2. Congregation Histories : Nebraska

Omaha

Second Unitarian Church

Second Unitarian Church celebrates only a tenth birthday in 1986, but we come out of an old tradition in the city of Omaha. The First Unitarian Church was founded in 1869. Its distinguished ministers have included Newton Mann, Robert French Leavens, John Cyrus, and Robert Weston. William Howard Taft laid the cornerstone of First Church’s present building in 1918. In the 1950s the City of Omaha began its growth to the west. Members of First Unitarian also looked west in their aspirations for the growth of Unitarianism in Omaha.

Robert Weston, called as minister in 1960, provided the leadership. He saw in Omaha’s growth the potential for a second Unitarian church in the new western part of the city. After some debate—and some false starts—the congregation in 1963 voted to purchase for $50,000 a four-acre tract at 117th Street and West Center Road. On the land was a brick farmhouse, which became the birthplace of what is today the Second Unitarian Church of Omaha.

The new West Omaha Unitarian Church opened its doors for Sunday services in September 1963. Nursery care and church school were provided. Services were generally conducted by lay leadership, drawing from our own congregation and speakers from the community. Dr. Weston preached at West Omaha one Sunday per month. We began with enthusiasm and looked forward to growth.

Although West Omaha was called a “church,” it was still part of First Unitarian. New members recruited “out west” became members of the First Unitarian Church. Years later we recognized that this was a fatal flaw in our plan to become a full-fledged second church. Until we bit the bullet and became entirely independent of First Church, we were not going to succeed.

The first approach was to build on our four acres of land. In 1972, the Omaha Unitarians conducted a fund drive aimed at a new building on the West Omaha property and some major rehabilitation of the downtown church building. Although $96,000 was pledged, it was not enough for a new building. In the midst of this discouragement, the Baptist Church at 3012 South 119th Street was for sale for about $100.000. We sold the property on West Center Road to Occidental Savings and Loan for about $180,000. First Unitarian Church was then able to buy the former Baptist Church, perform needed rehabilitation to the downtown building, and put some money into savings.

In September 1973, the West Omaha Second Unitarian Church opened shop in the building that is now Second Unitarian.

On May 23, 1976, thirty-one people signed Articles of Incorporation that were filed with the State of Nebraska to found the Second Unitarian Church of Omaha. We began regular Sunday services in September 1976 for an audience of 50 people and 25 children in the nursery and church school.

Meanwhile we enunciated to the leadership in Boston our goal to become a full-fledged church with a minister as soon as possible. Boston recognized our potential: we had enthusiasm and experienced leadership, money in the bank; current pledges that paid our expenses, and a relatively new and debt-free building that will handle a congregation of 150. Boston responded by sending Deane Starr to serve as our interim minister for three months, January, February, and March 1977.

We thrived under Deane’s leadership. Membership more than doubled to about 70. New programs were established. Regular committees were given new direction. Most important, new feelings of fellowship and cooperation were generated. Under Deane’s guidance we took the first steps toward calling a regular minister.

Later in 1977 we called Betty Pingel. She stayed with us five years before leaving to serve the Unitarian Church in Fresno, California. In January 1982, Jane Mauldin became our minister. After four years she left in January 1986 to lead the Unitarian Fellowship in Slidell, Louisiana.

We look to the future with confidence.

—Al Harrison