First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia
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The First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia is a
Unitarian Universalist Unitarian or Unitarianism may refer to: Christian and Christian-derived theologies A Unitarian is a follower of, or a member of an organisation that follows, any of several theologies referred to as Unitarianism: * Unitarianism (1565–present) ...
congregation located at 2125 Chestnut Street in
Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
,
Pennsylvania Pennsylvania (; ( Pennsylvania Dutch: )), officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a state spanning the Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes regions of the United States. It borders Delaware to its southeast, ...
. As a regional Community Center it sponsors cultural, educational, civic, wellness and spiritual activities. On June 12, 1796, twenty of Philadelphia's intellectual leaders formed the First Unitarian Society of Philadelphia, becoming the first continuously functioning church in the country to name itself "Unitarian". The founders were directed and encouraged by the Unitarian minister
Joseph Priestley Joseph Priestley (; 24 March 1733 – 6 February 1804) was an English chemist, natural philosopher, separatist theologian, grammarian, multi-subject educator, and liberal political theorist. He published over 150 works, and conducted exp ...
, and its first settled minister was the Rev. Dr.
William Henry Furness William Henry Furness (April 20, 1802 – January 30, 1896) was an American clergyman, theologian, Transcendentalist, abolitionist, and reformer. Biography Furness was born in Boston, where he attended the Boston Latin School and developed a lif ...
.


William Henry Furness

The small but growing congregation was lay-led until 1825, when Rev. Dr.
William Henry Furness William Henry Furness (April 20, 1802 – January 30, 1896) was an American clergyman, theologian, Transcendentalist, abolitionist, and reformer. Biography Furness was born in Boston, where he attended the Boston Latin School and developed a lif ...
was persuaded to serve as the first minister at the age of 22. Starting in the 1830s, Furness became one of the few
abolitionist Abolitionism, or the abolitionist movement, is the movement to end slavery. In Western Europe and the Americas, abolitionism was a historic movement that sought to end the Atlantic slave trade and liberate the enslaved people. The British ...
ministers in the city, known for his anti-slave sermons and
Underground Railroad The Underground Railroad was a network of clandestine routes and safe houses established in the United States during the early- to mid-19th century. It was used by enslaved African Americans primarily to escape into free states and Canada. ...
activities. His speeches were so impassioned that both he and the congregation feared reprisals from Southern sympathizers, so several members of the church quietly armed themselves and watched over the pulpit on Sundays. His attacks on the
Fugitive Slave Law The fugitive slave laws were laws passed by the United States Congress in 1793 and 1850 to provide for the return of enslaved people who escaped from one state into another state or territory. The idea of the fugitive slave law was derived from ...
drew discussion in one of President Buchanan's cabinet meetings of indicting the minister for treason."John Brown's Philadelphia" prepared by V. Chapman-Smith, National Archives at Philadelphi

/ref> Furness served as minister for 50 years, and remained involved in the church until his death in 1898.


Architecture


First building (1813–1828)

The Octagon Building (begun March 1812, dedicated February 14, 1813): The first church building, located at the northeast corner of 10th & Locust, was designed by Robert Mills (architect), Robert Mills, thought to be the first architect born and trained in the United States. Its octagonal shape was unusual for Philadelphia, however it followed the pattern of Unitarian churches in England such as the
Octagon Chapel, Norwich The Octagon Chapel is a Unitarian Chapel located in Colegate in Norwich, Norfolk, England. The congregation is a member of the General Assembly of Unitarian and Free Christian Churches. History The chapel is a grade II* listed building. Comple ...
(1756,
Thomas Ivory Thomas Ivory (1709–1779) was an English builder and architect, active in Norwich. Life Ivory was born in 1709. His early years and education remain obscure. His earliest recorded large commission was in his capacity as a builder and timber m ...
) and
Octagon Chapel, Liverpool The Octagon Chapel, Liverpool, was a nonconformist church in Liverpool, England, opened in 1763. It was founded by local congregations, those of Benn's Garden and Kaye Street chapels. The aim was to use a non-sectarian liturgy; Thomas Bentle ...
(1763). These typically used an octagonal design in a symbolic move away from the traditional cross-shaped floor plans of orthodox Christian churches. The construction cost was approximately $25,000 and the finished church seated 300 people.


Second building (1828–1885)

Desiring a larger and more elegant edifice to reflect the growth of the congregation, church members voted to construct a second building. Using the same location (10th & Locust), the cornerstone of the "Doric Building" was laid on March 24, 1828.
Greek Revival architecture The Greek Revival was an architectural movement which began in the middle of the 18th century but which particularly flourished in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in northern Europe and the United States and Canada, but ...
was then very popular. Designed by William Strickland, this building was described in contemporary books as one of the most outstanding churches in the city. Dedicated on November 5, 1828, this remained the congregation's worship space until moving to the present site at 2125 Chestnut Street in 1885.


