FMUU Timeline

Early 1880's Several attempts to organize liberal religion in the F-M area
1884 William Ballou comes to Dakota Territory
1887-1889 Ballou attends Universities of Michigan and Minnesota to prepare for the ministry
June 16 William Ballou gives first lecture at the Fargo Opera House
Late November F.H. Irons, W.A. Scott and A.E. Nugent agree to form the Unitarian Committee
December 22 An Executive committee is chosen
February 18, 1890 The First Unitarian Society is incorporated with 52 members
June The American Unitarian Association of Boston helps the new congregation and appoints William Ballou as the minister. He remains the full-time minister until 1919
Late 1890 Organized religious education begins
1891 William Ballou is ordained on December 20
February 1892 Literary Teacup Society is formed; perhaps the first women's study club organized in Fargo
June 1 Mr. Thomas Baker, Jr. President of the Board of Education, signs the deed conveying the school property to the Unitarian Society for $2000
December 11 First Sermon in the church building
  Hancock Brothers are the architects
  J.J. Bowers & Sons are the contractors
1893 Publication of Tea Leaves by the Literary Tea Cup Society
1897 William Ballou resigns temporarily to study at Cambridge
1897-1899 Rev. Dr. Richmond Fisk is sent to Fargo by the Unitarian Society of Boston to replace William Ballou during his sabbatical
1902-1904 Eleanor Gordon, a product of the Iowa Sisterhood, serves in the pulpit
1904 William Ballou returns as the full-time minister
1915 Olivia Dahl marries William Ballou. Madame Ballou gives concerts and has other social gatherings at the church
August 29, 1919 Prominent socialist, Max Eastman speaks against the draft and the war. Rioters break the church windows. Mr. Eastman narrowly escapes a lynch mod by crouching on the floor of Mary Weible's carriage on the way to Dilworth to board the train
  The First Unitarian Society disbands because of their unpopular Socialist and pacifist convictions
  William Ballou purchases the building from the First Unitarian Society for use as a music studio. Rooms are rented to artistic-minded people
1919-1941 William Ballou maintains the church as a cultural center featuring musical and artistic events and noted speakers of the day
1930 Madame Ballou dies
1941 There is a fire in the church
May William Ballou dies
July The building is sold to Jewish community leaders to be used as a Jewish Community Center (Beth El Center)
1952 Robert S. Billings is the Board of Directors President of the church.
  A Unitarian Fellowship in Fargo is approved by the American Unitarian Association. Meetings are held in the Fireside Room of the old NDAC "Y". There are ten charter members
1953 Ira Edwin Wilks is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1954-1956 Ernest Baker is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1954-1958 Meetings are held in the Improvement Building and Metropolitan Savings and Loan in Fargo. Religious Education is held in member's homes
1956-1957 Larry Biggs is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1957-1958 Kenneth Thompson is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1958-1960 Miles Canning is the Board of Directors President of the church.
  Meetings are held in the Opportunity School at 1620 16th Ave. S, Fargo
1960-1961 Harold Flor is the Board of Directors President of the church.
  Meetings move to Jefferson Elementary School, 315 16th St. S., Fargo
May 22, 1961 Unitarian Fellowship of FM is incorporated
1961-1963 Wayland Gardner is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1962 The American Unitarian and Universalist Associations merge in the Unitarian Universalist Association
  The Unitarian Universalist Women's Alliance is founded
1963-1965 Roy Cook is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1965 UUs publicly oppose the distribution of Gideon Bibles to 5th and 6th graders in the Fargo Public Schools
1966-1967 Franz Rathmann is the Board of Directors President of the church.
  Meetings are held in the former Moorhead Post Office at 523 4th St. S., Moorhead.
1967-1968 John Hove is the Board of Directors President for the church.
1966-1970 Millie Treumann serves on the Prairie Star District Board of Directors
1968-1969 Joy Query is the Board of Directors President for the church.
1969-1970 Millie Treumann is the Board of Directors President for the church.
March 15, 1969 A mortgage note is signed on a building at 18 8th St. S., Fargo with help from Charles and Linda Moses
1970-1971 Harold Dickey is the Board of Directors President for the church.
1971-1972 Thom Richmond is the Board of Directors President for the church.
1972-1974 Barbara Rath is the Board of Directors President of the church
1972-1978 The UU Liberal Religious Youth (LRY) open a coffee house in the basement of the Fellowship for themselves and their friends
1974-1975 Wallace McMartin is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1975 The Fellowship host a Religious Education workshop for small UU churches
1975-1976 Dorthea McCullough is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1976-1977 Norman Davidson is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1977 Two floors are remodeled and meeting space is made available to various community groups who are in accord with our principles
  The Fellowship hosts a Prairie Star District Cluster Conference
  The Religious Education Committee offers the UUA's About Your Sexuality classes for the first time and invites other religious communities to participate
1977-1978 John Metz is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1978-1979 Hal Bertilson is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1979-1980 Audrey Richmond is the Board of Directors President of the church. Through the UUA's Weekend Ministry program, Rev. Paul Johnson visits four weekends
1980 Carolyn Monzingo is the Board of Directors President of the church.
  The UUA invites our Fellowship to participate in the Extension Ministry program to facilitate growth
August Rev. David Phreaner arrives to help us prepare for the extension minister. Committee structure, leadership training, housecleaning, circle dinners
1981 Bob Olson is the Board of Directors President of the church.
March 1981 We mark the Canvass Drive Kickoff with a festive pig roast
August Rev. Lucy Hitchcock, our Extension Minister, arrives for a three-year stay. We share her ministry with Bismarck, ND. More training, nearly everyone's on a committee!!
December Christmas Pageant "St. Martha and the Dragon" three day wonder! Paper Mache dragon is constructed by adults and children together
