A History of the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church, 1951–1984
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
This book is dedicated to the memory of those who founded and nurtured this Fellowship and the church they created—those persistent seekers whose desire to search together gave us this building, whose search for truth shaped this questing religion, whose vision for themselves and their children created this sacred space that is our community, our shared church family. Our present is lit by their dreams and their deeds. [Adapted from the words of Emmy Lou Belcher] Scanned, transcribed and edited by Daniel B. Zwickel The text is set in Palatino Linotype, originally called Palatino when designed in 1948 by German graphic designer Hermann Zapf, then revised 1999 for Linotype and Microsoft. Named after 16th century Italian master of calligraphy Giambattista Palatino, the font is based on the humanist fonts of the Italian Renaissance, which mirror the letters formed by a broad nib pen; this gives it a calligraphic grace. (Wikipedia) Published by MDUUC Press, Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church 55 Eckley Lane, Walnut Creek, California 94596 (925) 934-3135 * [email protected] * www.mduuc.org Copyright © 1984 by Beverly Jeanne Scaff Copyright © 2015 by Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church All rights reserved Contents Chapter I The Fellowship Years, 1951–1960 1 Chapter II The Gilmartin Years Part 1 The Early Years, 1961–1967 49 Part 2 The Later Years, 1967–1974 101 Chapter III The Road to Eckley Lane 149 Chapter IV Years of Transition, 1975–1984 Part 1 Josiah Bartlett, Interim Minister, 1975 167 Part 2 Peter Christiansen, Minister, 1976–1982 177 Part 3 Til Evans and Bob Forbes, 1983 218 Chapter V The Human Potential Era, 1963–1974 Part 1 The Encounter Years 231 Part 2 The Extended Family Program 244 Chapter VI A History of Singles Activities 247 Chapter VII Music and the Arts Part 1 Musical Programs and the Choir 257 Part 2 The Coffeehouse Unicorn, Films 261 Chapter VIII The Focus on Children and Youth Part 1 The Religious Education of Children 265 Part 2 High School Programs: From LRY to YRUU 317 Part 3 Programs for Junior Highers 347 Part 4 The Youth Adult Committee 353 Part 5 Rurban School and the Switchboard 359 Chapter IX Civil Rights, Social Justice and Peace Part 1 The Early Years, 1951–1964 363 Part 2 Civil Rights and the East Bay Project 372 Part 3 World Without War and the Mt. Diablo Peace Center 384 Part 4 Other areas of protest and action, 1964–1984 391 Biographies & Pages Allen, Bob & Betty 41, 273 Baker, Bob 222 Baltzo, Andy 11 Bartlett, Josiah 173 Belletini, Mark 168 Biederman, Jack & Mavis 44 Blake, Marge 28 Bortin, David 3 Chase, Chuck & Lillie 22 Christiansen, Peter 177 Diller, Howard & Tim (Nancy) 36 Evans, Til 193 Forbes, Bob 220 Ford, Don & Jewell 25 Gilmartin, Aron 49 Glover, David & Rose 20 Hill, Orville & Stella 366 Houser, Don & Jane 5 Hurley, Dick & Miriam 165, 173, 276 Kent, Glenn & Hazel 2 King, Robin & Billie 81 MacLane, Margaret 60 Matson, Howard 25 Melnicoe, Norma 30 Pierson, Dave & Florence 31 Politzer, Frank and Judy 39 Reid Soskin, Betty 13 Rutledge, Fred 8 Sammons, David 228 Scaff, Lloyd & Beverly 87 Steenberg, Bill 150 Steenberg, Marilyn 278 Toaspern, Bill & Marie 12, 268 van der Veen, John & Judy 117 Weller, Peter 7, 267 Zwickel, Daniel 159 Appendixes Boards of Trustees, 1951–1992 Ministers, 1960–1984 Church School Superintendents and Directors of Religious Education, 1954–1994 Ministerial Interns, 1955–1994 Newsletter Editors, 1957–1994 Hungry-U’s, 1962–1989 Acknowledgments I wish to thank the more than fifty people who graciously contributed their time and wonderful memories during personal interviews, telephone conversations, and in letters. There would of course be no history without this rich input. I have tried to include profiles of all the Fellowship members I could reach, and a representative sample of those who later contributed to the direction the church has taken. To those whom I did not interview I can only say the story continues, and they will surely be a part of the next volume in the life of our church community. I have tried to include as much as possible preserved in newsletters, Orders of Service, Board and committee minutes, and correspondence. Particularly in the early years, records are sparse. Some don’t exist at all, for instance, newsletters for 1974 and 1975, which was surely my error. Others will know of anecdotes and activities which should have been included. Perhaps they can form a supplement (along with the correction of errors!) Several people must be singled out for special mention. I should probably never have had the courage to undertake this task if it hadn’t been for the ongoing encouragement of David Sammons. He offered numerous suggestions, and read the completed manuscript, putting comments on almost every page! Dave Bortin was of