kids encyclopedia robot

Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts
Quick facts for kids
Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley
UUCB.jpg
Location Kensington, California
Country United States
Denomination Unitarian Universalist
History
Founded July 12, 1891 (1891-07-12)
Specifications
Capacity 200 seated

The Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley (UUCB) is a church with a long history. It started as the First Unitarian Church of Berkeley in Berkeley, California, in 1891. Later, in 1961, it moved to Kensington, California. It is one of the oldest and largest Unitarian Universalist churches on the West Coast of the United States. Many important people have been members, including professors from the University of California, Berkeley. The church is well-known for its great music and its many ways for people to grow spiritually. It also helps people learn and take action for good causes in the community.

History of the Church

The First Unitarian Church of Berkeley began on July 12, 1891. Its name changed to the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley in 1998. The first minister was Edward B. Payne. For several years, the church rented different places. In 1893, it bought land for its own building in Berkeley.

A famous architect named A. C. Schweinfurth designed a church building. It was built in 1898. This building, made of redwood shingles, became a landmark. It showed a style of building that blended with nature. This original church building is still standing today. It is now used as a dance studio on the University of California campus. It has been recognized as a historic place since 1981.

Another important architect, Bernard Maybeck, was a member of the church. He designed a hall for the church in 1909. In the mid-1950s, Mr. Maybeck owned land in Kensington. He sold this land to the church at a lower price. The church needed a new, bigger building because it had grown. Also, the university had taken over their old property.

A new church building was designed for the Kensington site. The congregation started using this main building in 1961. Two more buildings for religious education were added soon after.

During the plans to move to Kensington, some members did not want to move. They decided to stay in Berkeley. They formed a new group called the Berkeley Fellowship of Unitarian Universalists. This group still exists today.

Standing Up for Beliefs

In 1950, a California politician named Harold Levering suggested a new rule. This rule would make all religious groups sign a special promise, called a loyalty oath. If they did not sign, they would lose their tax-exempt status. This meant they would have to pay taxes like regular businesses.

This was the first time in U.S. history that the government asked religious groups to sign such a promise. Most churches signed the oath. However, the First Unitarian Church of Berkeley refused to sign. Their minister, Rev. J. Raymond Cope, led this decision. A few other churches, including some Unitarians, Methodists, and Quakers, also refused.

Because they refused, their tax-exempt status was taken away. But in 1958, the U.S. Supreme Court said that the loyalty oath was against the law. The churches got their tax money back. This showed that the church stood up for its beliefs and won.

Music Program

The church has a wonderful tradition of great music. Dr. Bryan Baker leads the music program. There are different groups that perform vocal music. These include "Luminescence," which is the main choir, and a Youth and Children's Choir.

The church has many musical instruments. These include a large organ, three grand pianos, a harpsichord, and a gamelan. These instruments are used in church services and special events. The church is also home to the Kensington Symphony Orchestra. Many musicians use the church for recordings because it has excellent sound quality.

Famous pianist André Watts gave piano concerts at the church in the early 1990s. Two of his performances were even recorded there. Every December since 1966, the church has a special event. People gather to sing along to Handel's Messiah, a famous musical work.

Helping Others and Social Action

The church cares deeply about social justice. This means they work to make things fair for everyone. They have a history of taking action to support human rights and world peace. They also work to create good living conditions for all people.

The church has many ongoing projects. They give money and volunteer time to the Greater Richmond Interfaith Project. This project helps families who need shelter. They also support a partner Unitarian church and village in Transylvania, Romania. The church works with other groups too, like the Unitarian Universalist Justice Ministry California. They also support the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.

Ministers of UUCB

Here are some of the ministers who have led the Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley:

  • Edward B. Payne, 1892–1897
  • William B. Geoghegan, 1897–1899
  • Frederick L. Hosmer, 1900–1904, a writer of many hymns
  • John Howland Lathrop, 1905–1911
  • Arthur Maxson Smith, 1911–1915
  • Harold E.B. Speight, 1915–1921
  • Robert French Leavens, 1922–1925
  • Eldred C. Vanderlaan, 1925–1932, who signed the Humanist Manifesto
  • Horace Westwood, 1934–1945
  • J. Raymond Cope, 1946–1968
  • Howard W. Oliver, 1969–1972
  • Richard F. Boeke, 1973–1994
  • Barbara and Bill Hamilton-Holway, 1996–2014
  • Christopher (Craethnenn) Holton Jablonski, Minister of Religious Education, 2005–2011
  • Christian Schmidt and Kristin Grassel Schmidt, 2016–2020
  • Rev. Dr. Michelle Collins, Interim Minister, 2020–2023
  • Rev. Marcus Liefert, since August 2023

Notable Past Members

Many well-known people have been members of the church:

  • Kinsey Anderson
  • Marian Diamond
  • Joseph Fabry
  • Lucile W. Green
  • Charles Keeler
  • Joseph Le Conte
  • Bernard Loomer
  • Bernard Maybeck
  • Aurelia Henry Reinhardt
  • Malvina Reynolds
  • William Emerson Ritter
  • Charles Seeger
  • Frederick C. Torrey
  • Earl Morse Wilbur

Notable Past Guest Speakers

The church has hosted many important guest speakers:

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
Unitarian Universalist Church of Berkeley Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.