Title: Unitarian Universalist Church of Racine and Kenosha Records
Inclusive Dates: 1842-1995

Creator:

• Unitarian Universalist Church of Racine and Kenosha (Wis.)

Call Number: Parkside Mss 14; PH Parkside Mss 14

Quantity: 6.8 c.f. (17 archives boxes) and 5 photographs

Repository:

Housed at the Archives & Area Research Center, Library/Learning Center, University of Wisconsin-Parkside; owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society, Division of Library, Archives, and Museum Collections

Archival Locations:

COLLECTION MAY BE STORED OFF-SITE: see catalog entry to request materials and for additional information.

UW-Parkside Library / Parkside Area Research Ctr. (Map)

Wisconsin Historical Society (Map)

Abstract:

Records of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Racine and Kenosha and its predecessor congregations, the Universalist Church of the Good Shepherd of Racine (organized as the First Universalist Society of Racine) and the First Unitarian Society of Kenosha. These two congregations merged in 1961. In 1988 the congregation changed its name to the Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church. Several of Racine's most prominent citizens were members of the Church of the Good Shepherd, and women's rights activist Olympia Brown was its pastor from 1878 to 1887. Records include church correspondence; constitutions and bylaws; orders of service; newsletters; board of trustees minutes, correspondence, and reports; financial records; minutes of annual meetings; files relating to special events; minutes of meetings of church organizations; committee records; biographical information about pastors and prominent members; membership directories; sermons; religious education records; photographs of the church and fellowship hall and of member Gwendolen Willis, daughter of Olympia Brown; and files concerning the history of the church.

Language: English

URL to cite for this finding aid: http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1711.dl/wiarchives.uw-whs-pks0014

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The history of this fellowship dates back to 1842, when the Universalist Church of the Good Shepherd was founded in Racine. The early church boasted a number of Racine's most prominent citizens among its membership, including J. I. Case, N. D. Fratt, and Stephen Bull. The well-known suffragette and women's rights activist, Olympia Brown, became the state's first female minister in 1878, when she was chosen as the church's pastor. During her nine-year ministry, the church provided a forum for discussion of social issues, and a number of nationally prominent suffragettes were invited by Brown to broadcast their views from her pulpit. Brown's pastorate is illustrative of the liberal, non-doctrinaire ideals which served to unite Universalists in their faith.

Universalists were not alone in the 19th century in advocating religious beliefs unburdened by dogma; American Unitarians espoused a similar set of ideas. In 1865, Unitarianism came to Kenosha with the establishment of the First Unitarian Society of that city. Like its Universalist contemporary in Racine, the Unitarian fellowship was actively engaged in community affairs and interested in alleviating pressing social concerns. A variety of problems forced the Society to disband in 1926, but it was reestablished in 1953.

Steps toward the eventual merger of the Universalist Church of the Good Shepherd and the Unitarian Congregation in Kenosha began in 1955, as the former made preparations to unite with the American Unitarian Association and to assume a dual affiliation with both denominations. This move was effected in 1959. The Racine and Kenosha congregations merged officially in 1961, shortly after their national organizations did the same, and became known as the Unitarian Universalist Church of Racine and Kenosha. The congregation changed its name to the Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church circa 1988.

This collection is arranged in two parts. Part 1 consists of the papers received in the Archives in the 1970s. These materials date 1842-1976. Part 2 consists of additions received in the Archives in 1998. These 1998 additions contain materials dated 1842-1995. The photographs are in Part 2.

The records of PART 1 have been organized in three subseries: Universalist Church of the Good Shepherd; First Unitarian Society of Kenosha; and Unitarian Universalist Church of Racine and Kenosha.

Documents relating to the UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD include a record book containing information on church meetings during its first quarter of service, newsletters, correspondence relating to organizations espousing causes in which the church was interested, and financial information. The general correspondence provides insight into day-to-day church operations, and the various political, social, and community interests which engaged the attention of the congregation and its pastors. Although there is some documentation from the church's founding to the merger, the quality and depth of the collection varies at different time periods. In general, these papers provide an adequate, if not totally balanced, picture of the ideals, interests, and operations of the church.

The papers dealing with the FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY OF KENOSHA include no documents from the Society's founding through its demise in 1926; all extant records date from the reemergence of the church in 1953 through its merger with the Universalist congregation in 1961. The General Correspondence and Newsletter files are spotty and sparse, although the Minutes of the Society and the Treasurer's Record Book do provide some useful information on the church for the years 1953 through 1961.

Finally, the records of the UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF RACINE AND KENOSHA are similar in types to those of the Church of the Good Shepherd. Of particular interest is the Pulpit Committee file which contains evaluations of the various candidates applying for the pastorate of the church in 1967, and the folders relating to the merger of the national Unitarian and Universalist churches.

