Celebrating 50 Years (1955-2005)
A Brief History of Shalom United Church of Christ (UCC) Celebrating 50 Years (1955-2005)
by Clarence Webster, Wilbur Rees, and Mel Adams
History of the UCC
Shalom UCC had its distant origins in the Reformation, a protest movement against the abuse of authority by church leaders. The Protestant Reformation began with the rediscovery by Luther and Calvin of the Bible’s teaching that salvation is not earned, but is a gift. The history of the church continued with the epic journey of the Pilgrims from England to the shores of North America followed by the waves of emigration by German and Hungarian Protestants seeking spiritual and political freedom. The church was also present at the beginning of the first Christian anti-slavery movement in history. Since then the UCC has been at the forefront of the movement to reunite the divided branches of Christ’s church, and, as a result of that movement, the union of several traditions of Protestant Christianity into the United Church of Christ in 1957.
History of Shalom UCC
Shalom UCC will be 50 years old on January 1, 2005. This is not old, of course, compared with churches in the east, south, and middle west, but a respectful age in the far west. (The cornerstone out in front of Shalom says 1957, but more on this seeming discrepancy later. There is also a box behind the stone with historical content, a Shalom time capsule of sorts.) Newness carries pluses because Shalom still has a charter member, Bob Lagergren, as an active member today. Newness also means that church records - annual reports, minutes of meetings of official boards and committees - are largely intact. This makes study of the past relatively easy and satisfying.
Richland in 1955 when Shalom began was a developing city of 28,000. The city was built by the Corps of Engineers during World War II. After World War II the Atomic Energy Commission was created to administer the atomic energy sites for the nation including Hanford. The Army Chaplains Corps was responsible for providing religious opportunities in all the newly created towns.
This meteoric growth on the desert from a population of 240 to a busy, bulging city affected all phases of Richland’s life, including churches. The Atomic Energy Commission, which was administering the area, met church needs by erecting chapels for Protestant and Catholic congregations. By 1955, the United Protestant movement had expanded to churches sponsored by five denominations.
As Richland’s population was spreading northward, the Washington State Council of Churches and the United Protestant leadership in the city proposed creation of a new church to serve the growing residential area. A church school was a particular need. The Congregational Christian Conference agreed to sponsor this new program.
On January 1, 1955, The Rev. Theron Zimmerman, pastor-at-large for the Conference, came to Richland, and on the following day, led the first service of the new congregation. It was held in Chief Joseph Junior High school—a recently opened school at the time and still in existence today after a major facelift in recent years. Church records reveal that 33 were present including 14 children. The group called itself the Northside United Protestant Church.
Mr. Zimmerman did most of the preaching and contributed most of the leadership during those winter and spring weeks. He urged the people to move swiftly to form a provisional council, conduct a vigorous search for members, and, as soon as possible, call a pastor.
Other churches in the United Protestant group helped, especially Central and Southside. Many in that first group, meeting at Chief Joseph, had been worshippers at Central. Southside offered its facilities for social activities, ranging from potluck suppers to youth gatherings.
William A. Shanks was elected chairman of the first provisional council. Mrs. Harriet H. Gifford was chosen secretary, and E. Shirley Davis, treasurer. The council picked as committee chairmen: William McCue, Christian Education; Richard A. Jackson, property; Mrs. Jackson, worship arrangements; Mr. and Mrs. Harold Harty, evangelism and fellowship.
The council’s first task was to get members, and 200 flyers describing the objectives of the new church were mailed to families in the North Richland area. The members of the provisional council dug into their pockets to pay the $68 bill for printing and mailing. The results of the mailing were promising. On April 1, 1955, the membership was listed at 44. Fifteen had been Presbyterians, eleven Congregationalists, nine Methodists, three Baptists, two Disciples of Christ and two Evangelical United Brethren. The church school was doing well with an average attendance of 57.
Encouraged by this beginning, the congregation voted to take the big step of calling a pastor. He was the Rev. Louis C. Turner, a graduate of Yale Divinity School, and for four years minister of the First Congregational Church in Lodi, Ohio. Earlier in his career, he had served as a missionary in India. He probably viewed his Richland assignment with a new church in a newly created community a somewhat similar challenge. Mr. and Mrs. Turner and their three children arrived in Richland in late May 1955.
