300TH ANNIVERSARY of THEODORE PARKER CHURCH
January to November, 2012
The 300th Anniversary Committee began their work nearly two years before January 2012, the start of the yearlong celebration. We soon had a number of volunteers taking on various pieces of the planning task. The committee
members were: Cindy Bergeron, Susan Caron, Stan Gross, Diane Issa, Ellie Jarrell, Julie McVay, Mary Beth Noonan; Posy
Walton, Membership Committee Liaison; Steve Greene & Gretchen O’Neill, Communications Team; Rose Gallogly,
designer of the commemorative booklet cover and the logo used on mugs; Virginia Bullock and Karen Bishop, mug sales;
a large group of solicitors for ads to cover the cost of the booklets and to help underwrite the events of the anniversary
year.
In September 2011, we started the 2012 fiscal year in high gear, soliciting ads and donations which totaled in
excess of $5700 (which includes a donation to cover the cost of the commemorative mugs). Those contributing to this
effort were: Carol Thomas, Cindy Bergeron, Claire Barker, Diana Digges, Ellen Church, Grace O’Donnell, Helen
Garretson, Jennifer Buchwald, Joel Neiditz, Julie McVay, Kristina Lentz, Lilli Nye, Mary Beth Noonan, Nancy Wilber, Stan
Gross and Ellie Jarrell. And a very big thank you to Gretchen O’Neill who did a fabulous job putting the booklet
together press-ready! She even volunteered to create ads for businesses which did not have ad copy ready. These
dollars, with the grant from the Woburn Fund, enabled the church to cover all the costs of the programs.
Our January 22 program, coordinated by Diane Issa, with historian and author Anthony Sammarco, was a great
success with more than 100 people in attendance.
In March 25, Dean Grodzins, Theodore Parker scholar, regaled us with stories from Theodore Parker’s ministry in
West Roxbury. Ellie Jarrell coordinated the program, nearly 75 people attending.
On May 6, church member, Mary Ann Millsap, wove a fascinating tale about the church’s Colonial silver, Colonial
Silver Stories. She also arranged to have two of our most important silver pieces displayed at the MFA, conservator for
the church’s collection of silver. The program was coordinated by Tori Hatch with more than 50 people in attendance.
In June, Cindy Bergeron introduced our Summer Read, The Pox and the Covenant, by Tony Williams. Mary Beth
Noonan obtained ten copies of the book to loan and managed this process over the summer. Additional copies were
purchased by a few individuals and the public library also made a few copies available. On September 16, Tony Williams
spoke at the morning service and led a book discussion in the afternoon, attended by 40 people. The Committee hosted
him at lunch and learned much more about his writing practice.
The culminating celebration took place on November 4, 2012, 300 years and 2 days after the founding of this
church. Two of our four former, surviving ministers participated in the morning worship service. Gordon Gibson (19641969) and Lillian Nye (2002-2012) regaled the congregation with stories from their tenure. Kenneth MacLean (19591964) who had planned to be with us, however, was stranded in Maryland by Superstorm Sandy which came up the East
Coast that weekend and sent his remarks which were read. We also honored people in our congregation who in the
1980s saw promise in the future for Theodore Parker Church. They shared their memories of that time—by turns
hilarious and poignant: John Lambert & Cecilia Bennett, Doug Armstrong & Carol Thomas, Gretchen O’Neill, David
Forsyth, and Barbara Coburn of Weston UU Church. (This church in a western suburb of Boston supported the church by
sharing their interns and donating money, time, and much-needed volunteers.)
Originally we had planned to have a worship service which would celebrate music and worship styles over the
300 years of our history. However, it became obvious this couldn’t happen in a one hour worship service and would
preclude our inviting community people or our former interns who would be unable to attend a morning service.
Therefore, we planned an afternoon program for this “trip through the ages.” Rev. Lilli Nye and Julie McVay wrote a
play taking quotes from our history for the dialogue. Tom Zajac and Robin Colgrove coordinated music for the Theodore
Parker Consort. Tom found a wonderful piece of music written in 1721 composed by Thomas Walter, brother to our
minister, Nathaniel Walter (1732-1776). Michael Johnson, composer and the church’s music director, set an Emerson
poem to original choral music. Church member and composer, James J. Johnson, composed choral music based on
Psalm 121.
This Sunday afternoon extravaganza included many people from our congregation.
o In the play, 300 Years and Counting…: Doug Armstrong, Mary Ann Millsap, Paul Horn, Julia Goldson, Iris
Goldson, Steve Greene, Charlie Landraitis, John Lambert, Robin Colgrove, David Forsyth, Tom Keydel,
Jennifer Goldson, Jasper Maslowe, Sam Roller, Carol Thomas, Joel Neiditz, Kristina Lentz, Phyllis O’Connell
o In the Theodore Parker Singers: Director, Michael Johnson, Laura Derr, Ellie Jarrell, Joy Martin, Julie
McVay, Stänzi Royden, Jennifer Bottomley, Marcia Feldman, Alison Gottlieb, Carol Landraitis, Mary Beth
Noonan, Gretchen O’Neill, Posy Walton, John Derbort, Eric Hanson, Mary Ann Millsap, Mary Russell, Robin
Colgrove, Dexter Edge, Joel Neiditz, Laura Dowd
o In the Theodore Parker Consort: Robin Colgrove, Diana Digges, Laura Dowd, Julia Dowd Gallogly, Alison
Gottlieb, Eric Swanson, Tom Zajac
Virginia Bullock organized the celebratory reception following the program. There were many donors of food to
this reception and for every reception following the events during the year.
Our year of celebration was a wonderful community experience involving many if not most of the members of
Theodore Parker Church who happily contributed time, energy and enthusiasm.
1712 meetinghouse
speculated to look
similar to this one
built in 1714
Lynnfield, MA
Iris Goldson marking
the beginning of the story
Geo Walsh & Bruce Baldwin
“Visitors from our Colonial past”
Paul Horn, Narrator
Michael Johnson & Theodore Parker Singers
Tom Zajac with Theodore Parker Consort
Tom Keydel and Robin Colgrove
“Argument and Arson”
Doug Armstrong & Carol Thomas
Gordon Gibson
TPC Minister 1964-69
Theodore Parker Church
300 Years and Counting