The records of PART 2 also are organized by creating group. They include transcriptions of early minutes and the constitution of the FIRST UNIVERSALIST SOCIETY OF RACINE; brief additional records of the CHURCH OF THE GOOD SHEPHERD; and more extensive records of the UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CHURCH OF RACINE AND KENOSHA (after 1988, the Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church). In addition to minutes and correspondence of the board of trustees, committee files, church correspondence, financial records, membership directories, newsletters, and policy manuals, there are also miscellaneous subject files, sermons given by various ministers of the church, material concerning anniversary celebrations, and other historical material. The candidates packets filed under church history give concise histories of the congregation in addition to providing excellent “snapshots” of the congregation between 1968 and 1974. Five photographs with the collection include interior and exterior views of the church, an exterior view of the fellowship hall, and an image of Miss Gwendolen Willis, daughter of Olympia Brown.

Acquisition Information

Presented by the Unitarian Universalist Church of Racine and Kenosha, Racine, Wis., 1973, 1977, and 1978; and by the Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church, Racine, Wis., 1992-1997. Accession Number: M73-118, M77-539, M78-379, M78-544, M82-270, M83-272, M84-195, M98-104

Processing Information

Processed by Michael McManus and Joanne Hohler, July 1979; and Patrick Strabala and Donna Sereda, 1998.

