Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent Ohio

Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent, Ohio is a Unitarian Universalist ("UU") church in Kent, Ohio. Founded in 1866,[1] the current building was completed by builder Joseph Gridley (1820-1902) in 1868 on land donated by philanthropist Marvin Kent and rests on a bedrock of sandstone.[3] It is the only church still using its original 19th century building in the city of Kent and in 1976 the site was designed as a "significant restored building site".[4] In the early and middle twentieth century when there were few women clergy anywhere in the United States, the church is notable for having several women ministers: Abbie Danforth in 1889, Carlotta Crosley in 1903, and Violet Kochendoerfer in 1972.[4] Membership is between 140 and 200 full-time adults as well as 100 children in its religious education programs.[1] The church runs a summer camp called Kent Hogwarts which is a Harry Potter-themed camp for young kids,[5][6][7] which emphasizes chemistry, poetry, singing and community service.[5] The church advocates social justice, environmental awareness, democracy and acceptance of diverse peoples including all religions.[8] The Kent church follows the seven basic principles of Unitarian Universalism.[8]

Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent, Ohio
41.156°N 81.360°W / 41.156; -81.360
Location	228 Gougler Ave., Kent, Ohio
Country	United States
Denomination	Unitarian Universalism
Membership	140-200 adults[1] 100 children[1]
Website	Unitarian Universalist Church of Kent
History
Former name(s)	First Universalist Church of Kent
Status	Church
Founded	1866 (1866)[1]
Architecture
Functional status	Active
Clergy
Minister(s)	Rev. Steven A. Protzman [2]

The church hosts funeral and memorial services,[9] concerts including classical and jazz music,[10][11] public meetings on local issues,[12] speeches advocating democracy,[13] and other community events. It holds an annual book sale.[14] In 2016, Rev. Melissa Carvill-Ziemer led the church on a course of structural expansion, seeking variances to expand its physical size.[15] As part of a renovation project, the ceiling of the sanctuary will be removed to expose the vaulted beams from the earlier roof as well as a stained glass window.[1]

Reverend Carvill-Ziemer was appointed chief minister in 2005.[8][15] In 2010, the church ordained Rev. Renee Ruchotzke and appointed her as its Affiliated Community Minister.[16]

Unitarian Universalists are accepting of all who come to worship ... There's room here for theological diversity ... There's room here for people who don't really know what they believe and what is hold for them and want to explore that.

— Pastor Melissa Carvill-Ziemer in 2007[8]

Church leaders have advocated against racism,[17][18] and marched with other interfaith leaders for racial justice.[19] According to a demographic analysis by Google, the city of Kent is the "most racist" in northeastern Ohio.[17] Carvill-Ziemer advocated against white privilege.[20] In 2010, Ziemer and fellow Unitarian Universalists from Kent traveled to Arizona to protest the state's immigration legislation; she was arrested in Phoenix for allegedly blocking traffic in front of a sheriff's office.[20][21] A judge later found her not guilty and she was released.[22]

The church has a long history of social action. In 1900, minister Abbie Danforth created and led the Portage County suffrage association and chaired a two-day conference on women's suffrage.[23][24][25] Danforth had studied at Canton Theological School and had been ordained in 1878,[26] just 15 years after suffragist Olympia Brown, who was the first woman ever to be ordained in the United States.[27][28] In the late 1960s, the church served as a site for a local food co-op that later became the Kent Natural Foods Co-op.[29][30]

In the 1960s and 1970s, the church was active in the anti-war movement.[4][31][32][33] After the May 4, 1970 shootings on the Kent State University campus, the church:

• refused to pay its telephone tax.
• defied Mayor Leroy Satrom and County Prosecutor Ron Kane's order forbidding more than five people to meet by holding a memorial service for the slain students.
• passed resolutions censuring President Nixon, demanding civil liberties from the mayor and county prosecutor, and demanding the immediate withdrawal of troops from Southeast Asia.[30]