All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church of Braintree, MA, USA

About All Souls Church

Our Vision

Our Mission

Our History

We Embrace Diversity With All Its Implications

We Are A Green Sanctuary

Our Association With Other Unitarian Universalists

ASC Governance / Leadership

Our Vision

Our Vision is to be an open-minded spiritual community that celebrates diversity and lives successfully with both its gifts and challenges. We seek to understand and appreciate the great diversity of people and ideas in the world.
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Our Mission

With our vision in mind, Our Mission, as All Souls Church, is to come together in community, to create opportunities for spiritual expression and exploration, to learn with and from each other, and to make a difference in the world.

Mission and Vision adopted at Annual Meeting, June 2003
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Our History

The first attempt to introduce Unitarian preaching to Braintree was made in 1833. A Society was formed, the First Unitarian Religious Society in Braintree. The first preaching of the Universalist interpretation of the Bible was heard sometime in the year 1835. In 1859 a liberal religious movement was organized by the Rev. George Thayer. This was known as the Braintree Free Church. They met until the end of the Civil War when the church was disbanded because most of the members perished in the war.

On November 21, 1886, a group of Braintree residents interested in forming a liberal church met at the Town Hall. By-laws were adopted January 29, 1888. Among the signers were Daniel Cain and Henry Arnold. There was discussion as to whether it should be called Unitarian but as no Unitarians came forward, it was called First Universalist Parish of Braintree.

In 1898 Mr. Fred O. Ellis conceived the idea that a town with a population of 5080 should have a broad and liberal Unitarian Church as well as a Universalist Church. It was to be a place where people without regard to class, creed, or color might come together on Sunday morning to listen to good music and an interesting and instructive talk on religious subjects. When the Unitarians held their meetings at Cochato Hall it was well known that they had Universalist sympathy. At the first service in Cochato Hall, there were 127 persons present despite an easterly storm.

United church services of the two societies began September 23, 1900. At this time All Souls Church requested affiliation with the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America. Mr. G.H. Arnold wrote "When there was a Unitarian Church in Braintree, I was a Unitarian: when a Universalist Church or parish was organized, I was a Universalist." The Universalists kept their parish organization until 1904 when all funds were turned over to the Building Committee of All Souls Church. The first minister, The Rev. Frederick Griffin, was ordained and installed on June 13, 1902 at Cochato Hall. The Rev. Samuel Eliot, President of the A.U.A., gave a prayer as did Rev. Mr. Edward Everett Hale, chaplain to the U.S. Senate.

The present building was dedicated on April 18, 1905. The architect was Edwin J. Lewis of Boston. Miss Harriet Thayer gave the land. The stone for the Church came from the estate of Mr. George Wales. In 1957, the classroom space was built beneath the church. Following a devastating fire in 1970, the church rose like a phoenix from the ashes. All Souls has been served since 1901 by 11 settled ministers. Centered in religious faith, All Souls Church continues to have a strong and active presence in the community.

Taken from - History of All Souls Church 1904-1974 by Rosamond Naylor

We Embrace Diversity With All Its Implications

We explore spirituality, people, and ideas!
We celebrate life as an expression of ourselves!
We try to make the world a better place!
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We Are A Green Sanctuary

Congregations and congregants working together to restore Earth and renew Spirit.

The Green Sanctuary Program, originally nurtured and managed by the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth, was designed to give roots and wings to the vision that, together, we can create a world in which all people make reverence, gratitude, and care for the living Earth that is central to our lives.

A Green Sanctuary is a Congregation that...
* Has received official recognition for completing the Green Sanctuary Program.
* Lives out its commitment to the Earth by creating sustainable lifestyles for its members as individuals and as a faith community.
* Is committed towards creating a religious community that has a fundamental, bottom-line, commitment to living in harmony with the Earth.
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ASC Governance / Leadership

Board of Trustees
*Chair
*Vice Chair
*Treasurer
*Clerk
*Trustees (3 positions)

Standing Committees
*Membership Committee
*Building and Grounds Committee
*Worship and Music Committee
*Finance Committee
*Social Action Committee
*Development Committee
*Religious Education Committee
*Committee on Ministry

Other Elected Positions
*Auditor
*Nominating (2 positions are elected; The chair is board appointed)

Our Association With Other Unitarian Universalists

Unitarian Universalism was born from two faiths, Unitarianism and Universalism, eventually uniting in the nineteen sixties. Both of these religions came out of the rejection of authority and hierarchy. So, note that our affiliation with a district organization and an international organization does not imply that these organizations impose upon us or any of their affiliated churches in any way. As a matter of fact, the basic premise of Unitarian Universalism springs from a reverence for freedom. This distinction is explained because it is unfamiliar and sometimes confusing to anyone who comes from a hierarchical religious tradition. And, this can be said of most other religious traditions. Now with that said, note that we freely choose to associate with the Ballou Channing District and the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Our Association With The Unitarian Universalist Association

The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA) represents the interests of more than one thousand Unitarian Universalist congregations, on a continental scale.

