From the Archives …

Universalist ministers were scarce in the immediate post-World War 2 years and we were fortunate that Rev. Earl N. Engle accepted our call on October 1, 1948. While his first year with us went well enough, he did not conform to a traditional Christian Lenten and Easter season and chose to interpret those matters “naturalistically.” By the summer of 1949, the Trustees and some of the older persons in the Church became critical of his “agnostic teachings.” 

Some of those lay leaders wanted to adopt policies dictating what should be preached and how it should be preached. The Board of Trustees took no formal action on the issue. However, as a result of this conflict within the congregation, a number of substantial contributors withheld their financial support. The Treasurer chose not to pay Rev. Engle in October, November, or the first half of December. The Board took no action on this matter, either. 

Finally, three members of the church, using an old by-law provision, served written notice on the Moderator requiring that a parish meeting be called to investigate the matter of non-payment for the minister. The meeting in mid-December 1949 became a referendum on whether the church wanted to keep or fire its minister. The votes of the members of the church were overwhelmingly in favor of retaining Rev. Engle. Following that outcome, the Treasurer, Financial Secretary, Clerk, Moderator, and at least one Trustee resigned their positions and left the church.

Rev. Engle, after some months and extensive consideration and reflection, decided that his future didn’t lie in the ministry. He did agree to serve in an Interim capacity until June 1951 and remained a member of our church until at least 1957.