Our History - 115 Years of Love & Beyond
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The Unitarian Universalist Church of Stockton was founded in December of 1899 and has been a force for religious freedom in Northwest Illinois ever since. In 2014 we celebrated 115 years of history with a special service featuring the words of former UUA Moderator Gini Courter.
View our 115th Anniversary Photo Gallery here >>
View our 115th Anniversary Photo Gallery here >>
Historical Timeline
1860-1880 Universalism formally introduced to Stockton through Aunt Sally Stannard
1887 Rev. Brigham preaches several times over summer
1892 Twenty seven people sign on to a document attempting to establish the Universlist Society of Stockton
1893 Rev. Geo. Crum of Sycamore, IL preaches regularly in Stockton at the rented Carpenters' Hall
1894 Universalist Ladies Aid Society of Stockton founded
1895-1898 Sporadic services, support of Universalism primarily from Ladies Aid Society
1899 February- Rev. Amos Crum preaches several sermons, Rev. CE Nash of Meadville preached once.
1899 December - 14 members organize the First Universalist Church of Stockton at home of Mrs. AC Parker, Dr. John S. Cook presiding
1900 December - Church building financed, built, dedicated and free from debt
1901 Emily Parker becomes church clerk
1902 Rev. LW Brigham called for 1/2 time
1903 45 members, 65 average Sunday attendance
1904 48 families, Religious Education Enrollment 80
1905 Annual meeting had 100 attendees
1906 Diptheria and fear of infection hits hard: Religious Education numbers down to 48
1907 Ladies Aid Society hits 40 members
1908 Rev. Brigham calls the Choir and the Religious Education programs the "two great factors in assisting and pushing forward church work."
1909 Chorister position created
1910 Rev. Brigham resigns, Rev. E. Reifsnider is called
1911 61 members, Religious Education Enrollment 71
1912 Rev. FW Miller is called for 1/2 time - leaves after one year
1913 Ladies Aid Society hits 80 members
1915 Furnace replaced, Rev. AN MacDonald called for one year
1916 Warren Ballou Brigham elected pastor
1917 Rev. WB Brigham ordained at Stockton
1918 Influenza epedemic affects religious education program, many church families
1919 Miss Lucy W. Markley takes over pastorate of church, first woman pastor in the area
1920 Rev. LW Markley ordained at Stockton, the first ordination of a woman in the area
1921 Youth group membership hits 19
1922 Rev. Markley leaves the pastorate, Rev. Garner retained
1923 Rev. Garner leaves
1924 Emily Parker steps down from position of Clerk after 23 years- named honorary trustee
1925 Rev. Everton called to great excitement only to sucumb to illness, resign and die in October
1926 Lay services and student minister Harold Lumsden provide worship
1927 Rev. Lumsden ordained in Urbana
1928 117 Membership, average weekly attendance: 76
1929 Great Depression begins- hits Stockton hard
1930 Rev. Lumsden resigns
1931 Rev. Luther Robinson and Rev. Wm. R. Bennet preach monthly
1932 Emily Parker dies, honored with Carrie Schroeder, Fannie Oliver and Francis Townsend in special Founders Memorial service
1933 Lay services and Ladies Aid society support church
1936 Rev. Polson called as minister
1938 Mrs. Adams becomes interim pastor, Rev. Colegrove called as permanent minister
1941 Rev. Paul Henniges called as minister
1942 Child of the church, Robert Dick, becomes Stockton's first conscientious objector, later becomes UU minister
1943 Rev. Guy Meyer retained as minister
1944 Meyer and minister of color from Meadville exchange pulpits- this is the first public address by a speaker of color in Stockton
1945 Rev. Colegrove elected interim minister
1946 Rev. Donald King called as minister
1947 Chicken Suppers begin
1948 New sanctuary doors installed
1949 50th anniversary celebration
1950 Ora Page becomes Sunday School Treasurer
