Universalist, Unitarian, & Unitarian Universalist Milestones

• Aurelia Isabel Henry Reinhardt (April 1, 1877, California – January 28, 1948) Professor, Author, Peace Advocate. She was the first female Moderator of the the American Unitarian Association [AUA] in 1940, served as President of Mills College from 1916-1943, in 1945 was a delegate to the founding meetings of the United Nations in San Francisco, and also served as president of the American Association of University Women. “Let us not forget that the future includes more women in the ministry than we have ever known before.”
• Deborah Webster Greeley (April 4, 1911 – October 29, 1998, Concord, MA) She had been the longtime member and president of the Fragment Society. The society, founded in 1812 by some of Boston’s most prominent women, is believed to be the oldest sewing circle in the city and members pool their sewing skills to repair old clothes for donation to the needy. She also served as president of the Herb Society of America and lectured widely on the propagation and uses of herbs.
• Dorothea Lynde Dix (April 4, 1802, in Hampden, ME – July 17, 1887, Trenton, NJ) Social reformer, teacher, mental health advocate, and humanitarian. Helped pass a bill for the enlargement of the Worcester Insane Asylum, Union’s Superintendent of Female Nurses during the Civil War, and author of Remarks on Prisons and Prison Discipline in the United States.
• Charles Bliss Bowles (April 5, 1901, Springfield, MA – May 25, 1986, Essex, CT) Politician. Presidential Elector for CT in 1940, CT delegate to Democratic National Convention in 1948, Governor of Connecticut 1949-51, served as U.S. Ambassador to Nepal 1951-53 and India from 1951-53 and 1963-69, U.S. Representative from CT 2nd District, 1959-61, and U.S. Ambassador at large from 1961-63.
• Maja Veronica Oktavec Capek (April 8, 1888, Chomutov, Bohemia – December 2, 1966) Minister, Librarian, Humanitarian. She was co-founder of the Czech Unitarian Church, was ordained as a minister in 1926, introduced the first Flower Communion Service to America in a spring 1940 celebration at the First Unitarian Church in Cambridge, served as Minister in New Bedford during the early 1940’s, and joined the staff of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Agency and worked from 1944 to 1950 helping displaced persons settle in Yugoslavia, Egypt, and Palestine.
• Chester Greenough Atkins (April 14, 1948, Geneva, Switzerland – ) Politician. He was Member of Massachusetts state house of representatives from 1970-72, member of MA state senate 1972-84, MA Democratic state chair 1977, MA delegate to Democratic National Convention in 1980, and U.S. Representative from Massachusetts 5th District, 1985-93.
• Rev. Samuel Willard (April 18, 1775, Petersham, MA – October 8, 1859, Deerfield, MA) Unitarian Minister, “The Blind Preacher”, educator, author, and hymn writer. In 1814 published Deerfield Collection of Sacred Music.
• Daniel Chester French (April 20, 1850, Exeter, NH – October 7, 1931, Chesterwood, Stockbridge, MA) Sculptor. He received his first commission in 1873 from the town of Concord for the statue “The Minute Man” and is most noted for the sculpture of “Abraham Lincoln” in Washington, D.C. which was completed in 1922.
• Winfred Overholser (April 21, 1892, Worcester, MA – October 6, 1964, Washington, DC) Psychiatrist, Professor. He helped enact the “Briggs Law”, appointed Superintendent of St. Elizabeth’s Hospital from 1937-1962, was an active member of the USC, and served as AUA Moderator from 1946 to 1948. “Don’t take yourself too seriously. Be tolerant of the peculiarities of others. Try to do something worthwhile in your life and observe the Golden Rule.”
• Abigail Williams May (April 21, 1829 – November 30, 1888) Worked for women’s suffrage, one of the first women elected to the Boston School Committee, worked to establish the Latin School for Girls, founder and president of the New England Women’s Club, and during the Civil War headed the New England branch of the Sanitary Commission.
• Richard Bowditch Wigglesworth (April 25, 1891, Boston, MA – October 22, 1960, Boston, MA) Lawyer,Politician, U.S. Representative from Massachusetts, and U.S. Ambassador to Canada.
• Mary Wollstonecraft (April 27, 1759, London, England – September 10, 1797) Author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman in 1792, advocated social and educational equality for men and women, and mother of Mary Shelley.

In U/U/UU HistoryOn April 22, 1781, at Pennsylvania University, Elhanan Winchester gave his first sermon publicly advocating Universal Restoration.

 

The Seven Principles

Peace Candles & First Thursdays Peace Vigils
In April, 2003, Foxborough Universalist Church lit the Peace Candle that sits in the front window of the church and serves as a symbol of the congregation’s continued prayers for peace, especially in Iraq. In the Fall of 2006, UUFoxborough’s Social Action Committee began the First Thursdays Peace Vigils and the community of vigilers have stood in front of the church with peace candles and signs once a month since then except for in extreme cases such as a blizzard or pandemic. Please support this ongoing effort by joining the vigilers sometime from 6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. any first Thursday.