Each of the 1,041 congregations in the United States, Canada, and overseas are democratic in polity and operation; they govern themselves. They unite in the Association to provide services that individual congregations cannot provide for themselves. Each congregation is associated with one of the UUA's 19 districts.

Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion with Jewish-Christian roots. It has no creed. It affirms the worth of human beings, advocates freedom of belief and the search for advancing truth, and tries to provide a warm, open, supportive community for people who believe that ethical living is the supreme witness of religion.
Governance

The UUA is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of District Trustees selected by the various districts and at-large Trustees, who are elected by delegates to the General Assembly. The General Assembly is the annual business meeting of the denomination, held in various parts of the continent. The Board of Trustees meets four times each year, three times in Boston and once at the General Assembly.

An elected moderator presides at the General Assembly and at meetings of the Board of Trustees, and represents the Association on special occasions. A financial advisor, elected by the General Assembly, also sits on the Board. An elected president, an appointed executive vice president, a treasurer, and ten others form the leadership council, manage the day-to-day business of the Association.

Our Association With The Ballou Channing District

The Ballou Channing District is a religious organization affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association. It is one of 20 geographic administrative regions of the Association. The District covers southeast Massachusetts and Rhode Island. There are 47 member congregations -- 9 in Rhode Island and 38 in southeastern Massachusetts -- with a total membership of about 6000 Unitarian Universalists.

A fourteen-member elected Board of Directors governs the District. A district executive is employed in a capacity similar to the executive director of a non-profit agency providing general management of the district as well as consultative services to the member congregations. Staff also includes an administrator and several contracted religious education consultants. In addition there are several operating committee and individual volunteers working to provide services to congregations in specific functional areas.

The District provides general consulting assistance to congregations on a wide variety of church operational issues, supports minister searches, assists with religious education programming conducts workshops and seminars, and promotes contact and communication among congregations in the district. We also provide program resources for church leaders and staff, grants for growth-related programs, an annual directory of congregations, a website, and newsletters.