1951 Rev. Fred Ringe assumes pastorate. First Universalist Church of Stockton votes to affirm future merger with Unitarians
1954 Rev. Mac Martin called as minister. Hammond organ purchased, installed
1955 68 pledge units, Religious Education enrollment 78
1958 122 members, religious education enrollment 86
1960 Rev. Mac Martin suffers heart attack, resigns, Rev. Harold Patterson called as minister
1961 UUA formed, church officially changes name to Unitarian Universalist Church of Stockton, IL
1962 Kitchen rennovation, Patterson Room addition to basement completed
1963 Stockton Liberal Religious Youth (LRY) founded
1965 Clarice Curtiss elected Treasurer
1968 161 members, 31 inactive members
1969 Church insulated to save on heating costs
1973 Rising energy costs impact church, have to close for portions of winter
1976 Ecology Sale fundraiser introduced
1979 Chicken Suppers end
1980 Thanksgiving service commemorates Pattersons' 20 years with the church
1981 Upsilon Sigma (US Class) merges with Universalist Ladies Aid to become the UU Women's Federation
1982 Furnace replaced with upstairs/downstairs units, parsonage sold to Pattersons
1983 Clarice Curtiss retires from Treasurer position after 18 years
1985 Accessible entryway and elevator installed, Ora Page retires as Sunday School Treasurer after 35 years
1989 LRY merges with youth group, funds transferred to accessibility fund
1997 Harold Patterson retires in failing health after 37 years, Rev. Priscilla Murdock called as minister
1998 Harold Patterson dies, alter space and Patterson Room dedicated in his honor
1999 100th Anniversary
2002 Rev. Murdock resigns, Rev. Armida Alexander called as interim minister
2003 114 members, Religious Education enrollment 28
2004 Rev. Jacqueline Meli called as minister
2005 UUChurchOfStockton.org website established
2006 Rev. Meli resigns, Rev. Jacqueline Ziegler called as interim minister
2008 Rev. Zeigler named acting minister
2009 63 members
2010 Rev. Erik David Carlson called as minister, church buys and prepares adjacent property for parking expansion
2011 Outside of church painted, elevator repaired, new church website, established Facebook presence
2012 Technology upgrade to sanctuary with wireless Flatscreen
2013 UU Stockton Endowment fund established with donations, savings, hired Mandy Nachampassack-Maloney as RE Coordinator
2014 115th Anniversary featuring service address by former UUA Moderator Gini Courter, new church website
2015 89 members, Mandy Nachapmassack-Maloney resigns after birth of her second child, endowment hits $50K
2016 Rev. Carlson resigns to assume pastorate of Bradford UU in Kenosha, WI, Rev. Armida Alexander called as 1/2 time consulting minister, new church website
1887 Rev. Brigham preaches several times over summer
1892 Twenty seven people sign on to a document attempting to establish the Universlist Society of Stockton
1893 Rev. Geo. Crum of Sycamore, IL preaches regularly in Stockton at the rented Carpenters' Hall
1894 Universalist Ladies Aid Society of Stockton founded
1895-1898 Sporadic services, support of Universalism primarily from Ladies Aid Society
1899 February- Rev. Amos Crum preaches several sermons, Rev. CE Nash of Meadville preached once.
1899 December - 14 members organize the First Universalist Church of Stockton at home of Mrs. AC Parker, Dr. John S. Cook presiding
1900 December - Church building financed, built, dedicated and free from debt
1901 Emily Parker becomes church clerk
1902 Rev. LW Brigham called for 1/2 time
1903 45 members, 65 average Sunday attendance
1904 48 families, Religious Education Enrollment 80
1905 Annual meeting had 100 attendees
1906 Diptheria and fear of infection hits hard: Religious Education numbers down to 48
1907 Ladies Aid Society hits 40 members
1908 Rev. Brigham calls the Choir and the Religious Education programs the "two great factors in assisting and pushing forward church work."
