Local History		Our first Minister Past Presidents Our Building's History Past Editions of The Ottawa Unitarian Newspaper
A Case of Mistaken Identity - TWICE! Amongst the photographs of past ministers hanging in the Lounge at First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa there was this esteemed and venerable older man: The photo was labeled "Albert Walkley." Walkley was the first minister of the congregation back at the turn of the century. While reviewing our archives, then archivist, Jean Ahmed, discovered a photo of an early church picnic. In the photo Rev. Walkley was identified. Something clicked in Jean's memory and she compared the photo of the picnic with the one hanging in the church lounge. She discovered that either the picnic photo was mislabeled or we had hung the wrong man in Walkley's frame! With a little more investigation, Mrs. Ahmed determined that the photo we had hung was not of Walkley, but rather of famous American poet, Walt Whitman! Then years later, in response to this article, we received this email . . . You folks have a portrait of Edward Everett Hale (1822-1909), whose statue stands at one the entrances to the Boston Public Garden.  Hale was minister of South Church in Boston from 1856 until his retirement in 1899.  In 1903, he came out of retirement when he was named Chaplain of the United States Senate, a position he held until his death.  Along with Henry Whitney Bellows and James Freeman Clarke, Hale was one of the key leaders of the "Broad Church" movement, who helped to establish the National Conference of Unitarian Churches (later the "General Conference" in deference to Canadian churches).  He was a popular contributor to The Atlantic Monthly and is best known, perhaps, for his book, The Man without a Country.  For many years, Unitarian churches sponsored service groups called "Lend-a-Hand Clubs" which were inspired by Hale's admonition to "Look up and not down, look out and not in, look forward and not back, and lend a hand!"   One antagonist dubbed him "Edward Everything Hale" because of his tendency to become involved in just about every public activity in old Boston.  When asked once if, as Senate chaplain, he prayed for the senators, Hale responded, "No, I look at the Senate and pray for the country." The image of Rev. Walkley (below) has since been exchanged and now hangs proudly with images of all of our past ministers. The first Unitarian Minister in Ottawa, Rev. Albert Walkley	The Congregation itself has a much older history then the present building. In the 1880's the Unitarians and the free thinkers in Ottawa tried several times to start a congregation. Each time they failed to create an institution that would last. They brought in ministers from Montreal and Boston to preach but did not succeed until, with the help of the American Unitarian Association and the British Unitarians, a group was gathered near the turn of the century. Founded in February 1898 with George C. Holland (for many years a Senate reporter) as president, the Congregation called the Rev. Albert Walkley (See left column), son of a local family, as its first minister. A church was constructed in 1900 at Elgin and Lewis Streets, "The Church of Our Father (Unitarian)" (Pictured above). This building can still be seen - in 1965 it was sold to St. Marc's United Church when the Unitarians needed larger premises. In more recent history our prestigious pulpit has been graced by Marion Dewar, George Ignatief, Lloyd Francis, Fred and Bonnie Cappuccino, Lotta Hitschmanova, and Elijah Harper. The present home of the congregation continues the tradition of its predecessor downtown in serving social and community needs. Prior to 1965, the Ottawa Unitarians had made space for projects such as the Central Nursery School, the Open Door Club for ex-psychiatric patients (Canadian Mental Health Association), the Preschool Parent Centre, and the packaging depot of the Unitarian Service Committee of Ottawa (Ottawa Branch). Some were established by church members; others were outside organizations that received not only a welcome but sometimes volunteer help and money as well. The same approach of initiating needed services and of renting spare rooms to associations with compatible aims has been taken in the present location. The largest community project established by the Congregation can be seen in the grounds outside: Unitarian House, a non-denominational, non-profit residence for seniors opened in 1984. Of two other projects launched by the Congregation, The River Parkway Preschool Centre (1968) uses the lower rooms on weekdays and Art Lending (1978) holds a monthly exhibition in the Worship Hall and adjoining Fellowship Hall. Former long term tenants of this church, who have moved to larger premises, include: the Unitarian Service Committee, RIDEAUWOOD INSTITUTE (which conducts an alcohol-drug treatment programme) and Amnesty International of Canada (the national office). Members from the Congregation were among those who founded the latter organization. Other faiths have also held their services here - Temple Israel for two years during the construction of the synagogue, the Ottawa Buddhist Association once a year holding its Wesak service. The Worship Hall has also proved valuable as a concert auditorium. Among the musicians, either professional and amateur, who have performed here are Anton Kuerti, members of the Family Brown, the Huggett Family, the Chicago Children's Choir and, each month, the promising youngsters of the Ottawa West Junior Music Club. As well, Sunday services provide a popular opportunity for music students to gain experience when preparing for recitals. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Why not let you decide? Whose photo was in the old frame at the church? (see article to left) Walt Whitman James Freeman Clark Edward Everett Hale

To Site Home Page:http://www.uuottawa.com/ Updated: April 01, 2004