Parkside Mss 14	Series: Part 1, Original Collection, 1842-1976
	Subseries: Universalist Church of the Good Shepherd
Box   1 Folder   1-3	General Correspondence, 1886 March-1959 March
Box   1 Folder   4	Land Warranty Deeds, 1849, 1851, 1891
	Orders of Service
Box   1 Folder   5-6	1952 September-1956 July
Box   2 Folder   1	1956 September-1959 March
Box   2 Folder   2	Newsletter, 1952 September-1959 March
Box   2 Folder   3	Reports, Miscellaneous, 1905-1959
Box   2 Folder   4	Pledge Lists, 1856, 18??
Box   2 Folder   5-6	Record Books, 1842 October-1867 December; 1894 October-1933 November
Box   3 Folder   1-3	Secretary's Books, 1868 February-1959 November.
Box   3 Folder   4	Financial Records, 1904-1959
Box   3 Folder   5	Treasurer's Record, 1867 July-1904 December
Box   4 Folder   1	Ledger, 1857 January-1904 December
Box   4 Folder   2	Minutes of the Church of the Good Shepherd Guild, 1930 January-1957 April
Box   4 Folder   3	Secretary's Book, Universalist Women's Missionary Association of Wisconsin, 1879-1914
Box   4 Folder   4-5	Minute Books, The Mission Circle Branch of the Women's Missionary Association of Wisconsin, 1904 February-1920 April; 1923 March-1932 April
Box   4 Folder   6	Minutes of the Fellowship Club of the Good Shepherd Church, 1904 September-1905 March
Box   5 Folder   1	Minutes of the Willing Workers Society of the Universalist Church, 1915 December-1930 December
Box   5 Folder   2-6	Sunday School Secretary's Report Books, 1896, 1897, 1901, 1906, 1908
Box   5 Folder   7	Sunday School Treasurer's Record Book, 1905 January-1920 October
Box   5 Folder   8	Guest Register, 1948 October-1960 July
Box   5 Folder   9	Kiwanis Club of Greater Racine, Newsletter, 1956 December-1962 January
Box   6 Folder   1	Constitution and Bylaws of the Wisconsin Universalist Convention, 1953 October
Box   6 Folder   2	Minutes of the Wisconsin Universalist Convention, 1949, 1956-1958, 1960, 1969
Box   6 Folder   3	United Midwest Federalists, General Information, 1956-1958
Box   6 Folder   4	International Association for Liberal Christianity and Religious Freedom (IARF), General Information and Correspondence, 1958
	Subseries: First Unitarian Society of Kenosha	⇧
Box   6 Folder   5	General Correspondence, 1954 January-1958 April
Box   6 Folder   6	Newsletter, 1954 January-1960 April (incomplete)
Box   6 Folder   7	Minutes, 1953 September-1959 April
Box   6 Folder   8	Treasurer's Record Book, 1954 January-1961 June
	Subseries: Unitarian Universalist Church of Racine and Kenosha	⇧
Box   7 Folder   1-3	General Correspondence, 1959 April-1967 April, 1975
Box   7 Folder   4-6	Orders of Service, 1959 March-1969 June
Box   8 Folder   1-3	Newsletter, 1959 March-1968 May
Box   8 Folder   4	Constitution and Bylaws, 1962
Box   8 Folder   5	Secretary's Book, 1959 November-1965 June
Box   8 Folder   6	Ledger, 1964-1967
Box   9 Folder   1-4	Financial Secretary's Records, 1964 July-1967 June
Box   9 Folder   5	Church Income Records, 1969 July-1970 July
Box   9 Folder   6	Financial Records, Miscellaneous, 1959-1970
Box   9 Folder   7	Committee and Board Reports, 1960-1968
Box   9 Folder   8	Membership Directories, 1962-1968
Box   9 Folder   9	Site Relocation Committee, Reports and Correspondence, 1963
Box   9 Folder   10	Religious Education, 1962-1964
Box   9 Folder   11	Adult Programs Committee, 1962-1964
Box   9 Folder   12	Pulpit Committee Records, 1967
Box   9 Folder   13	Reverend Roy Phillips' Sermons, 1968-1976
Box   10 Folder   1-2	Unitarian and Universalist Merger, General Information
Box   10 Folder   3	Newspaper Clippings
Box   10 Folder   4-6	Miscellany
	Series: Part 2, 1998 Additions, 1842-1995	⇧
	Subseries: First Universalist Society of Racine
Box   11 Folder   1	Minutes, 1842-1849, and Constitution, , 1845
	Subseries: Universalist Church of the Good Shepherd	⇧
	Anniversaries
Box   11 Folder   2	50th, 1894
Box   11 Folder   3	70th, 1912
Box   11 Folder   4	100th, 1951
Box   11 Folder   5	Annual Report, 1879
Box   11 Folder   6	Bell Concert, 1884
	Brown, Olympia
Box   11 Folder   7	Clippings, Articles
Box   11 Folder   8	Fellowship, 1949-1950
Box   11 Folder   9	Letter, 1912
Box   11 Folder   10	Constitution, By-laws, Vestry and Committees, 1875
Box   11 Folder   11	Wisconsin Unitarian Convention, 1953
	Subseries: Unitarian Universalist Church of Racine and Kenosha	⇧
	Anniversaries
Box   11 Folder   12	125th, 1967
Box   11 Folder   13	135th, 1977
Box   11 Folder   14	140th, 1982
Box   11 Folder   15	150th, 1992
Box   11 Folder   16	Agreement and Resolution of the Congregation, circa 1979
Box   11 Folder   17	Annual Fellowship Dinners, 1965-1992
Box   11 Folder   18	Annual Meetings, 1973-1992
Box   11 Folder   19	Annual Reports, 1968-1986
Box   11 Folder   20	Annual Questionnaire, 1964-1968
Box   11 Folder   21	Appraisal of the Mt. Pleasant Property, 1986-1987
	Artist of the Month
Box   11 Folder   22	1966-1973
Box   11 Folder   23	1983-1987
Box   12 Folder   1	1983-1990
	Board of Trustees