Hiring a pastor meant acquiring a parsonage. It also meant a larger church budget. George Hurst, finance chairman, and others in the church leadership, took a deep breath and borrowed $500 to pay bills up to July 1. Then they wrote a $5,218 budget for the final six months of 1955. A parsonage was leased at 1940 Everest Street at a
cost of $100 per month. Mr. Turner’s salary for the half year was $2,000. Other costs for the expanding church program were estimated at $2,500. Since pledges from 22 families totaled $1,718, the Congregational Christian Conference supplied the balance of $3,500. A windfall of $165 arrived from the Women’s Missionary Conference of Massachusetts that the provisional council decided to spend for a used typewriter and a filing cabinet.
The church took the new name of Trinity United Protestant on July 1, 1955. Operating under the constitution of the United Protestant Churches of Richland, Trinity was asked to list formally its membership as of January 8, 1956. This was the date on which the church was officially constituted and Mr. Turner was installed. Shalom is therefore 50 years old in 2005, 2006 or 2007 depending on whether the date of the first service, the date the church was officially constituted or the date on the cornerstone is chosen.
Increasingly, Trinity people began thinking about a building program. They were looking ahead to the day when they could point with pride and say, “This is our church.” The feeling was strong that the church was hampered in gaining new people by the makeshift arrangements under which Trinity was functioning. The official board met monthly at the home of members. Mr. Turner maintained the church office in the basement of the parsonage. The church school was losing members because activities were spread among Chief Joseph School, the parsonage, Southside UP church, and the homes of young people. Preparing for Sunday services at Chief Joseph required several hours of volunteer work.
The Atomic Energy Commission offered Trinity a 3.8 acre lot with 650 foot frontage on McMurray Street. The price was $9,270. In March 1956, the purchase of this land was approved by the official board and congregation and by the Board of Home Missions of the Congregational Church that loaned the money for the transaction. In June 1956, the church was incorporated with the state and county, a step required for borrowing the money. George Huff became property commission chairman and Robert Lagergren, building fund chairman. Busy months followed. An architect, Eddy, Carlson & James of Spokane was selected and $22.50 was spent for a sign on the property telling everyone of the building program.
Some things went well - the initial building fund drive, for example. A total of $13,782 was obtained in pledges to be paid over a 30-month period. Mr. Lagergren proudly announced that 100% of the church membership had subscribed.
Other activity moved slowly. The architect’s plans had to be approved by the Congregational Christian Conference and the Board of Home Missions. To finance loans, Trinity was asked to make monthly payments of $280—a considerable hurdle for the small congregation.
Leaders in these state-level church groups did not think Trinity was building a large enough church. They argued, probably with validity, that the seating capacity of the sanctuary, about 78, and the facilities for the church school did not provide opportunity for growth. They further argued that the long, narrow dimensions of the sanctuary would make preaching difficult.
Mr. Turner and James M. Berkey, who succeeded Mr. Huff in 1957 as property commission chairman, answered in a series of letters that they were well aware of these problems and could accept minor changes, but the church as planned was all Trinity could afford. They noted the architect’s warning that any extensive revision of the building plans would bring costs beyond the $45,000 maximum which the official board had set for construction and equipment.
Groundbreaking for the building took place in early November 1957. The ground was broken by Mrs. Walter Rigdon, 85, the oldest member. On a mild winter Sunday, January 12, 1958, the cornerstone was laid. Placed in the copper box were copies of the church constitution, a statement about the history of Trinity, a list of the charter members, the current membership roll which contained 102 names, and a copy of the 1957 annual report. Also included were photographs of the 1957-1958 church officers, the church property and Richland. It was decided to engrave 1957 on the cornerstone because most of the planning and activity for the building had taken place in that year.
First services in the New Trinity United Protestant Church building were held on Palm Sunday, March 30, 1958. Dedication of the building came two months later on May 25. Dr. Stanley U. North, general secretary for home missions of the Congregational Christian Church, was guest speaker. The Rev. Theron Zimmerman, who began it all three years earlier, participated. So did Richland’s mayor, Fred Claggett, who extended greetings from the City. Thus, Trinity was launched.
