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Mahtomedi
White Bear Unitarian Church
The White Bear Unitarian Church came to life as an offspring of St. Paul’s Unity Unitarian Church. With the help of Arthur Foote, Unity’s minister, 18 people met on November 29, 1955 to organize a branch church. Sunday evening meetings were held in a town hall. By the fall of 1956, Unity’s White Bear branch found a more permanent home at Wildwood Elementary School in Mahtomedi, MN. A small but hearty congregation of 56 kept the church equipment and hymnals in a cabinet called “our barn and altar.” Church life was animated by picnics, celebrations, and vigorous debates.
By 1958 the congregation decided to become an independent fellowship. After considering several possible buildings, a decision was made in May 1959 to buy a small Methodist church in Mahtomedi for $12,500. (Originally, this church was a chapel for the Mahtomedi Chautauqua Assembly). By the fall of 1959, White Bear Unitarian Church was formally incorporated. Rev. Arthur Foote spoke at the dedication service on September 13, 1959 welcoming the new group as “fellow champions of liberal religion.”
The next six or seven years were busy ones for the new fellowship. A second story was added to the back of the church for religious education. An organ was purchased and, with the help of Helen Fillebrown, a choir formed. Two questions thread themselves through the church records of this time: should they remain a fellowship or hire a minister? And how much growth is needed to support a minister? In the early 1960s three men shared the ministerial role: Dick Sykes, Carl Peters, and Richard Marsh. In 1963 the church called Dick Sykes as part-time minister. Two years later, Rev. Grant Butler came from the UUA to help the church grow enough to support a full-time minister. These efforts came to fruition when Charles Grady was called as minister in 1966.
From 1966 to 1973, the church went through growing pains. Several sites for a new building were considered, one was purchased, but there were not sufficient funds to build a new church. Under Charles Grady’s leadership the church grew rapidly, but not always happily. After his second year, Rev. Grady moved east to serve a church in Arlington, MA. Dissent about the location of the church and its professional leadership caused large membership losses. For a while the church returned to a lay-led fellowship. In 1971, Rev. Bill Hammond was hired as half-time minister, but the relationship between church and minister was not convivial. By 1973, the church leadership decided to return to a fellowship mode. For the next four years, the church happily operated as a close extended family with nature hikes, book clubs, seasonal celebrations, musical programs, and guest speakers. Despite the warm dealings, there was a steady decline in attendance and loss of lay leadership.
In 1976, the church again sought professional help. Derek Kiewatt, a recent graduate of Harvard Divinity School was hired as part-time minister. Derek is remembered for his provocative talks, his TV appearances, and his building of lay leadership. Some of the unused church property was sold to remodel the basement and social hall. Ministry was increased to half time. It was with regret that the church accepted Derek’s resignation in 1979 and formed a new search committee.
In the summer of 1980 the church called a recent Starr King graduate named Ted Tollefson as their half-time minister. The next five years were marked by a steady growth in membership and income, brimful brunches and dinners, and Sunday programs both playful and serious. The remainder of the unused land was sold to establish a futures’ fund. The meeting room was renovated and a new roof put on. New curriculum and a church songbook were created. The custom of Summer Chautauqua was revived with concerts, lectures, and homemade ice cream. Full-time ministry was restored in 1986 as the White Bear Unitarian Church prepared to celebrate its 30th anniversary.