictable, lovable, and took everybody by storm." But he embraced relatively conservative social and political issues, and in 1964 some members who disagreed with his positions left to form the UU Fellowship of Memphis.
In 1964, a "Fellowship" was formed by 3 families unhappy with the conservative attitude of First Unitarian Church. They joined the Tennessee Conference, and the regional Thomas Jefferson Conference.
Jim Barr and Kathryn Huckaba led the move to purchase land near the Harahan Bridge in 1962. Church member and architect Roy Harrover designed the building and classrooms. The building was finished in 1965 and almost immediately became known as Church of the River. The first service was held on a snowy January 2, 1966. There was an impressive dedication service on January 30, 1966, with the mayor and religious dignitaries attending...and large chunks of ice floating down the river.
A church fundraiser begins, selling clothes, food, art, etc.
Candlelight Service begins on the Sunday before Christmas, with "Gifts for the Baby" brought by the children to the creche, created by church member Burton Callicott. The gifts are given to new mothers at The Med.
The first annual Kite Flying Sunday was held on March 12, 1967.
In 1967, the first of two cookbooks were printed, featuring recipes from congregation members. Church of the River's Calliope Cookbook and Son of Calliope.
WREG-TV moved to its current location next to Church of the River.
The Fellowship Hall was added in 1975.
And auction started in 1981 proved to be a good party and a good way to raise funds.
Gary Kowalski and then Jim Hutchinson served as interim minister's after Rev. Barr's retirement.
Children, assisted by volunteers, make presents for family members and ornaments for the annual Christmas tree set up in the Mississippi River Room
Burton Dean Carley, from the Unitarian Universalist Church in Shreveport, Louisiana, is called as Church of the River's new minister. He serves for more than 3 decades.
The Noted Speakers Series began, with Dr. Harvey Cox, Professor Divinity at Harvard Divinity School, speaking on "The Future of Liberal Religion."
The final phase of the building was dedicated, on the south side of the fellowship hall (the Beatrix Potter Wing).
The Church of the River became part of Shelby County Interfaith (SCI), a non-partisan bi-racial group consisting of 50 congregations, that promotes racial harmony and political empowerment of the poor.
On Mother's Day, members bring a flower, which is placed in a large basket at the church entrance. At the end of the service, each person selects a different flower to take home. This tradition begun by Norbert Capek, founder of the modern Unitarian church in the Czech Republic.
COR has helped the Unitarian Church in Sepsiszentgyorgy (St. George) Romania build a new sanctuary, new social hall (named "The Memphis Room"), and renovate the old section of the church into a bed & breakfast to host visiting groups.
Church of the River helps launch a new Unitarian church, Neshoba. The first weekly service is held at the Pickering Community Center in Germantown on January 5, 1992. On March 1, 1992, the charter members sign the membership book. The church completed its own building in the fall of 2001.
A Centennial Committee celebrated 100 years of Unitarianism in Memphis, with an art show, concert, video, Homecoming Celebration, and a birthday party for the church.
The church earns officials designation from the UUA as a Green Sanctuary, with recycling and other environmentally friendly practices in place.
Reverend Burton Carley retired and was named Minister Emeritus, with the Noted Speaker Series and the street in front of the church renamed in his honor.
After Rev. Carley's retirement. Rev. Eric Posa was selected as interim minister for two years.
The congregation unanimously voted to pursue (and won) designation from the UUA as an official "Welcoming Congregation" for the LGBT community, and to add inclusive language to the church's covenant regarding sexual orientation and gender identity.
The congregation votes unanimously to call Rev. Sam Teitel as minister, after a hearty recommendation from the Ministerial Search Committee chaired by Lisa Jennings.
Rev. Sam Teitel begins his tenure as minister.
We began a new annual tradition, the Blessing of the Backpacks
Rev. Sam Teitel was formally installed during the Sunday service.
David Ford retires after 28 years as the church's sexton. He would be the last on-staff sexton.
New service added, on Christmas Eve. (In addition to Candlelight Service, held the Sunday before Christmas Eve.)
Wednesday Night Shindigs begin, with potluck dinner and small group meetings.
UUA President Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray speaks at The Church of the River on the eve of the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. in Memphis
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