A new church bring new problems including organ problems. The Chaplains Corps gave an organ that was used at Chief Joseph school but when it was to be moved to the new church, the congretation was informed that it belonged to Chief Joseph School. Later, in early 1959, Mr. and Mrs. George Hurst bought a new organ, and Mrs. Alta Robinson began her long, loyal service as pianist and organist. The choir was reorganized and led by Dr. Karl Pinto.
There was talk of pews for the sanctuary, but the official board decided, in the interest of economy, to buy instead 155 folding chairs. For the bargain price of $30, the church got hymnals and communion glasses from the Chaplain’s Corps. The women raised money to furnish the kitchen, and each weekend the men worked at grading and seeding the lawn.
A new constitution was written to meet the needs of the new church and its larger congregation. The leading officer was the moderator. Mr. Lagergren was the first person elected to that position. The governing body was changed from an official board to a church council. Commissions each had a specific responsibility: education, evangelism, property, worship and stewardship which was incorporated with finance.
In mid-1959, Mr. Turner resigned as pastor. He was accepting a pastorate in Chico, California. He had been a strong leader for four years. This was a break that the church regretted, but a pulpit committee, after an eight-month search, made a happy choice for a successor in the Rev. Richard L. Trotter.
Trinity Church moved into the 1960’s in strong condition. Membership in early 1962 reached a peak of 147 of whom 123 were residents. The church school had an enrollment of 120. There was never enough money to do all of the things desired, but budgets of $14,000 to $18,000 were raised annually between 1960 and 1965.
A “must” for the church in the early 1960’s was solution of the space problem. In March 1963, the congregation approved expenditure of $2,000 for a 12 X 40 foot addition to the west side of the church. With members and other volunteers doing the work, mostly on weekends, the construction took almost three years to complete. When done, just in time for Christmas programs in 1965, the expansion gave the church school new momentum and enthusiasm.
After years of renting, the church bought the parsonage on Everest Street in May 1965. The cost was $12,840. Although the decision added to the indebtedness, the purchase turned out to be sound for Trinity. When times became tougher in the early 1970’s, the parsonage property was sold profitably for $14,800.
The church plant was now in sound condition. In a series of work Saturdays, men and women painted both the interior and exterior of the church and parsonage. In front was a lighted signboard, a memorial to George W. Hurst. Another memorial, to Mrs. Mary Helen Chisholm - brought a library stocked with 500 books, including 100 new hymnals.
There were shadows as well as bright spots. Richland was changing because Hanford was changing. Major projects were completed, employment dropped and Trinity lost members. Most moved from Richland but some shifted memberships to other area churches.
In June 1966, Mr. Trotter resigned to go to the Condon, Oregon, Congregational Christian Church. Nine months later, in February 1967, the Rev. Donald L. Foster came to Trinity.
These were times when serious social issues were in the forefront: civil rights, the war in Vietnam, confusion and tensions among young people. Rev. Mr. Foster and others in the church felt responsibility to speak out forthrightly, to make opinions within the church heard. At one time in 1968-1969, four members of Trinity were serving on the Richland Civil Rights Commission: Reverand Foster, Don Doran, Bob Lagergren and Ethel Mitchell. Don Doran was chairman of the commission during this period.
There was no escaping the Vietnam experience. That church members held divergent views on the war because it was a time of national debate and protest. Although a significant segment within the church did not agree with him, Mr. Foster felt that young people should understand the alternatives to participation in the war and he led discussions on this divisive issue.
In these years too, the executive council sought analysis of the church program and named a six-member panel to assess Trinity’s problems and to recommend changes. The report, received in early 1968, called for (1) “a more stimulating worship service directed at full family participation” (2) acceptance of the fact that “these are controversial times and we must allow varying points of view” (3) more space in the church school area, and (4) an evangelism effort “to combat the activities of other Richland churches to gain members in our church’s natural area.” To implement these recommendations, children’s chats were made a regular part of the church service, feedback discussions after the morning service were extended to 30 minutes, and a book discussion group was formed.
