Encyclopedia Dubuque
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Affiliated with the Local History Network of the State Historical Society of Iowa, and the Iowa Museum Association.
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP
UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST FELLOWSHIP. After researching denominations in Leo Rosten's book Religions of America: Ferment and Faith in an Age of Crisis, David and Lisa Fryxell decided that the Unitarian Universalist denomination was closest to their beliefs as adults. They then joined Unity Church Unitarian, St. Paul, Minnesota. Eventually they moved to Dubuque, where they were both employed by the Dubuque Telegraph Herald. Missing liberal religion, they contacted the Boston office of the Unitarian Universalist Association and got the names of persons who subscribed to the denomination's publications. In January 1983, they arranged a meeting at their home which was attended by the Rev. Alan Egly of Davenport, Iowa and the Rev. Martha Newman of Clinton, Iowa, and three local families. After a couple more meetings, the chalice for the liberal faith of Unitarian Universalists was lit at a service on February 19, 1984, at Comiskey Park on Jackson Street. Rev. Newman spoke about "Why we are Unitarian Universalists."
The congregation was actually the second one of Unitarian Universalism established in Dubuque. The First Universalist Society of Dubuque existed at 10th and Main Street from 1858 to 1900. In December 1864 the following article appeared in the Dubuque Democratic Herald: (1)
A Rich Tree--The Universalist Church Society has
raised by contributions among its members the sum
of $259.25 for a Christmas tree which will contain
at least 800 presents for the little folks. This
Society is in a flourishing condition and never
does anything by halves.
In 1876 discussions began about remodeling the church. (2) Work began and in January 1878 the stained glass for the windows was delivered. (3)
In April 1878 the young people of the church organized T. Y. S., a group of self-improvement and enjoyment. The meetings would be literary, musical and social and occur every three weeks. (4)
In 1889 Mr. Houghton, pastor of the church, in a sermon said:
This church is getting old, and we must either repair it at
considerable expense or build a new one. I cannot remain long
as the shepherd of this flock unless you wake out of your
sleep and do your share of the work. The women are up and
doing, but the men do not manifest the interest they ought.
If we can sell this property at a fair price I am sure
money enough can be raised to build a neat, home-like
edifice, and when we have such a place to worship in I am
sure we shall not lack for followers. (5)
On January 30, 1894 the trustees of the church sold the church and the property on which it was located for $13,000. The intention was to build a new church and several sites were in consideration. (6) Within a month, the trustees of the church purchased a lot on the southeast corner of Locust and 10th STREETS. Until the new church was constructed, the congregation had permission to meet in their old building or the ODD FELLOWS TEMPLE. (7) In April it was announced that the property had been fenced off to avoid accidents and construction would not begin until the spring of 1895. (8) The old church was sold and resold over the years.
In the fall of 1984, bylaws were adopted and Jerry Clark was chosen to be the first president. For a place to meet, the members donned work clothes to renovate a room for a year's free rent on Bluff Street. It was referred to as "The Upper Room," since it was the upper floor of an old duplex. Through PSD Chalice Lighter’s support, Rev. Newman of the Clinton Society provided services once a month.
On January 25, 1985, the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Dubuque received its charter from the Unitarian Universalist Association. As the new church year started in September 1985, the Fellowship began offering services every other Sunday, September through May, in rented space at the Masonic Temple. Religious education for youth was offered for the first time with Becky Clark and Tam Prenosil as the first teachers.
Since "deeds, not creeds" has been important in its history, in January 1986 the Fellowship hosted the first public celebration in Dubuque of Martin Luther King's birthday. It was held at the Masonic Temple with the Rev. Martha Newman praising Dr. King but also asking why humankind kills its prophets. The room was packed with 200 people in attendance for the noontime service.
The following year, Rev. Carol Hilton of Cedar Falls, IA (who had been a pastor) with her husband at the Blackhawk UU Society there) became the new part-time minister. She served through May 1988. In public event, a member representing the Fellowship was egged on a march after he gave an address (We Stand with You) at the city's first Gay/Lesbian rally held at WASHINGTON PARK..
The fall of 1988 saw Mary Beth O'Halloran, a UU student at the University of Dubuque Seminary, become the Fellowship's part-time minister. In the fall of 1991, after Mary Beth, the Fellowship continued professional ministerial services with the Rev. Dr. Jeremy Brigham of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. . In October 1991, when there were signs attacking Planned Parenthood placed on lawns throughout the city, the Fellowship hosted their state director, who spoke at a packed Sunday service which was advertised to the public. The service went without incident.
In December 1991, after a year long study, the Fellowship published a comprehensive Long-Range Plan, "A Liberal Faith Odyssey." Input was obtained from its members, friends, and other like-sized Unitarian Universalist societies from throughout the nation. It offered an outline of a commitment to the physical and spiritual growth of the Fellowship which included time frames for obtaining a building and full-time professional ministerial services. Also, three goals were established in Youth Religious Education: 1) Provide a quality Sunday school program, 2) Help children feel that they are part of the congregation, and 3) Make the process of learning fun, rewarding, and preparatory for life in modern society.
