In January, 1785, 54 members of First Parish (Old South) signed and presented a petition to the town seeking to make Dr. Aaron Bancroft the next minister of the Parish. The town voted in the negative on their petition but made no move to prevent establishment of a new parish which 67 persons decided to do. It was named the Second Parish in the Towne of Worcester, with Dr. Bancroft as its first minister.

On the third Sunday in March of 1785, the first services were held in the Court House and the first sermon was preached by Dr. Bancroft. Second Parish was incorporated November 13, 1787.

Seven years later it was decided that the Parish should have its own building, which was erected on Bank (now Summer) Street. The church was dedicated on January 1, 1792. The 60' x 50' wood building had a tower, a bell, and a clock. The $3,000 cost was largely met by the "sale" of pews. Dr. Bancroft contributed one-third of the $500 a year salary to the cost of the new building.

For a few years the members of Second Parish had to support two churches, for by law their taxes also supported the First Parish. A court ruling relieved them of this "double taxation."

Dr. Bancroft took part, along with Isaiah Thomas and Edward D. Bangs, in the formation of the American Antiquarian Society in 1812. The first service of the First Baptist Church, now on 111 Park Avenue, was held in the First Unitarian Church on December 9, 1812.

In 1827, because of the failing health of Dr. Bancroft, Dr. Alonzo Hill became his assistant. Following Dr. Bancroft's death in 1839, Dr. Hill was appointed minister and served until 1869.

In 1829 a larger building was constructed on land purchased from Isaiah Thomas for $4,000 on the site of the present church, and next to Thomas's print shop. The church was dedicated on August 20, 1829. Twenty years later, the building was in need of extensive repairs, so the organ, furniture, and gallery clock were removed to the Court House. While repairs were in progress, fire broke out and the building was totally destroyed. The carved wooden pineapple, now on display in the glass case in the Bancroft Room, was saved because it had been removed
for rebuilding.

It was immediately decided to rebuild, on the same site. The architect, Sidney M. Stone of New Haven, Connecticut, based his design for the new building on a church in New Haven patterned after St. Martins in the Fields of London. The cost of $18,000 was raised by the sale of pews. During Dr. Hill's ministry, the Sunday School was established, and the Ladies Benevolent Society was formed. Dr. Hill retired in 1869 and died in 1871.

A second Unitarian Church, the Church of the Unity, was founded February 7, 1846 with Edward Everett Hale as its first minister. The hymn, "Nearer My God to Thee," was sung there for the first time in America. The Reverend Mr. Hale was one of the founders of the Public Library and the Natural History Society, and he wrote the first guide book to Worcester. The Church's building, no longer standing, was on Elm Street opposite the old library. The Church of the Unity united with the Second Parish in 1920.

Dr. Edward Hall became the third minister and served from 1869-1882. He was active in community affairs, being a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, American Antiquarian Society, Massachusetts Historical Society and Worcester School Committee. He left to become minister of the Old Church in Harvard Square in Cambridge. Our first Church bulletin (newsletter) was printed in 1885.

In 1888 some members left "Worcester North," as this church was often known, to start a Unitarian church in the Main South section of Worcester. They worshipped in several places until 1895. A church building was dedicated and named the South Unitarian Memorial Church. It rejoined this church in 1920. The church building is still in use as a church by the Armenian Apostolic Holy Trinity Church at 886 Main Street.

Dr. Austin S. Garver became the fourth minister to occupy our pulpit, serving from 1895-1910. During his pastorate the church adopted its new covenant: "In the love of truth and in the spirit of Jesus, we unite for the worship of God and the service of man."

The fifth minister was Edward T. Slocombe, installed January 4, 1912. He served the parish only seven years. During his ministry the ordinances of the parish were thoroughly transformed and new articles of government were

Dr. Maxwell Savage became minister in October 1918 and served until June, 1946. Among the accomplishments during his pastorate were:
- Originating the Christmas Candlelight Service
- Beginning of radio broadcasting
- The installation of a new organ (1922)
- And the building of an addition to the church (Unity Hall).

For over a hundred years, money for the operation of the church was raised by the Assessors, so-called because an amount assessed each family was raised based on a percentage of the value of the pews owned. This practice was discontinued at the time of Dr. Savage's coming as minister and thus ended the personal ownership of pews.

In 1938, the church was struck by a hurricane. The steeple bell tolled for 15 minutes as the steeple swayed in the wind before falling across the sanctuary. In one year, the church was rebuilt on the same design, but much stronger. The steeple clock was given by the American Unitarian Association.

The Reverend Dr. Walter Donald Kring served as seventh minister from 1946-1955. He left to become minister of All Souls Unitarian Church in New York City. During his pastorate, the space under the church was converted for church school use.

Dr. Wallace W. Robbins came as minister in 1956, following a term as president of the Meadville Theological School in Chicago. The church's music program was greatly enlarged and a new Aeolian-Skinner pipe organ was installed in 1965. Rev. Christopher Gist Raible was called as the ninth minister of the church in March 1976. He remained until June of 1982 when he accepted a call to become the minister of the Unitarian Church in Toronto, Canada.

The Reverend Barbara Merritt was called as the tenth minister of the church in May 1983.

Compiled by Clifford O. Griffith, revised 11/93

First Unitarian Church
90 Main Street
Worcester, Massachusetts USA
508.757.2708

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