Although these did not turn the tide on church membership, they rallied the congregation. Important things happened. Mortgage obligations, dating to the first years of the church, were paid and Trinity became debt free. Dollars from the parsonage sale and from the sale of one and a half acres of land west of the church made the continuation of the church possible. The land was sold for $7,800 to the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services for a group home for boys.
Rev. Mr. Foster left Trinity in late 1970 to accept new work in Seattle. Unable, because of a shortage of dollars, to employ full-time leadership, the congregation reached an agreement with the Rev. Arden C. Fritz to serve the church along with his work with the Tri-Cities Chaplaincy in April 1972. Rev. Paul M. Keyser, a member of the congregation and YMCA director, the Rev. Gerald VanDoren, Northwest United Protestant pastor, and others worked hard to provide interim direction during the 20-month period between Mr. Foster and Mr. Fritz.
To streamline the church government, a new constitution was written. The moderator and executive council approach was retained. The six commissions were dropped in favor of committees or task forces to cover the principal areas of activity. Greater authority was vested in the trustee.
Robert Lagergren, who 14 years before had served as moderator under Trinity’s original constitution, was elected moderator under the reorganization plan. Paul Reeder was assistant moderator, and succeeded Mr. Lagergren as moderator the following year, 1973.
Despite the courage of these people and many others, the middle 1970’s were crisis years. Arden Fritz resigned as part-time pastor in September 1975. Regular Sunday services ceased, and the membership dropped to 25. It was at this critical point that Wilbur and Reba Rees came into the church picture. Mr. Rees had 22 years of experience in the Christian ministry. He and his family came to Richland in 1971 to serve Southside United Protestant church. In 1972, he had accepted the directorship of the Benton-Franklin Volunteer Protection Service.
In January 1976, Mr. Rees began preaching at the church on a Sunday-by-Sunday basis for $25 a week. From this small beginning came a relationship that turned the church around. Mr. Rees counseled against giving up. He spoke of the traditional strength of the congregation and noted that, with the church property unencumbered, there were no serious financial challenges. He urged a revival of spirit and activity and offered to lead the way.
In order to pay for a full time pastor, Trinity asked the State UCC conference for permission to use the church property to secure loans to finance the needed funds up to $12,000 for one year.
It worked. Wilbur Rees became full-time pastor in June 1976. The congregation adopted a new name - Shalom United Church of Christ - to provide new identity, signify a turning of a page in history, and reflect the sense of peace, purpose and confidence the congregation felt. The congregation also voted to withdraw from the United Protestant Assembly.
By December 1976, attendance was averaging 45 per Sunday and by December 1977 and increased to 65. The Learning Community, with Ginny Lagergren as coordinator - for years she had been a major force in its leadership - gained new vitality. Richard Gilbert and Kathy Olson led in the organization of senior and junior choirs. In 1977, Shalom broke precedent and elected a woman moderator, Bernadine Gower, and in 1979, again a woman, Joanne Doran. In between, in 1978, Lonnie Gerrald was moderator.
And so Shalom, at the quarter century mark, looked ahead with high pride and anticipation. Problems remained of course including dollars to meet rising costs in an inflationary era, space to fill the needs of a growing membership and goals to which the church could aspire in the 1980’s.
Bob Lagergren, writing in his 1972 moderator’s report described the meaning of the church accurately when he said, “We have a life style and a quality that is worth sharing, that makes us proud to be members. All we need now is the input of others to carry us forward.”
The church was experiencing growing pains and space was at a premium. Crowding was especially felt in the Learning Community. Space that was formerly used only by the Head Start Program was now needed for use on Sunday. Youth activities were also growing and the Junior High “God Squad” was formed. The music program was growing as well under the able leadership of Dick Gilbert, who served as choir director for ten years.
With the church growing and space rapidly becoming a problem, thoughts of expansion were inevitable. Providentially, in 1979 developers were seeking property along George Washington way to build what is now the Washington Plaza Shopping Mall. Thus the church was approached by Rainier Development concerning the property east of the church that extended to a point opposite Everest Ave. After considerable negotiation, the property was sold to Rainier Development with an eye to future expansion.