Third building (1885–present)

Frank Furness Frank Heyling Furness (November 12, 1839 - June 27, 1912) was an American architect of the Victorian era. He designed more than 600 buildings, most in the Philadelphia area, and is remembered for his diverse, muscular, often unordinarily scaled b ...
, the architect of The
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts The Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) is a museum and private art school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.porte cochere Porte may refer to: *Sublime Porte, the central government of the Ottoman empire *Porte, Piedmont, a municipality in the Piedmont region of Italy *John Cyril Porte, British/Irish aviator *Richie Porte, Australian professional cyclist who competes ...
at the church's southeast corner was removed in the early 20th century. The sanctuary features a hammer-beam ceiling, painted rust red and stenciled with gold-leaf daffodils, which is complemented by blue walls. The church's stained glass windows are by Louis Tiffany & Co. and
John La Farge John La Farge (March 31, 1835 – November 14, 1910) was an American artist whose career spanned illustration, murals, interior design, painting, and popular books on his Asian travels and other art-related topics. La Farge is best known for ...
. Later additions include a concert-grade Casavant pipe organ with 3 manuals and 50 ranks. In addition to the sanctuary, the building also contains a basement level housing Griffin Hall, which includes a stage and commercial-size kitchen. The rear portion of the building contains the Parish Room for meetings, and a smaller chapel. The mezzanine and 3rd floors contain a variety of offices, meeting rooms, storage, and daycare facilities.


Notable members

Frances Ellen Watkins Harper Frances Ellen Watkins Harper (September 24, 1825 – February 22, 1911) was an American Abolitionism in the United States, abolitionist, suffragist, poet, Temperance movement, temperance activist, teacher, public speaker, and writer. Beginning in 1 ...
, the first woman of African descent to have her writings published in the United States, was a member of First Church from 1870 until her death in 1911. She is best known for her fiction and poetry, but was also a political activist and lecturer who promoted, civil rights, temperance, and women's rights.
Laura Matilda Towne Laura Matilda Towne (May 3, 1825 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – February 22, 1901, in St. Helena Island, South Carolina) was an American abolitionist and educator. She is best known for forming the first freedmen's schools (those for newly fr ...
, was one of the first Northern women to go south to work with freed slaves. Towne opened the Penn School, the first school for freedmen, while the Civil War was raging. Unlike most of those who went south at the time, Laura Towne made a life for herself on St. Helena Island, South Carolina, and ran the Penn School until her death in 1901.
Kevin Bacon Kevin Norwood Bacon (born July 8, 1958) is an American actor. His films include the musical-drama film '' Footloose'' (1984), the controversial historical conspiracy legal thriller '' JFK'' (1991), the legal drama '' A Few Good Men'' (1992), t ...
was raised at the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia and had his first acting debut in a holiday pageant.


Notable events

The day after
John Brown John Brown most often refers to: *John Brown (abolitionist) (1800–1859), American who led an anti-slavery raid in Harpers Ferry, Virginia in 1859 John Brown or Johnny Brown may also refer to: Academia * John Brown (educator) (1763–1842), Ir ...
was executed, his body came to Philadelphia for a private vigil attended by William Henry Furness, then was taken to North Elba, New York, and buried. National Archivist, V. Chapman-Smith writes, "A supporter of John Brown, who reached out to provide comfort and aid to Brown's wife, Furness was a prominent speaker at the Philadelphia "Martyr Day" (December 2, 1859) vigil at
National Hall National Hall is a former venue in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, located at 1222–24 Market Street, between Twelfth and Thirteenth Streets. It was one of the most popular venues in the city, site of concerts, lectures, meetings, and political spee ...
. Furness' zeal against the 1850 Fugitive Slave Law captured attention at one of
President Buchanan James Buchanan Jr. ( ; April 23, 1791June 1, 1868) was an American lawyer, diplomat and politician who served as the 15th president of the United States from 1857 to 1861. He previously served as secretary of state from 1845 to 1849 and repr ...
's cabinet meetings, where consideration was given to indicting Furness for treason!" When
Martin Luther King Jr. Martin Luther King Jr. (born Michael King Jr.; January 15, 1929 – April 4, 1968) was an American Baptist minister and activist, one of the most prominent leaders in the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968 ...
was a seminary student in nearby
Chester, Pennsylvania Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. Located within the Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, it is the only city in Delaware County and had a population of 32,605 as of the 2020 census. Incorporated in 1682, Chester is ...
, he attended a lecture by Dr. Mordecai Johnson about how Mohandas K. Gandhi integrated
Henry David Thoreau Henry David Thoreau (July 12, 1817May 6, 1862) was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. A leading Transcendentalism, transcendentalist, he is best known for his book ''Walden'', a reflection upon simple living in natural su ...
's theory of non-violent civil disobedience that inspired King's non-violent protests for civil rights. This lecture was reputed to have taken place at the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia, but recent information uncovered by historian Patrick Duff in 2020 proved that this church was in fact the site of the lecture. The lecture took place on November 19th of 1950 at 3:45 pm. King was so moved by the speech that he followed Dr. Johnson back to the Fellowship House where they spoke into the night."Our Legacy," archives of the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia
/ref> In April 2006, the church officially became a "Welcoming Congregation" to the bisexual, transgender, lesbian, and gay community. In 2007, Nathan C. Walker became its first openly gay minister. In July 2010, executives from
Monsanto The Monsanto Company () was an American agrochemical and agricultural biotechnology corporation founded in 1901 and headquartered in Creve Coeur, Missouri. Monsanto's best known product is Roundup, a glyphosate-based herbicide, developed in th ...
visited the church to discuss the adoption of a code of ethics for the field of biotechnology, a sort of Hippocratic oath, akin to a doctor's pledge to "do no harm".Nathan C. Walker,
Exorcising Preaching: Crafting Intellectually Honest Worship
(St. Louis, MO: Chalice Press, 2014)
In February 2016, as part of a nationwide effort among UU congregations, the congregation unanimously adopted the following statement of support for the Black Lives Matter movement:
In line with our commitment to affirming the inherent worth and dignity of all people, we, the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, declare that black lives matter. We support the Black Lives Matter movement and pledge our congregation's dedication to participating in anti-racist, anti-oppression work within our own community; to acknowledging our denomination's and our congregation's checkered racial history; and to serving as allies, witnesses, and partners in our country's continued struggle for racial justice and equity.
A corresponding banner was installed on the church porch, facing out to Chestnut Street.