	Minutes and Correspondence
Box   12 Folder   2	1966-1972
Box   12 Folder   3	1971-1972
Box   12 Folder   4	1973-1975
Box   12 Folder   5	1975-1981
Box   12 Folder   6	1986-1988
Box   12 Folder   7	Board Assignments, 1986
Box   12 Folder   8	Miscellaneous Papers, 1968-1993
Box   12 Folder   9	Secretary of the Board, 1965-1967
	Bradford-Brown Society
Box   12 Folder   10	By-Laws, 1962
Box   12 Folder   11	Meetings, 1961-1971
Box   12 Folder   12	Brochure, 1975
Box   12 Folder   13	Bradford Community Church Unitarian Universalist, Kenosha, Rededication, 1994
Box   12 Folder   14	Building and Grounds, 1967-1976
Box   12 Folder   15	By-Laws, 1966-1988
	Church History
	Candidates Packets
Box   12 Folder   16	1968
Box   12 Folder   17	1971
Box   12 Folder   18	1974
Box   13 Folder   1	Church History Survey
Box   13 Folder   2	Bradford Church, Kenosha
Box   13 Folder   3	Notes for “Olympia Brown Church Chronicle, 1842-1992”
Box   13 Folder   4	News Clippings
Box   13 Folder   5	Church History Teasers, 1992-1993
Box   13 Folder   6	Landmark Day, 1976
Box   13 Folder   7	News Release, 1973
	Committees
Box   13 Folder   8	General, 1967-1968, undated
Box   13 Folder   9	Calling, 1978-1979
Box   13 Folder   10	Church Development, 1972
Box   13 Folder   11	Finance, 1977-1981
Box   13 Folder   12	Hostess, undated
Box   13 Folder   13	Social Concerns (Kenosha), 1966-1977
Box   13 Folder   14	Membership, 1966-1967
Box   13 Folder   15	Ministerial Relations
Box   13 Folder   16	Pulpit Committee, circa 1960-1979
Box   13 Folder   17	Roy Phillips Correspondence, 1967
Box   13 Folder   18	Candidates Correspondence, 1967
Box   13 Folder   19	General Correspondence, 1967
	Religious Education
Box   13 Folder   20	Minutes and Correspondence, 1967-1974, 1981
Box   13 Folder   21	Director of Religious Education Contract, 1986
Box   13 Folder   22	Religious Services, 1974
Box   13 Folder   23	Questionnaire, undated
Box   14 Folder   1	Site Relocation, 1963
Box   14 Folder   2	Special Survey, Report, 1966
	Correspondence
Box   14 Folder   3	1965
Box   14 Folder   4	1966
Box   14 Folder   5	1967-1968
Box   14 Folder   6	1968-1969
Box   14 Folder   7	1977-1980
Box   14 Folder   8	1981-1982
Box   14 Folder   9	1992
Box   14 Folder   10	Couples Club, 1960-1964
Box   14 Folder   11	Fair Housing, 1967
	Financial Records
Box   14 Folder   12	Budgets, 1971-1991
	Financial Reports
Box   14 Folder   13	1971-1972
Box   14 Folder   14	1973
Box   14 Folder   15	1974
Box   14 Folder   16	1975
Box   14 Folder   17	Memorial Funds and Special Contributions, 1964-1967
Box   14 Folder   18	Mayfield, A.T. Estate, 1978-1981
Box   14 Folder   19	Frank Fiala Fund, 1974
Box   14 Folder   20	Good Shepherd Guild, 1962-1976
	Member Biographies
Box   14 Folder   21	Chapman, Theresa Tobin, 1970
Box   14 Folder   22	Marshall, Wilfred
Box   14 Folder   23	Willis, Gwendolen, 1876-1969
	Membership
	Lists
Box   15 Folder   1	1953-1961
Box   15 Folder   2	1966-1967
	Directories
Box   15 Folder   3	1968-1972
Box   15 Folder   4	1972-1978
Box   15 Folder   5	1978-1984
Box   15 Folder   6	1984-1989, 1991-1992
Box   15 Folder   7	Merger, 1961
	Ministers
Box   15 Folder   8	General, 1965-1979
Box   15 Folder   9	Biographies, 1842-
Box   15 Folder   10	Henniges, Paul, 1955-
Box   15 Folder   11	Phillips, Roy Dennis, 1967-
Box   15 Folder   12	Smith, Henry L., Jr., 1972-
Box   16 Folder   1	Larsen, Tony, 1976-
Box   16 Folder   2	Sorenson, Barbara Jo, Intern Minister, 1989-1990
Box   16 Folder   3	Groth, Bobbie, 1995-
	Newsletters
Box   16 Folder   4	Parson to Person, 1983
	Unifier
Box   16 Folder   5	1963-1965, 1968-1969, 1974, 1976
Box   16 Folder   6	1986-1994
Box   16 Folder   7	1995-1997
Box   16 Folder   8	What's Going On?, 1990-1995
Box   16 Folder   9	Olympia Brown School, 1975-1976
Box   16 Folder   10	Order of Service Programs
Box   16 Folder   11	Pentagon Papers, 1972
	Photographs
Box   16 Folder   12	Photographs (photocopies)
PH Parkside Mss 14	Originals
Parkside Mss 14	Policy Manuals
Box   16 Folder   13	1966
Box   16 Folder   14	1968
Box   16 Folder   15	1972
	Publicity
	Clippings
Box   16 Folder   16	1958
Box   16 Folder   17	1958-1966
	Publicity and Promotion
Box   16 Folder   18	1963-1965
Box   17 Folder   1	1966-1967
Box   17 Folder   2	Racine Urban Ministry Job Description
	Religious Education
Box   17 Folder   3	Church School Prospectuses, 1964-1994
Box   17 Folder   4	Proposed Curriculum, 1967-1968
Box   17 Folder   5	Religious Education Director, Job Description, 1986
Box   17 Folder   6	UU Plan-it Game
	Sermons
Box   17 Folder   7	Henniges, Rev. Paul, 1961-1966
Box   17 Folder   8	Phillips, Rev. Roy, 1968
Box   17 Folder   9	Smith, Minister Henry L., 1973
Box   17 Folder   10	Larsen, Rev. Tony, 1975
Box   17 Folder   11	Larsen, Rev. Tony, 1978-1981
Box   17 Folder   12	Sex Education Course (“About your Sexuality”), 1972
Box   17 Folder   13	Special Events, 1964-1994
Box   17 Folder   14	Volunteer Coordinator Job Description