In 1980 a building committee was formed and the architectural firm of Henningson, Durham and Richardson was secured to layout preliminary plans for the construction of a sanctuary/multi-purpose room along with expansion and remodeling of the educational facilities. Bob and Ginny Lagergren headed up a 25th Anniversary Celebration Committee that culminated in a “Silver Sunday” on June 8th. Ninety-three crowded into the small sanctuary on that Sunday morning and a like number gathered on the back lawn in the afternoon for an all day celebration. Vacation Church School in the summer of 1980 averaged 21 per day in attendance and the Christmas Eve service attendance strained every available space with 128 present.
In 1981, building plans were presented and adopted by the congregation. Under the slogan, “Hearts, Hammers and Hands,” groundbreaking was planned for the following year. Jeene Hobbs, who had joined the church the previous year, agreed to head up the fund-raising committee for the building program. Under her direction, Shalom raised more money per capita than any church in the United Church of Christ nationwide. Groundbreaking ceremonies for the new building project took place in 1982. Although there was a great deal of enthusiasm generated by the new construction, the building program was not unanimously approved by any means. There were those who held serious reservations about expansion.
Despite some opposition, the building program proceeded and the new building was completed and dedicated in May of 1983. Over 200 people attended the dedication ceremonies. Our neighbors, Northwest United Protestant Church, graciously loaned 30 chairs for the occasion. The cost of the building, remodeling and architect’s fees amounted to $388,797.46. This cost was met from the sale of the land adjacent to the church, plus monies raised from the congregation as well as a $140,000 loan and a $10,000 grant from the United Church Board of Homeland Ministries. Before the year was over, 15 new members joined the church.
On June 17th, 1984, David Brenchley joined the Shalom staff as Associate Pastor on a volunteer basis. His internship, looking forward to ordination, was a tremendous boost to the outreach and ministry of Shalom. Not only did he preside as liturgist during the worship services, but donated many hours of visitation on members and prospective members alike. His ministry was invaluable. During the year, 13 new members were added to the church.
The year 1985 was a banner year for Shalom as far as outreach and growth was concerned. Shalom joined forces with Northwest United Protestant Church to conduct a Vacation Church School entitled “Market Place 29 A.D.” The activities were held on the Shalom grounds with a large tent covering, borrowed from Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery, serving as the central focal point. Various interest centers were provided with volunteer teachers dressed in costume. Improvements to the physical facilities were provided that year as well with 27 new members added to the church roll.
On January 19th, 1986, David Brenchley was ordained to the Christian ministry in an impressive ceremony at Shalom. Soon after his ordination, he resigned his post as Associate Pastor to pursue other ministries. His short ministry at Shalom had a great impact in terms of spiritual and numerical growth.
The year 1986 saw continued growth at Shalom with an average attendance of 93 at the worship services and eight new members joined the church. The Learning Community was again pressed for space and the parking lot was overcrowded as well. A new, attractive sign was installed in front of the church as a result of an anonymous donor. Despite these signs of healthy growth, the overall economy of the community was taking a turn for the worse. That meant that pledging and giving were down and a cut in the budget was in the offing.
The year 1987 was a year of transition for Shalom. Wilbur Rees, who had been serving the church for nearly twelve years, retired as of May 31. A farewell reception was held and the church prepared itself for new leadership. Dr. Dick Arnold was called as Interim Pastor and a Pastoral Search Committee was formed. The committee met weekly from March until October, considering over 50 candidates. The selection process was completed October 25, 1987, when Barry Cammer was unanimously called as the new Pastor of Shalom.
With a new Pastor and a new beginning, the future looked promising for Shalom. The emphasis was on spiritual growth and interpersonal relationships. Several new fellowship and discussion groups were started: a men’s group, a women’s group, a “Crack-O-Dawn” group, a Monday morning discussion group and a Wednesday Bible study group. The Learning Community also started a child sponsorship program with the Christian Children’s Fund. As a mission project, they “adopted” a girl by the name of Sonia from Guatemala. Under the leadership of Don Doran, a Refugee Resettlement project was instituted. During the next year (1989), several changes took place including a constitution restructuring and a change in the worship schedule with the Learning Community meeting from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. and worship at 10:00.
