Universalist National Memorial Church

Coordinates: 38°54′51″N 77°02′12″W / 38.914289°N 77.036712°W / 38.914289; -77.036712
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Universalist National Memorial Church
Romanesque Revival
Clergy
Pastor(s)David Gatton
Deacon(s)Perry King, Clinton McCully, Sean Sullivan, Eliserina Kimolo, David Skidmore

Universalist National Memorial Church (UNMC) is a

Universalist".[2] Originally a member of the Universalist Church of America, it became a member of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA) in 1961 when the former merged with the American Unitarian Association to form the UUA, and in 2003, UNMC strengthened its ties to the UUA.[2]

History

UNMC sanctuary
Church door

Universalist ministers visited the Washington area from at least 1827, and in the late 1860s, Universalists began organizing a permanent church. In 1869, The Murray Universalist Society was founded, named in honor of the centenary of John Murray's arrival in North America and the Church of Our Father (First Universalist Church of Washington, D.C.) was founded the following year.[3]

Universalist National Memorial Church was established to serve as the official representative in Washington, D.C., of the Universalist General Convention, later known as the Universalist Church of America. In 1921, the Universalist General Convention approved funding for construction of the church. The first services were held in 1925, although at a different location than the present facility. The first service at Universalist National Memorial Church on 16th Street, NW was held on Palm Sunday 1930, with Frederick Williams Perkins as its first minister.[4]

Architecture

UNMC is an example of

stained-glass window and a stone tower that reaches a height of 98 feet (30 m).[1][6]

Affiliations

UNMC is a member of the following organizations:

In 2003, UNMC hosted the Revival conference of the Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship.

Ministers

Church of Our Father (First Universalist Church of Washington, D.C.)
  • Rev. A. C. Barry: February–May 1870
  • Rev. C. H. Day: 1873–1877
  • Rev. Alexander Kent: 1877–1890
  • Rev. A. A. Whitcomb: 1890–1892
  • Rev. A. G. Rogers: 1892–1897
  • Rev. Leslie Moore: 1897–1899
  • Dr. John van Schaick Jr.: 1900–1918; emeritus: 1923–1949
  • Rev. William Couden (acting): 1917–1918
  • Dr. Levi M. Powers: 1919–1920
  • Dr. John van Schaick Jr.: 1920–1922
  • Dr. Clarence Rice: 1922–1926
  • Dr. Fredrick W. Perkins: 1927–1930
Universalist National Memorial Church
  • Dr. Fredrick W. Perkins: 1930–1939
  • Dr. Seth R. Brooks: 1939–1978; emeritus: 1978–1987
  • Dr. William L. Fox: 1978-1988
  • Rev. James Blair: 1989–1993
  • Dr. William L. Fox: 1993–1998; current emeritus
  • Rev. Vanessa R. Southern: associate, 1995–1998; sole pastor: 1998–2000
  • Rev. Scott Wells: 2000–2004
  • Rev. Lillie Mae Henley: 2006–2011
  • Crystal Lewis: 2014–2016
  • David Gatton: 2014–present

References

  1. ^ .
  2. ^ a b c About Universalist National Memorial Church
  3. ^ UNMC: A brief history
  4. Andover-Harvard Theological Library
    . Retrieved 2008-06-04.
  5. .
  6. ^ "Universalist National Memorial Church". Emporis. Retrieved 2008-06-04.[dead link]

External links