enormous help not only in dealing with countless computer glitches, but in reading chapters of the early years, explaining and clarifying the period before my time. Whatever the errors they are surely mine. My women’s group of sixteen years (Bonnie Daines, Til Evans, Janet King, Joyce Mohrman, and Marcia Newey) has been supportive and encouraging since the idea first tentatively occurred to me four years ago. They gave me the confidence to continue. My daughters Jennifer, Mary K., Jeannie and Judy have encouraged in every step of the way. Finally, my love and appreciation for my husband Lloyd who has ungrudgingly given me the tools, the space, and the affirmation that has made it possible to complete this labor of love. Chapter I—The Fellowship Years, 1951–1960 On April 25, 1951, a small group of people in the Diablo Valley area met with The Rev. Frank Ricker, Executive Director of the Pacific Coast Unitarian Council [now Pacific Central District], to form a Unitarian Fellowship. The nearest Unitarian churches were in Oakland and Berkeley. Gini Merrill, who worked for the district, later a member of the Fellowship, remembers seeing their names in the office. She marveled that anyone would live out there—“that dry little place”—when they could live in Berkeley! Mr. and Mrs. Charles Johnson provided their home for the meeting. Those who attended were Glen and Hazel Kent, Dave and Bonnie Bortin, and Mrs. Shirley Hawley. The first issue of the Fellowship newsletter, The Diablo Times, published in September 1957, described this meeting: “… a stalwart group of renegades (numbering less than ten) formed what was to become the Valley Fellowship.” Before moving to Pleasant Hill, the Kents were members of the Berkeley church. They felt it was too far away to attend with their children every Sunday. The minister, Dr. J. Raymond Cope, and secretary, Maizie Newman, shared names of members and friends who lived in the area. The district office provided names of area Unitarians who subscribed to The Christian Register, a Unitarian publication. The organizers also had names of those who belonged to the Church of the Larger Fellowship, UUs in areas where there was no fellowship or church. When the American Unitarian Association in Boston received their request, Dave Bortin told us Director of Extension Munroe Husbands was reported to have said “Diablo? Where in ’ell is that?” The group sent out invitations to a public meeting at the Walnut Creek Veterans Memorial Building on south Locust. Twenty-two came, on a Sunday evening in May.* Frank Ricker addressed the meeting chaired by Glen Kent. They voted to form a fellowship, chose an organizing committee to draw up bylaws, and elected officers. 1951—Glen Kent, President At a meeting on July 30, 1951 they sent a letter of application from the Valley Unitarian Fellowship to the American Unitarian Association requesting fellowship status. Fourteen * The Bortins, Joe Clarke, Joe Geiger, Shirley Hawley, Virginia Hubbard, the Johnsons, the Judds, the Keats, Glen Kent, Mabel King, the O’Haras, Frank Ricker, Jack Tarlen, Ray van Tassell, Sigrid Webber and Mrs. Zucco 2 So Great A Vision people signed the letter including the newly elected officers: Glen Kent, president, David Bortin, vice president and treasurer and Virginia Hubbard, secretary. Joseph H. Clarke Jr. was appointed chair of the Religious Education Committee. The AUA accepted the Valley Unitarian Fellowship into membership September 19. The application stated, “We plan to hold meetings twice monthly, Monday evenings, at the Veterans Memorial Building, and expect meetings will be guest speakers and discussion.” They did not check “worship,” one of the choices. We do not have the names of the eighteen charter members, but they included the Kents, the Bortins, Byron and Virginia Hubbard, and probably the O’Haras, the Judds, Mabel King, Sigrid Webber, Roger Decker, and Jack and Helena Tarlen. Glen and Hazel Kent moved to Pleasant Hill in 1950. Glen’s brother Jack had graduated from Starr King School for the Ministry. A medical doctor, Glen was profoundly disabled by arthritis, and his condition continued to deteriorate. He was well cared for by his wife Hazel, a nursing supervisor. The discovery of cortisone changed their lives. Glen returned to school in public health. He served as head of the Contra Costa County Health Department for several years. Hazel returned to a career of homemaking, parenting, and community service. She participated in the founding and nurturing of the Valley Unitarian Fellowship, which met in their home in the early months. The Kents were the two most responsible for the founding of the Fellowship. After Glen’s death, Hazel continued to support the church until her death in 1993.* Meetings continued through the summer at the Veterans Building. Years before the freeway, nearby Mt. Diablo Boulevard carried traffic to East Bay cities, and to Main Street, the main north and south route.