Not many months after Barry Cammer began his ministry as Pastor of Shalom, spiritual and numerical growth was at a standstill. The budget suffered as well. All of these factors led to spiritual angst and a disquieting sense of defeat. In 1991, Mr. Cammer officially tendered his resignation as Pastor of Shalom United Church of Christ, but did not leave until the following year. Laura Wrench was chair of the Worship Committee at that time and provided leadership for worship for the rest of January, February and March.
In September of 1990, Reginald Unterseher was hired as “Musical Director and Composer In Residence.” While his addition to the church staff was a rather “low key” event at the time, it proved to be one of the most significant steps in the history of the church. His leadership and musical ministry would later provide the focal point for saving a foundering congregation.
On April 1, 1992, the Rev. Jeff Spencer came as Interim Pastor of Shalom. Before coming to the church, he had been the Associate Pastor of Westminster United Church of Christ in Spokane, Washington. Soon after his arrival, he began “healing community” workshops which did much to bring the congregation together again in a supportive community with a sense of mission. Mr. Spencer’s positive and resourceful leadership provided the spiritual thrust that the church needed at this critical juncture in its history. In 1992, seven new members were added to the church, a kitchen remodeling committee was formed, the Learning Community sponsored Edgar from Guatemala, under the auspices of the Christian Children’s Fund and an organ fund was established to purchase a new pipe organ.
The following year, 1993, Shalom took a significant step by voting to become an “open and affirming” church. The following paragraph was inserted in article II of the constitution: “In keeping with this purpose, Shalom United Church of Christ is an open and affirming congregation. We are open to all individuals. We are affirming to members of groups that continue to suffer injustice for reasons that may include heritage, gender, sexual orientation, marital status or disability.”
Also in that year, at a congregational meeting on March 21, the church voted to honor former Pastor Wilbur Rees by declaring him to be Pastor Emeritus of Shalom United Church of Christ. Also in March of that year, a contract was signed with Marceau and Associates of Portland, Oregon, to build a free standing, tracker-action pipe organ.
Later in the year, Jeff Spencer’s interim ministry with Shalom came to an end. The church voted to call Dr. Smart as Pastor and he conducted his first worship service at Shalom on August 15, 1993.
With a new Pastor at the helm, there were new ideas, new goals and a new and different leadership style. One of the most significant events of the year was the burning of the mortgage. At the annual meeting on January 29, Jeene Hobbs burned the mortgage papers symbolizing the paying off of the $140,000 loan for the new sanctuary and expansion of the building. It is significant that Jeene Hobbs, who chaired the fund-raising committee twelve years before, was now the one to officiate at the mortgage burning. It was a noteworthy milestone in the life of the church.
One of the highlights of the following year, 1995, was the installation of the new pipe organ that took place the week of April 10-16. The first use of the pipe organ for a worship service was on Easter Sunday morning. On May 19, Mike Brown arranged for an organ concert by Paul Manz, Professor Emeritus from the Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago. The concert was presented in memory of his wife, Kay Brown. Another major activity as far as the physical facility of the church was concerned was the renovation of the old sanctuary unit, transforming it into a fellowship hall.
Despite the improvements to the church building and the installation of the new pipe organ; attendance at worship dropped precipitously as did giving, membership and morale. The church again had hit hard times.
Reginald Smart resigned as Pastor before the year was up and left at the end of August the following year, 1997. Nancy Garing had been hired the year before as Youth Director. She resigned in the spring of 1997. With no replacement for Youth Director, Libby Watrous and Becky Cooper started activities for the High School youth group. At the end of the year, Pastor Emeritus Wilbur Rees served as a temporary Interim Pastor on a quarter time basis for October and November of 1997, and then on a half time basis from December of 1997 through February of 1998.
During these extremely difficult days in the life of the church the music program, under the splendid leadership of Reg Unterseher, provided the “glue” that held the church together. Along with the exceptional musical talent of Libby Watrous, young and old alike found inspiration and purpose from the outstanding music of the choir and the entire musical program. Without that focal point to provide spiritual energy, the church may well have foundered and failed.