All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church of Braintree Open Hearts - Open Minds - Open Doors
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Sample of Our Meditation Music Religious Tolerance Org gives a good explanation of Unitarian Universalism We are a Welcoming Congregation celebrating diversity The Great Story by Connie Barlow and Michael Dowd with a UU slant Voices Of A Liberal Faith Unitarios Universalistas an Intro to Unitarian Universalism in Spanish You're A Uni-what? An Anarchists View of Unitarian Universalism Unitarian Universalists on Pantheism and Nature Reverence UU Minute - Michael Servetus Practical Writings on Buddhism What Does It Mean To Be A Church? Covenant of Unitarian Universalist Pagans (CUUPS) Liberty Magazine The Story Of Stuff Humor - Little Purple Alien explains how to save the planet	About All Souls Church Our Vision Our Mission Our History We Embrace Diversity With All Its Implications We Are A Green Sanctuary Our Association With Other Unitarian Universalists ASC Governance / Leadership . Our Vision Our Vision is to be an open-minded spiritual community that celebrates diversity and lives successfully with both its gifts and challenges. We seek to understand and appreciate the great diversity of people and ideas in the world. . . . . Our Mission With our vision in mind, Our Mission, as All Souls Church, is to come together in community, to create opportunities for spiritual expression and exploration, to learn with and from each other, and to make a difference in the world. Mission and Vision adopted at Annual Meeting, June 2003 . . . . Our History The first attempt to introduce Unitarian preaching to Braintree was made in 1833. A Society was formed, the First Unitarian Religious Society in Braintree. The first preaching of the Universalist interpretation of the Bible was heard sometime in the year 1835. In 1859 a liberal religious movement was organized by the Rev. George Thayer. This was known as the Braintree Free Church. They met until the end of the Civil War when the church was disbanded because most of the members perished in the war. On November 21, 1886, a group of Braintree residents interested in forming a liberal church met at the Town Hall. By-laws were adopted January 29, 1888. Among the signers were Daniel Cain and Henry Arnold. There was discussion as to whether it should be called Unitarian but as no Unitarians came forward, it was called First Universalist Parish of Braintree. In 1898 Mr. Fred O. Ellis conceived the idea that a town with a population of 5080 should have a broad and liberal Unitarian Church as well as a Universalist Church. It was to be a place where people without regard to class, creed, or color might come together on Sunday morning to listen to good music and an interesting and instructive talk on religious subjects. When the Unitarians held their meetings at Cochato Hall it was well known that they had Universalist sympathy. At the first service in Cochato Hall, there were 127 persons present despite an easterly storm. United church services of the two societies began September 23, 1900. At this time All Souls Church requested affiliation with the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America. Mr. G.H. Arnold wrote "When there was a Unitarian Church in Braintree, I was a Unitarian: when a Universalist Church or parish was organized, I was a Universalist." The Universalists kept their parish organization until 1904 when all funds were turned over to the Building Committee of All Souls Church. The first minister, The Rev. Frederick Griffin, was ordained and installed on June 13, 1902 at Cochato Hall. The Rev. Samuel Eliot, President of the A.U.A., gave a prayer as did Rev. Mr. Edward Everett Hale, chaplain to the U.S. Senate. The present building was dedicated on April 18, 1905. The architect was Edwin J. Lewis of Boston. Miss Harriet Thayer gave the land. The stone for the Church came from the estate of Mr. George Wales. In 1957, the classroom space was built beneath the church. Following a devastating fire in 1970, the church rose like a phoenix from the ashes. All Souls has been served since 1901 by 11 settled ministers. Centered in religious faith, All Souls Church continues to have a strong and active presence in the community. Taken from - History of All Souls Church 1904-1974 by Rosamond Naylor We Embrace Diversity With All Its Implications We explore spirituality, people, and ideas! We celebrate life as an expression of ourselves! We try to make the world a better place! . . . . . . . . . . . We Are A Green Sanctuary Congregations and congregants working together to restore Earth and renew Spirit. The Green Sanctuary Program, originally nurtured and managed by the Unitarian Universalist Ministry for Earth, was designed to give roots and wings to the vision that, together, we can create a world in which all people make reverence, gratitude, and care for the living Earth that is central to our lives. A Green Sanctuary is a Congregation that... * Has received official recognition for completing the Green Sanctuary Program. * Lives out its commitment to the Earth by creating sustainable lifestyles for its members as individuals and as a faith community. * Is committed towards creating a religious community that has a fundamental, bottom-line, commitment to living in harmony with the Earth. . . . ASC Governance / Leadership Board of Trustees Chair Vice Chair Treasurer Clerk Trustees (3 positions) Standing Committees* Membership Committee Building and Grounds Committee Worship and Music Committee Finance Committee Social Action Committee Development Committee Religious Education Committee Committee on Ministry Other Elected Positions Auditor Nominating (2 positions are elected; The chair is board appointed) Our Association With Other Unitarian Universalists Unitarian Universalism was born from two faiths, Unitarianism and Universalism, eventually uniting in the nineteen sixties. Both of these religions came out of the rejection of authority and hierarchy. So, note that our affiliation with a district organization and an international organization does not imply that these organizations impose upon us or any of their affiliated churches in any way. As a matter of fact, the basic premise of Unitarian Universalism springs from a reverence for freedom. This distinction is explained because it is unfamiliar and sometimes confusing to anyone who comes from a hierarchical religious tradition. And, this can be said of most other religious traditions. Now with that said, note that we freely choose to associate with the Ballou Channing District and the Unitarian Universalist Association. Our Association With The Unitarian Universalist Association The Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations (UUA) represents the interests of more than one thousand Unitarian Universalist congregations, on a continental scale. Each of the 1,041 congregations in the United States, Canada, and overseas are democratic in polity and operation; they govern themselves. They unite in the Association to provide services that individual congregations cannot provide for themselves. Each congregation is associated with one of the UUA's 19 districts. Unitarian Universalism is a liberal religion with Jewish-Christian roots. It has no creed. It affirms the worth of human beings, advocates freedom of belief and the search for advancing truth, and tries to provide a warm, open, supportive community for people who believe that ethical living is the supreme witness of religion. Governance The UUA is governed by a Board of Trustees consisting of District Trustees selected by the various districts and at-large Trustees, who are elected by delegates to the General Assembly. The General Assembly is the annual business meeting of the denomination, held in various parts of the continent. The Board of Trustees meets four times each year, three times in Boston and once at the General Assembly. An elected moderator presides at the General Assembly and at meetings of the Board of Trustees, and represents the Association on special occasions. A financial advisor, elected by the General Assembly, also sits on the Board. An elected president, an appointed executive vice president, a treasurer, and ten others form the leadership council, manage the day-to-day business of the Association. Our Association With The Ballou Channing District The Ballou Channing District is a religious organization affiliated with the Unitarian Universalist Association. It is one of 20 geographic administrative regions of the Association. The District covers southeast Massachusetts and Rhode Island. There are 47 member congregations -- 9 in Rhode Island and 38 in southeastern Massachusetts -- with a total membership of about 6000 Unitarian Universalists. A fourteen-member elected Board of Directors governs the District. A district executive is employed in a capacity similar to the executive director of a non-profit agency providing general management of the district as well as consultative services to the member congregations. Staff also includes an administrator and several contracted religious education consultants. In addition there are several operating committee and individual volunteers working to provide services to congregations in specific functional areas. The District provides general consulting assistance to congregations on a wide variety of church operational issues, supports minister searches, assists with religious education programming conducts workshops and seminars, and promotes contact and communication among congregations in the district. We also provide program resources for church leaders and staff, grants for growth-related programs, an annual directory of congregations, a website, and newsletters.	See the "Contact Us" page for a list of staff and lay leaders.
	Copyright 2007, All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church of Braintree Braintree, MA, USA