1909 Chorister position created
1910 Rev. Brigham resigns, Rev. E. Reifsnider is called
1911 61 members, Religious Education Enrollment 71
1912 Rev. FW Miller is called for 1/2 time - leaves after one year
1913 Ladies Aid Society hits 80 members
1915 Furnace replaced, Rev. AN MacDonald called for one year
1916 Warren Ballou Brigham elected pastor
1917 Rev. WB Brigham ordained at Stockton
1918 Influenza epedemic affects religious education program, many church families
1919 Miss Lucy W. Markley takes over pastorate of church, first woman pastor in the area
1920 Rev. LW Markley ordained at Stockton, the first ordination of a woman in the area
1921 Youth group membership hits 19
1922 Rev. Markley leaves the pastorate, Rev. Garner retained
1923 Rev. Garner leaves
1924 Emily Parker steps down from position of Clerk after 23 years- named honorary trustee
1925 Rev. Everton called to great excitement only to sucumb to illness, resign and die in October
1926 Lay services and student minister Harold Lumsden provide worship
1927 Rev. Lumsden ordained in Urbana
1928 117 Membership, average weekly attendance: 76
1929 Great Depression begins- hits Stockton hard
1930 Rev. Lumsden resigns
1931 Rev. Luther Robinson and Rev. Wm. R. Bennet preach monthly
1932 Emily Parker dies, honored with Carrie Schroeder, Fannie Oliver and Francis Townsend in special Founders Memorial service
1933 Lay services and Ladies Aid society support church
1936 Rev. Polson called as minister
1938 Mrs. Adams becomes interim pastor, Rev. Colegrove called as permanent minister
1941 Rev. Paul Henniges called as minister
1942 Child of the church, Robert Dick, becomes Stockton's first conscientious objector, later becomes UU minister
1943 Rev. Guy Meyer retained as minister
1944 Meyer and minister of color from Meadville exchange pulpits- this is the first public address by a speaker of color in Stockton
1945 Rev. Colegrove elected interim minister
1946 Rev. Donald King called as minister
1947 Chicken Suppers begin
1948 New sanctuary doors installed
1949 50th anniversary celebration
1950 Ora Page becomes Sunday School Treasurer
1951 Rev. Fred Ringe assumes pastorate. First Universalist Church of Stockton votes to affirm future merger with Unitarians
1954 Rev. Mac Martin called as minister. Hammond organ purchased, installed
1955 68 pledge units, Religious Education enrollment 78
1958 122 members, religious education enrollment 86
1960 Rev. Mac Martin suffers heart attack, resigns, Rev. Harold Patterson called as minister
1961 UUA formed, church officially changes name to Unitarian Universalist Church of Stockton, IL
1962 Kitchen rennovation, Patterson Room addition to basement completed
1963 Stockton Liberal Religious Youth (LRY) founded
1965 Clarice Curtiss elected Treasurer
1968 161 members, 31 inactive members
1969 Church insulated to save on heating costs
1973 Rising energy costs impact church, have to close for portions of winter
1976 Ecology Sale fundraiser introduced
1979 Chicken Suppers end
1980 Thanksgiving service commemorates Pattersons' 20 years with the church
1981 Upsilon Sigma (US Class) merges with Universalist Ladies Aid to become the UU Women's Federation
1982 Furnace replaced with upstairs/downstairs units, parsonage sold to Pattersons
1983 Clarice Curtiss retires from Treasurer position after 18 years
1985 Accessible entryway and elevator installed, Ora Page retires as Sunday School Treasurer after 35 years
1989 LRY merges with youth group, funds transferred to accessibility fund
1997 Harold Patterson retires in failing health after 37 years, Rev. Priscilla Murdock called as minister
1998 Harold Patterson dies, alter space and Patterson Room dedicated in his honor
1999 100th Anniversary
2002 Rev. Murdock resigns, Rev. Armida Alexander called as interim minister
2003 114 members, Religious Education enrollment 28
2004 Rev. Jacqueline Meli called as minister
2005 UUChurchOfStockton.org website established
2006 Rev. Meli resigns, Rev. Jacqueline Ziegler called as interim minister
2008 Rev. Zeigler named acting minister
2009 63 members
2010 Rev. Erik David Carlson called as minister, church buys and prepares adjacent property for parking expansion
2011 Outside of church painted, elevator repaired, new church website, established Facebook presence
2012 Technology upgrade to sanctuary with wireless Flatscreen
2013 UU Stockton Endowment fund established with donations, savings, hired Mandy Nachampassack-Maloney as RE Coordinator
2014 115th Anniversary featuring service address by former UUA Moderator Gini Courter, new church website
2015 89 members, Mandy Nachapmassack-Maloney resigns after birth of her second child, endowment hits $50K
2016 Rev. Carlson resigns to assume pastorate of Bradford UU in Kenosha, WI, Rev. Armida Alexander called as 1/2 time consulting minister, new church website