History of the
Mt. Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church
Timeline of Significant Events
Installation of Leslie T. as Lead Minister.
Easter Service: Vivaldi GloriaFirst performance of Children’s Choir, directed by Sierra Lynne White
A Toast to Jann Rose Schaub
Ministerial Search Committee approved
Serve-U makes over $23,000!
“Iraq for Sale” with speaker Congressman George Miller
Arliss Ungar’s book, With Vision and Courage, a history of Starr King School for the Ministry is published Old Firehouse School of Walnut Creek opens in Dorothy White building “An Inconvenient Truth” shown
Agnes Elfving’s 100th birthday celebrated
Dave Travers becomes Building & Grounds Custodian
Diane Miller, interim minister begins MDUUC approved as Green Sanctuary candidate
Green Sanctuary committee gives Party for the Planet
R.E. “A Trip around the World” Dave Sammons retires Mt. Diablo Parent Co-op disbands (began in 1962)
Welcoming Congregation approved Dave Sammons’ Goodbye Picnic Celebration
PCD Assembly hosted by MDUUC, largest ever held
Bonnie Dlott ordained
$1,000,000 raised for Fellowship Hall, architect chosen
Proposed cell phone tower withdrawn
Heather Sawyers chosen Director of Lifespan Religious Education
Hogwarts comes to R.E. summer program Our Global Warming Study/Action adopted at GA Picture Directory published
Bonnie Dlott receives UUA Stewardship Award
Darrel Richey & Randy Schloesser married in San Francisco
Dave Sammons’ 20 year ministry celebrated
Mark Tuning, hired, Music Director Share the Plate offerings began
Christy Diggins hired, Administrative Assistant
Patio trees donated by Jim Lincoln in memory of his UU minister father
Art glass installed in sanctuary
Jan Johnson voted Affiliate Community Minister
New Grand Piano first concert by Lino Rivera
Butterfly Garden created by Nell Fraser
Heather Sawyers named Admin. Asst.
Hungry – U, “Surviving”
50th Anniversary Celebration
July Sonja Christopher donates $2,500 for “Survivor” participationto the Fellowship Hall fund Sept. Services begin in new sanctuary Gilmartin building remodeled Dave & Jan sabbatical – Australia, etc. Lino Rivera hired as accompanist Marcia Olsen ordained Ludell Deutscher’s bronze Sacred Chalice dedicated
TIE groups – Together in Exploration begun by Jann Rose Schaub
Dedication of new sanctuary
UUA Distinguished Service award given to Til Evans
Eve Gilmartin, SK honorary degree
Return to one Sunday service
Darcy Laine ordained
Ground breaking for new sanctuary Spirit Pole, Tree of Life buried
Vote to sell land, approve borrowing to build sanctuary Jean Wilcox retires as RE Dir., Yvonne Rochon new director
Aron Gilmartin, Minister Emeritus, 87th birthday, 46 years of ministry
Rachel Anderson ordained
Our Whole Lives sexuality classes began
Art Ungar receives PCD Distinguished Service Award
Doddie Stone ordained
Beverly Scaff’s, So Great A Vision, MDUUC 1951-1984, published
Ordination of Norma Cordell Cong. vote to join Council of Churches (now Interfaith Council) First Coming of Age class
SK commencement here: Doddie Stone, Bill Sinkford
Vote to build new sanctuary
Jan. Jean Wilcox & Robin King in “Love Letters”
Authorize campaign for new sanctuary Dedication of Norma Cordell’s “Tree of Life” (spirit pole) Sept. Two Sunday services – 9 & 11am Nov. New Facilities Task Force plans for future Beverly Scaff building loan paid off
Jean Wilcox takes $2,000 from “Shirley Valentine” to our Transylvania church Meadow Homes tutoring begun by Florence Pierson
New Pulpit designed by Bob Hill, built by Art Ungar
Voted to become Sanctuary for conscientious objectors Nov. Ordination of Lowell Brook
Beverly Scaff retires, office named the Beverly Scaff Building Jan Looney becomes Administrator
Vote to seek status as Welcoming Congregation, for bisexual, gay, lesbian, and transgender persons
Starr King scholarship created honoring Eve Gilmartin
Promise the Children-$12,000 grant, Children’s Task Force created
Counseling program created
Concord Naval Weapons/Port Chicago procession, Vigil began
Memorial Garden, Dedication of Bob Forbes memorial fountain
Began fund for grand piano Angel Michaels, new choir director
Office building groundbreaking, dedicated in Nov.