1982-1984 Carol Mahnke is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1982 We look at two building for possible purchase and hold a renovation workshop for 18 8th Street South
March Annual Canvass Kickoff: Mark Chekola emcees hilarious entertainment, including the Dance of the Seven Veils
May The Annual Meeting includes enthusiastic kudos for committee chairpersons and other members, very celebrational!
November There is a combined mortgage burning and 30th Anniversary party
December Our second Christmas Pageant is "The Ice Queen".
1983 Service Auction. Members donate goods and services. Bidding is fierce; excitement is high!
December The Christmas Pageant is an adaptation of "A Christmas Carol".
1984 We grow to 103 members and 40 children
April Lucy presents a memorable sermon at Prairie Star District meeting, sharing her understanding of the prairie landscape and how it shapes those who live here. Repeats for congregation
  Lucy is called back to Boston early by the UUA. We are on our own to search for a minister
1985 Sid Morton is the Board of Directors President of the church. Rev. Catherine Vaughn is called to be our minister; new challenges, elation, disappointment, loss; we're on our own again. Membership declines
  After a period of deep grief, we regroup; decide to become more polished in our Sunday services. A Long Range Planning committee is formed and begins to search for other buildings to purchase
1986-1988 Nancy Harris is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1987 Carolyn Monzingo is hired for the newly created position of Administrative Assistant
1988-1989 Terry Mahnke is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1989 Sid Morton is the Board of Directors President of the church.
  Millie Treumann is honored as a Prairie Star District Unsung Hero
  Jane Bovard receives the Prairie Star District Social Responsibility Award
1989-1990 Audrey Richmond is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1990-1991 Vernette Nelson is the Board of Directors President of the church.
1991-1996 Glen Morken serves as FMUU Church President, completing the longest term of any president in FMUU Church history. His term is distinguished by an improved consistency and quality of programming as well as a move toward finding a permanent home for FMUU's
1992-1994 Rev. Mary Beth O'Halloran, UU minister from St. Cloud, leads our Sunday services once a month
  Programming becomes a paid position filled by Laurel Elstrom
  The Fellowship hosts a small church Religious Education workshop
April 1994 We sell our storefront building at 18 8th Street South, renew dedication to growth and change. There is excitement and fear at this major turning point.. We number 43
  We complete the year in the Seventh Day Adventist Church in North Fargo
Sept. 1994 We rent the Methodist Chapel for Sundays and office space in the Congregational Church. Programming improves, new people attend. We mature and grow strong
1995 Carolyn Monzingo becomes our Commissioned Lay Leader
  We explore the building design process with several NDSU architecture students and their professor. It would be a costly venture to pursue
1996-1999 Skip Wood is president of the FMUU Church. As board president, Skip is most proud of signing the papers to buy the new church building. Skip also spends many hours working on the accessibility ramp with Steve Anderson and others
  Long Range Planning works diligently to find us a building
April 1997 We rediscover our roots and purchase the Unitarian Church built in 1892. Community building work parties beautify the sanctuary and make it ours. UUA President John Buehrens comes to dedicate our building. We grow again to 70 souls!
May 1998 The FMUU Church Board of Directors unanimously and enthusiastically approves applying for status as a Welcoming Congregation
July The Capital Campaign to expand and revise the existing church building begins. Goals are to improve accessibility and increase both religious education and community space
Fall Ramp construction for interim accessibility begins on the south side of the church
1999-2001 Mark Sinner becomes president of the FMUU Church
  Cindy Palmer is hired as Office Manager
  Peggy Neill steps in as Program Coordinator
2000 The Social Action committee asks the YMCA to broaden its definition of "family" in regards to its membership policy
Jan 2001 Julie Allen is hire as Office Manager.
April 2001 Carolyn Monzingo retires after 6 years as our church's Commissioned Lay Leader, having performed dozens of "rites of passage" rituals and having served invaluably to the church in both spiritual and non-spiritual ways
Spring Linda Boyd Coates accepts the newly created position of Volunteer Music Coordinator, re-establishing a high quality of music programming
  Over the years, Nancy Harris, Paul Severson, Bob Olson and Doug Neill have also been valuable contributors to our Sunday music
July Cheryl Bergian becomes president of the FMUU Church, and proposes restructuring the Board of Directors with a three year cycle of President Elect, President and Past President
2002-2003 Laurie Baker is the Board of Directors President of the church.
March 2002 FMUU Church is featured on the front page of The Forum newspaper. Three separate articles highlight the YMCA family membership policy and the FMUU Church itself. Cheryl Bergian expertly handles the ensuing public debate
Summer A public hearing regarding the YMCA controversy is held, and shortly thereafter, the YMCA Board of Directors votes to change the family membership policy to be more inclusive. FMUU's cheer!
July 1 Laurie Baker becomes president of the FMUU Church Board of Directors. Word of the wonderful FMUU community has spread, and by fall services, attendance increases
November 23 Carrie Wintersteen is hired as the Program Coordinator.
  FMUU Church officially celebrates its 50th Anniversary of joining the AUA (now UUA)
November/December FMUU Church is featured in the UU World Magazine regarding its role in the YMCA controversy
February 2003 Twenty one new members join FMUU Church at the annual ingathering, representing a 20% increase in membership. Our church numbers 86 now
April 2003 Linda Boyd Coates is the Board of Directors President of the church.
May 2004 Melissa Hutchison is the Board of Directors President of the church.
  The members of the church voted and approved the official name of the church shall be Unitarian Universalist Church of Fargo-Moorhead.
Aug. 2004 Laurie Baker is hired as the Program Coordinator.
May 2005 Jill Kent is the Board of Directors President of the church.

 


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