History of CLF
Looking Back...Highlights of CLF's First Fifty Years
(September, 1993)
In 1944, the American Unitarian Association (AUA) appointed
a committee "to make a study of the possibility of the
re-establishment of the Unitarian Church of All Souls."
This Church of All Souls, organized in 1903, had carried on
correspondence with isolated Unitarians, also producing pastoral
letters, sermons and pamphlets. At the time, another correspondence
link, the Unitarian Women's Alliance's "Post Office Mission,"
was in decline, so it was clearly the time for action.
CLF was founded on May 24th at the AUA Annual Meeting, where
President Dr. Frederick May Eliot envisioned a "church
by mail...A church in the fullest sense of the word, a church
which will serve isolated religious liberals wherever they
might live."
As part of the AUA's Extension Department, and with Dr. Albert
Dieffenbach as minister, CLF grew quickly, when hundreds of
Unitarians isolated in small towns and overseas eagerly joined
up to receive materials by mail.
In the 1950s and 1960s, with leadership from Munroe Husbands,
geographically clustered CLF members were gathered to establish
more than 400 UU congregations! CLF bylaws stated its paradoxical
purpose: ...to provide a spiritual home for isolated Unitarians
and their families, and to transfer the allegiance of its
members to local Unitarian [congregations] whenever and wherever
possible.
By 1953, hundreds of isolated "baby boomer" families
were seeking religious education materials for their children.
CLF appointed a twelve-member committee to find and produce
materials for teaching UU values and principles in the home.
CLFers from these days will remember the wonderful Beacon
Press Martin and Judy stories that illustrated liberal religious
perspectives for children. Family packets, with seasonal celebration
and home worship ideas were created to meet the special needs
of CLF families.
In 1960, Dr. George Marshall became minister of CLF, and
reached out personally for 25 years to thousands of isolated
religious liberals, including his friend and mentor Albert
Schweitzer. As "Mr. CLF," George developed CLF's
popular Independent Study Program in response to requests
for materials that would lead individual members step-by-step
through a course of liberal religious study-a program that
was eventually published as "Challenge of a Liberal Faith,"
still a best-selling book about Unitarian Universalism.
In 1961, with the merger of the Unitarians and Universalists,
both CLFs-Unitarian and Universalist (founded, 1947)-consolidated
their programs within the extension department of the new
Unitarian Universalist Association.
In 1971, with a record membership of over 5,000 adults and
children, CLF faced and, thanks to its dedicated members,
overcame a formidable fiscal crisis. With fiscal woes of its
own, the UUA could no longer subsidize CLF as part of its
extension department. CLF would have to go out of business
or find a way to fund itself!
CLF was then chartered as an independent Unitarian Universalist
congregation. And CLF members responded to the fiscal challenge,
by greatly increasing their annual giving, and by making major
contributions to the newly established Eliot-Scott Endowment
Fund (which today stands at $500,000, providing vital income
for CLF programs and services).
In the 1980s, CLF steadily increased member programs, services,
publications, and financial stability. Initiatives included
a new look for Quest, member access to more UU sermons via
a library of videotapes and complete worship services in large
print (the Month of Sundays), a religious education program
for families (We Believe), and a materials resource service
for small, lay-lead congregations.
In 1991, when many CLF members expressed a desire to be "more
personally connected" with their congregation, the installation
of the Minister's Study 800 line gave members direct, toll-free
access to their minister.
Last updated February 2, 2009
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