Celebrated 35th anniversary of church
Voted to sponsor Central American family in sanctuary
Unitarians of Rossmoor began
Voted to provide sanctuary for Central American refugees
Former Interim Minister Bob Forbes dies
Aron Gilmartin’s 50 years of ministry honored
Dave Sammons called as Minister Ludell Deutscher created our beautiful chalice in clay.
George Prall, new choir director
Couples Club formed
Bob Forbes called as Interim Minister, ordained 2-83
Peter Christiansen to retire Aug. 83. Til Evans called as Minister to 12-82
Meditation service begun by Ludell Deutscher & Lynne White
LRY became YRUU
Bob Baker began annual Clam Chowder & Carol Songfest
Sydney Nugent began Caring Committee
Til Evans ordained as Minister of Religious Education
Deanna Henderson hired. First paid music director
Smoking controversy resolved: no smoking in sanctuary and R.E.
Barbara Bowers resigns
Jim Ocean manages Coffeehouse – best venue for music groups
Hungry U videotapes Hungry U XVII, a first
Gil becomes Minister Emeritus Purchased 65 Eckley for Peace Center and Ecology Center
Peter Christiansen chosen Minister
Family U, Childrens’ Hungry U and Art Auction
Tom Lindemuth, choir director
Ben Chapel killed by train on Sierra LRY trip. Memorial Redwood Grove created by Chapels
Jo Bartlett chosen as Interim Minister
Gil retired – 15 years as Minister
Barbara Bowers, choir director
First Joyful Whatzit midweek service became Vespers Service
Sharing in Growth – UUA helps us set goals
Extended Family programs began
Gil’s sabbatical, church run by Crisis Committee
First annual Auction, became Serve U Church member Pete Stark, bank president (and later Congressperson), established Employee Day Care Center here
Switchboard, Rurban Alternative School occupied church
May Day multi-media Art Festival May Pole ceremony
No Religious Education program
Festival of Alternative Lifestyles Peace Registry created. Youths record beliefs about war
Frank Cuzzillo donated thousands of seedlings for hill by parking lot
Singles group formed, 250 members, Single-U, continued 15 years
Festival of the Trees Service
Alice’s Restaurant created great gourmet ethnic dinners
Mt. Diablo Peace Center officially opened
Aron Gilmartin, candidate for UUA President on Black empowerment platform
Center for Personal Development, intergenerational interest groups replaced Religious Education
First service in new church Martin Luther King Jr. assassinated
Cong. voted to call Harold Wilson as Associate Minister
East Bay Project, George Johnson called as Associate Minister and Director
Comm. On Urban Crisis public meeting with Black Panthers
Port Chicago Anti-war Vigils, continued for many years
Groundbreaking at 55 Eckley Lane Eleanor Pound tradition – handmade tree ornaments for every family
First mid-week service
First secretary for Gil – Beverly Scaff
First secretary for Gil – Beverly Scaff
Alan Watts lecture series
Church Coffeehouse, became Unicorn (movies)
George Prall becomes Choir Director
First Flower Communion
Gil to Selma, coordinated UU Civil Rights action in Alabama
RE registration – 331
Andy Baltzo created World Without War committee
Dr. Robert Kimball, SKSM lecture series, standing room only
First Thanksgiving service with Temple Isaiah
Fall Folk Music Festival
First choir, Carole Danzig director
14.7 acres on Eckley Lane, purchased for $25,00
Human Potential Era, Encounter grps. 10 years, 200 participants
First Hungry-U continued 28 years
Universalists & Unitarians merged
Gil installed, Dana McLean Greeley, UUA President spoke
First minister Aron Gilmartin called
Fire Dept. condemns Pine St. house
First Welcome Back Board Breakfast
First contribution to UUA, $480
Joined Fair Play Council (housing equality)
Ernie Howard SKSM student
Unitarian Social Justice chapter formed
Liberal Religious Youth (LRY) formed
SK students Dan Weeks, Peter Weller65 children in R.E. classesBecame the Mt. Diablo Unitarian Fellowship
Rented first space, Pine St. house
First Social Action comm. formed
Loyalty Oath signed under protest
Accepted by UUA
Valley Unitarian Fellowship formed
Abbreviations:
SK, SKSM – Starr King School for the Ministry in Berkeley
RE – Religious Education
LRY – Liberal Religious Youth
YRUU – Young Religious UU’s
PCD – Pacific Central District
UUA – Unitarian Universalist Association In Boston