Again, like the legendary phoenix, a renewed church arose out of the ashes. On March 2, 1998, Kathleen Morgan arrived as Interim Pastor. She was originally called for a four-month period, but this was extended and she served until January 31 of 1999. While Kathleen was relatively new to the ministry, she was mature in her understanding of church life and the needs of people. She had raised two sons, worked for some time as a nurse in the health care profession and had done years of volunteer work in the United Church of Christ. In her short time at Shalom, she contributed immeasurably to the healing process of the congregation. She knew how to listen, how to encourage and how to inspire the church to move forward. Hope revived again and, despite all of the setbacks, Shalom took a renewed look at its mission to the community and the world. Under the able direction of Libby Watrous, the High School youth raised funds and took a summer service project to participate in “Denver Opportunities for Outreach and Reflection” (DOOR).
One of the most significant activities this year was the work of the Pastoral Search Committee. After a diligent search through a list of many possibilities and after personal visits and careful interviews, the committee settled on the Rev. Stephen Eriksen for Pastor at Shalom. The Rev. Eriksen had served a UCC church in Kentucky for the past ten years. After bringing him to Shalom for a visit and in order that the congregation could hear him preach, a congregational meeting was held and it was unanimously voted to extend to him a call. He accepted the call and agreed to commence his ministry in February of 1999.
On a sad note, 1998 saw the passing of our beloved Ginny Lagergren. The memorial service was held at the church on May 13 with an overflow crowd attending. Ginny was not only a charter member of the church, but had served on virtually every board and committee in the church at one time or another. Her specialty was children. She loved kids and spent a lifetime teaching others how to develop parenting skills and relate to them in meaningful ways. She was an expert in the area of Christian Education and gave years and years of service in the Learning Community. One could always count on Ginny for a warm hug and an encouraging word along with a great big, infectious smile. Her courageous fight against the cancer that finally took her was an inspiration to all who knew her.
Her passing left a great emptiness in the fellowship at Shalom, but her memory lives on in the hearts of everyone. The Rainbow room, where she spent so many hours as teacher and friend of children, was lovingly remodeled and dedicated as “Ginny’s Room.”
Steve Eriksen began his ministry at Shalom, as scheduled, in February of 1999. There was great optimism and renewed faith on the part of the congregation. There were several factors that led to this feeling of enthusiasm and confidence. Mr. Eriksen brought with him a “track record” of ten years of successful ministry, and he is thoroughly committed to ministry within the framework of the United Church of Christ. Steve is a graduate of the United Theological Seminary and the Quaker affiliated Earlham School of Religion. In his ministry at Shalom thus far, he has demonstrated a Pastor’s heart and a genuine concern for people as well as an inclusive spirit that fits well at Shalom. The church is thriving once
again.
As the first fifty years of Shalom United Church of Christ comes to a close, there is bright promise ahead for the next fifty years. There will be challenges, to be sure, and unexpected turns in the road, but the same guiding Spirit that has brought Shalom UCC this far will carry the church into the future.
Shalom UCC and the Future
As the 21 st century begins, a number of serious problems beset the global com munity all of which require to a great degree a spiritual solution. These problems include damage to the global environment, the continuation of the use of war as a means to settle disputes between nations, genocide, poverty and disease, economic issues including the changing of the very nature of work, intolerance fostered to a great extent by religious extremism, the continued inequities related to differences in race and gender, the aging of populations in the developed countries and issues concerning euthanasia, abortion and stem cell research. As these issues become more focused and urgent, religious institutions appear to become more regressive to the extent that science, reason and scholarship are drowned out by doctrinal and scriptural literalism to the extent that cooperative, progressive and creative solutions to problems are thwarted.
What then is Shalom’s role and purpose in such a world? A dialogue on this question is sure to take place as Shalom heads into the future. Because the mainline churches like UCC have become marginalized in the general swing towards fundamentalism, opportunities to be a prophetic congregation have actually increased. Shalom could very well become a prophetic voice because of its avowed commitment to inclusion, affirmation and openness. For instance, Shalom might engage the community by fostering dialogue and cooperation in such areas as global environmental protection, war and poverty and economic and social justice. Because of its commitment to and the talents of its members in the musical arts, visual arts, literary arts, science and engineering, Biblical scholarship and comparative religions; Shalom occupies a unique position as a progressive community of faith. Shalom is a voice of reason and creativity in a religious landscape that is increasingly doctrinal and regressive. For this reason, Shalom has the opportunity to become a purposeful and effective voice for progress in a troubled world.