UUSS History
Ten years after the first Unitarian sermon was delivered in Sacramento and after several guest lectures by the Rev Thomas Starr King, the First Unitarian Church of Sacramento was founded on March 29, 1868. Rev. Henry W. Brown from San Francisco presided. With the financial panics of 1873 and '87, the church went through unsteady times but by 1892 the congregation, then numbering fifteen members, decided the future of their church looked bright and decided to officially incorporate as the First Unitarian Society of Sacramento.
Some twenty years later, a resolution was presented to the congregation regarding the fact that the Society did not have a building of their own — they had always met in a rented hall. A committee was formed, fund drive undertaken, land purchased and building constructed. On March 20, 1915, the first service was held at the First Unitarian Church at 1415 27th Street.
When America entered World War I in 1917, membership at the church had declined to seventeen but things picked up in 1922 when a Sacramento lawyer named Berkeley B. Blake was ordained at the First Unitarian Church. Two years later, he reported that the Society now had 47 active members and over 100 additional non-members who considered the First Unitarian Church their spiritual home. Rev. Blake left the pulpit in 1927 to become the field secretary for the American Unitarian Association headquartered in Berkeley, but remained an active participant in the Sacramento Unitarian scene for many years thereafter.
During the Great Depression and through the years of WWII the Sacramento institution survived with visiting ministers and by sharing a minister with the Stockton church. Immediately after the war the Society became revitalized with the install ation of the Rev. Theodore Curtis Abell in November, 1945. By the 1946 summer recess, the membership roster had grown from 37 to 192. The Society has maintained a strong presence in the community since.
By the 1950's it was evident that more space was required and a "Starters Club" was initiated in 1954. $19,500 was raised to purchase 5.76 acres on Sierra Blvd. The church was built over the following years. The new building was dubbed "The House of a Thousand Windows" because its walls contained 1,288 hexagonal windowpanes of translucent amber glass. This feature was the architect's response to the congregation's desire for a building that was in harmony with the sunny climate of the area.
Sadly, shortly after the contractor handed over the keys to the new building in May 1960, Rev Abell informed the Board of Trustees that he intended to resign as minister effective September 1, 1960 and that his last service would be Sunday, June 19, 1960 in the old 27th Street location. The first service at the new location was conducted on July 10, 1960. Rev Abell was in attendence but did not preside. He died four months later.
In 1961, the national Unitarian and Universalist organizations merged into the Unitarian Universalist Association. While the Sacramento congregation embraced the new organization, they decided not to change their designation at that time. Interestingly, a spinoff Unitarian group that was using the old First Unitarian Church building on 27th Street was the first to adopt the new designation and became the Central Unitarian Universalist Church. In 1970, the First Unitarian Society officially changed its name to the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento (UUSS).
Since 1960, five installed ministers have served this congregation: The Rev. Ford Lewis from 1960 to 1970, the Rev. Ted Webb from 1971 until his retirement in 1984 (he still serves as Minister Emeritus), Rev. Donald Beaudreault from 1985 to 1989, and Rev. John Young from 1991 to 1997.
Our popular and respected current minister, Rev. Doug Kraft, became minister in 2000 and continues to provide guidance for discovering the meaning and richness in life by his introspective teaching coupled with his Buddhist perspective and knowledge. In 2008, Rev Roger Jones joined UUSS as Family Minister.
Past and Present Ministers and Interns
Rev. Henry W. Brown, 1868 to 1873
Rev. Charles P. Massey, 1886 to 1892
Rev. T.J. Horner, 1892 to 1894
Rev. Benjamin Franklin Baker (part time), 1911 to 1913
Rev. Charles Pease, 1913 to 1918
Rev. Martin F. Fereshetian (Interim), 1920 to 1921
Rev. Dr. Hubert Cyril Carter (Interim), 1921
Rev. Berkeley B. Blake, 1921 to 1927
Rev. Robert E. Starkey, 1927 to 1931
Rev. Robert C. Withington, 1931 to 1933
Rev. Clarence M. Vickland (part time), 1936
Rev. Authur Foote (Part Time), 1936 to 1945
Rev. Theodore Curtis Abell, 1945 to 1960
Rev. John Albert Taylor (Interim), 1960
Rev. Ford Lewis, 1960 to 1970
Rev. Josiah Bartlett (Interim), 1970
Rev. Theodore Webb, 1971 to 1983
Rev. Aaron Gilmartin (Interim), 1983 to 1984
Rev. Donald Beaudreault, 1985 to 1989
Rev. Eileen Karpeles (Interim), 1989 to 1990
Rev. Donald Strong (Interim), 1990 to 1991
Rev. Dr. John Young, 1991 to 1997
Rev. Richelle Russell (Assistant Minister), 1992 to 1994
Rev. Shirley Ranck (Pastoral Minister), 1997 to 1999
Rev. Sydney Wilde (Interim co-Minister), 1999 to 2000
Rev. Dennis Daniel (Interim co-Minister), 1999 to 2000
Rev. Douglas Kraft, 2000-Present
Rev. Lyn Cox, Asst Minister for Education, 2004 to 2006
Rev. Connie Grant, Minister for Education, 2007 to 2008
Rev. Roger Jones, Family Minister, 2008 to Present
Ministerial Interns
Christopher Holton Jablonski 2004-2005
Sandy Hart, 2005 to 2006
Carole Czujko, 2009-2010