During 1994-1996, Rev. Charity Rowley served the Fellowship as speaker on one Sunday each month. Rev. Eric Cherry from the Burlington, Iowa UU Church continued the tradition of part-time ministerial services for the 1996-1998 years. A member of the Fellowship, Maryann Caudill-LoGuidice, eventually became a Commissioned Lay Leader in 2000. The Fellowship continued to meet at Windsor Park every Sunday from September through May, and about once a month in the summer. By that time membership was at 38 adult members.
In September 2003, the congregation purchased its first property - a brick German Methodist Episcopal church building and parsonage located at 1699 Iowa Street in downtown Dubuque. The church was built in 1885 and remained the German Methodist Episcopal until 1918 when a wave of anti-German feeling raked the community during WORLD WAR I. The renamed Grace Methodist Church remain in operation until 1965 when the membership joined ST. LUKE'S UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. The old church became the Assembly of God in 1966 and remain that until 1983 when it was used as Grace Bible Baptist. (9) With the retirement of the commissioned lay leader in May 2005 the Fellowship resumed its format of spiritual leadership with members and monthly sermons beginning in September with Rev. Dr. Kent Mayfield.
In the year 2008 the Fellowship met the requirements to become a Welcoming Congregation for gays, lesbians and transgendered persons.
The Fellowship added a ramp during the summer of 2009 for accessibility to the church building from the generosity of a matching gift provided by John and Margo Freivalds. Jon Luckstead designed the ramp. John has been recognized for many creative projects including building a counter for the nave, a new sign for the public, coat racks, and a podium.
In the fall of 2010, the Fellowship began to offer its adjacent building to provide a more family friendly meeting place for parents and their children of the public who were separated by the court system. In October, a new chalice was dedicated to honor a deceased charter member, John Kasper.
In February 2011 the Fellowship named the original parsonage house (which is now space for the office, youth RE and a social project) the Emerson House in honor of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s sermon on “Immortality” at the First Universalist Society in Dubuque on December 10, 1871.
At this time, Rev. Dr. Mayfield continues to give sermons and the Program Committee coordinates the rest of the Sunday’s year around. Cindy Wiese is the president. The UUFD has 45 members. Frank Potter and Tam Prenosil, a married couple, remain as the last of the charter members.
The church membership made a major announcement in January, 2021. With plans to restore the church at 1699 Iowa St. to its original condition a fundraiser had been held from October through December. Despite that this was during the time of the PANDEMIC with widespread financial hardship in the city, the goal of $200,000 was set. In January the congregation of 55 and a benefactor who offered $2 for every dollar had raised $215,000 with the project slogan being "Let's Make This Jackson Park Gem Shine." (10)
The project had the earmarks of a community effort from the beginning. John Butler, executive chairman of COTTINGHAM AND BUTLER, INC. took an old photo of the church to Heritage Works. Duane P. HAGERTY, president and CEO of the company, found that the photo showed a belfry in that had been removed from northeast corner of the church. From this a conceptual drawing of the original church was made. In addition to the belfry, restoration plans call for major work on the exterior and interior with the addition of an elevator making the lower level accessible to everyone. Plans to work with John GROHEN in collaboration with Four Mounds and vocational training opportunities in the high schools were being planned as the fund-raising success was announced. Heritage Works helped the church submit the first phase of a state application for $300,000 in historic tax credits towards the estimated $1.5 million project. It was hoped that the refinished building could serve as a community center and source of neighborhood pride. (11)
In 2021 during a major restoration of the old building by the church, HeritageWorks, and [[GRONEN PROPERTIES/GRONEN RESTORATION, a tin box was found underneath the cornerstone. According to documents found inside, the box was place there on June 14, 1885. The box contained several German publications, a newspaper, a journal called "Haus and Herd"(Home and Hearth). the broadsheet of the Dubuque Sunday Times, and a letter signed by the church secretary, Fred Wirth. There was also a five-cent piece and a $5 Wisconsin Territories endorsed by the secretary. (12)
Wirth's letter noted that the construction of the church had cost $4,000 and that the church had gained $2,000 from the sale of the old church.
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Source:
1. "A Rich Tree," Dubuque Democratic Herald, December 15, 1864, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=A36e8EsbUSoC&dat=18641215&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
2. "Caught on the Fly," Dubuque Herald, April 21, 1876, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=uh8FjILnQOkC&dat=18760421&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
3. "Caught on the Fly," Dubuque Herald, January 2, 1878, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=uh8FjILnQOkC&dat=18780802&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
4. "T.Y.S.," Dubuque Herald, April 10, 1878, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=uh8FjILnQOkC&dat=18780410&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
5. "The Universalists," The Herald, May 14, 1889, p. 4
6. "Municipal Molecules," Dubuque Daily Herald, January 31, 1894, p. 4
7. "The Site Selected," Dubuque Daily Herald, February 9, 1894, p. 4. Online: https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=_OG5zn83XeQC&dat=18940209&printsec=frontpage&hl=en
8. "Let's Make This Jackson Park Gem Shine." Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Dubuque flyer
9. "Municipal Molecules," Dubuque Daily Herald, April 21, 1894, p. 4
10. Reese, Kayli, "Over $215K Raised for Unitarian Church Restoration," Telegraph Herald, January 4, 2021
11. Ibid.
12. London, Michelle, "Church's Time Capsule Yields Treasure," Telegraph Herald, November 27, 2021, p. 1
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