Settled ministers


Culture and civic life

First Unitarian is a regional community center that provides meeting space on a non-discriminatory basis for many different groups and activities: yoga and aerobics classes, meditation,
Narcotics Anonymous Narcotics Anonymous (NA), founded in 1953, describes itself as a "nonprofit fellowship or society of men and women for whom drugs had become a major problem." Narcotics Anonymous uses a 12-step model developed for people with varied subst ...
meetings, forums by the
Americans for Democratic Action Americans for Democratic Action (ADA) is a liberal American political organization advocating progressive policies. ADA views itself as supporting social and economic justice through lobbying, grassroots organizing, research, and supporting prog ...
and
Common Cause Common Cause is a watchdog group based in Washington, D.C., with chapters in 35 states. It was founded in 1970 by John W. Gardner, a Republican, who was the former Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare in the administration of President L ...
, Black Women's Art Festival,
Islamic Relief Islamic Relief Worldwide is a faith-inspired humanitarian and development agency which is working to support and empower the world’s most vulnerable people. Founded in the United Kingdom in 1984, Islamic Relief has international headquarter ...
Day of Dignity, Philadelphia
Fringe Festival Fringe theatre is theatre that is produced outside of the main theatre institutions, and that is often small-scale and non-traditional in style or subject matter. The term comes from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.Kemp, Robert, ''More that is Fre ...
events, and citywide vigils honoring victims of violence in Philadelphia. First Unitarian is home to a concert-grade Casavant pipe organ. With its convenient Center City location, First Church is known as a prime entertainment venue for all ages. Music-for-Children classes, classical music concerts by Dolce Suono, and for young indie rock fans, alternative and punk rock concerts. Music and Arts at First Philadelphia are among the strongest and most diverse of the Center City Philadelphia Churches. In November 2007,
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
magazine featured the church as one of the top alternative rock venues thanks to the success of the events organized by R5 Productions in the basement, chapel, and sanctuary. Since the mid-90s, the church's basement, Griffin Hall, known colloquially as "The Church" or simply "First Unitarian" by show goers, has been a popular venue for small-scale independent music concerts in the city. The concerts have featured mostly
punk Punk or punks may refer to: Genres, subculture, and related aspects * Punk rock, a music genre originating in the 1970s associated with various subgenres * Punk subculture, a subculture associated with punk rock, or aspects of the subculture s ...
and
indie rock Indie rock is a Music subgenre, subgenre of rock music that originated in the United States, United Kingdom and New Zealand from the 1970s to the 1980s. Originally used to describe independent record labels, the term became associated with the mu ...
artists in the past but have expanded to include other genres as well.


Children and daycare centers

First Church is the longtime home of two daycare centers: th
Beacon Center
an
Little Miracles
Both centers boast long-tenured staff. Members of First Church founded the Beacon Center in the early 1980s to exemplify the values of the church. First Unitarian also draws parents of young children and youth with religious education programs that promote value-based learning about one's responsibility to one another and to the Earth. The Neighboring Faiths program teaches teens about the importance of other religious traditions and thereby promotes open-mindedness and respect. Child dedications, conducted with a thornless rose, are a special
rite of passage A rite of passage is a ceremony or ritual of the passage which occurs when an individual leaves one group to enter another. It involves a significant change of status in society. In cultural anthropology the term is the Anglicisation of ''rite ...
for Unitarian Universalist families.


External links


First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia official website


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:First Unitarian Church Of Philadelphia Churches in Philadelphia Properties of religious function on the National Register of Historic Places in Philadelphia Unitarian Universalist churches in Pennsylvania Frank Furness buildings Gothic Revival church buildings in Pennsylvania Churches completed in 1886 19th-century Unitarian Universalist church buildings Religious organizations established in 1796 Music venues in Philadelphia Robert Mills buildings Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia Churches on the National Register of Historic Places in Pennsylvania Furness family 1796 establishments in Pennsylvania