History
HISTORY OF THE FELLOWSHIP
In the Fall of 1958 a small ad was placed in the local north San Diego County newspapers announcing the fact that a representative of the American Unitarian Association from Boston would meet with persons interested in the Fellowship Program of that association. In November 1958, Monroe Husbands, the Fellowship Program director of the UUA, met with 23 interested persons in the North San Diego County area. This informal meeting was the beginning of the Palomar Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, though that was not its original designated name. A charter was drawn up and 21 members began meeting in homes on Sunday evenings.
In January, 1959, the North County Unitarian Fellowship began meeting Sunday evenings at the Vista American Legion Hall on South Santa Fe Avenue in an upstairs room over the bar. Membership was drawn from Escondido, Carlsbad, Vista and Fallbrook. The fact that there was no Religious Education program caused some members to consider joining the San Dieguito Fellowship which also had been formed as a result of the meeting with Monroe Husbands. However, the Pomona Valley Unitarian Society (now called the Monte Vista UU Congregation situated in Montclair, CA) became the "god-parents" of the Vista group which was able to continue with its efforts. Willard Francis was elected chairman at the first Annual Meeting in April, 1959.
In September, 1959, Sunday morning services were held at the Vista Recreation Center and 10 children began attending Religious Education classes. One room was rented at the Recreation Center for the Sunday School. The adults met outdoors around picnic tables under a large tree. As winter approached, this arrangement became unsatisfactory, so Sunday morning meetings moved to the old Vista Women's Clubhouse in downtown Vista OQ Park Circle where there was a large room for the adults and a smaller room for the children. Oscar Knieff of Vista was elected chairman.
A "Statement of Purpose" was drawn up during 1961 and in April Arthur Hulbert, Vista, was elected chairman. Incorporation papers were filed in September and the North County Unitarian Fellowship became the Palomar Unitarian Fellowship; the word Universalist was added later after the continental merger of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America. Mrs. Clarence (Ida) Dawson donated 3 acres of Rancho Agua Hedionda y Los Monos for the future site of a :Fellowship building, a gift later expanded to include an additional 7 acres.
In January, 1962, there were 50 signed members of the Fellowship. Robert Kintz and Joan Singer, both of Vista, were elected chairs for the years 1962-63 and 1963-64, respectively. The Fellowship continued to meet at the Vista Women's Clubhouse. A building fund was begun and plans were studied for the day that the Fellowship would own its own building. The Religious Education classes expanded from 2 to 5 in number and continued to implement the Beacon Press R.E. program with field trips to study anthropology and ecology. The music program, once all taped, began to expand to include "live" performers, as well.
The Fellowship moved yet again into new and more adequate quarters at Vista's North County Community Center, 1930 Sunset Drive, presently known as Temple Judea. The Fellowship continued to provide programs to North County residents with a variety of lectures and discussions on timely subjects directly related to the religious experiences of modern men and women, as well as children. The signed membership increased from the original 21 to over 80.
Groundbreaking ceremonies were held at 10:30 a.m. on September 5, 1965, at 16:00 Buena Vista Drive, Vista, the site of the first permanent building for the Palomar Unitarian Universalist Fellowship. The ceremony was conducted by Robert Kintz, chairman of the Fellowship, who included in his remarks a quotation from the late A. Powell Davies, long-time minister of All Souls Unitarian Church of Washington, D.C.
"Let no one say that it is difficult to know what Unitarianism is, or that it contains no areas of agreement. It is the most affirmative of all religions, the boldest in its claims, and the widest in its outreach and inclusiveness.Instead of a creed; it agrees to follow the living truth, and sets its people free to do so. Instead of ritual pieties., it asks devotion to the deeds that make the world righteous and its people just.
It separates itself from no company of believers, whether Christian or otherwise, except as they deny its claim for freedom. It asks no wide dominion for its institution: oniyliberty of access for the its faith. It trusts that, in the years before us, Unitarian freedom will be claimed in all denominations, all communions; and meanwhile, it must humbly do its best to lead the way."
The act of "turning the soil" was performed by Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Dawson, donors of the 3 acre site. Also participating were Shirley Braun, Encinitas, Building Committee Chair; Colonel William Orton, Vista, first Fellowship Housing Chair; Gordon A. Colman, San Marcos, building contractor; Willard Francis, Fallbrook, architect; Robert Kintz, Chairman of the Fellowship; as well as a number of children from the Religious Education classes.
While the building was under construction, members of the Fellowship erected U. S. Army surplus arctic double-walled 16' X 16' Quonset tents on the acreage for use as classrooms and meeting hall. Three tents, end to end, served as a long room for Sunday Services. Individual tents; served as classrooms. Alfresco picnic luncheons and kite flying often followed the Sunday Services. From these rent.free shelters, members could watch the progress of the construction of their new building, which would be ready for use in the Spring of 1966.
The 5000 square feet building, circular in shape, continues to serve the congregation's needs.. The mortgage was paid off in 15 years in 1980. A festive mortgage-burning celebration was held to commemorate the occasion.
On May 28, 1988, the Fellowship celebrated its 30th anniversary with a program and picnic. Members invited friends and former members to the "homecoming." A special program event was the dedication of the main hall of the church building, naming it "Dawson Auditorium" in appreciation of Ida Dawson and her husband, the late Clarence Dawson, who had given the gift of land. (Ida was present on that special day and lived until August, 1995.) Clarence had served as treasurer for many years and Ida was involved in the Religious Education of the children of the congregation. In 1984 Ida was honored with the Clara Barton Award of the Unitarian Universalist Association "in grateful .recognition of her contributions to the live and spirit of the denomination and the Unitarian Universalist women's organization.
After 25 years as a lay-led group, the congregation called the first settled minister, the Rev. Virginia Stephens, on a part-time basis in 1982. She was followed by the Rev. Alexander M. (Scotty) Meek, Jr., the Pacific Southwest District Extension Minister, who served half-time from 1985 to 1987.
The Rev. Derek E.B. Kiewatt first came to the Fellowship as a guest speaker and consulting minister ill 1987. He served the congregation 2 years as a full-time Interim Minister, completing his ministry on June 30, 1991. During the Rev. Kiewatt's ministry, a major renovating project, including painting and carpeting, was undertaken in 1990. In additon to improvements in the Dawson Auditorium, the interior hallway was turned into a gallery. Outdoor security lighting was added. Much of the work was done by volunteers. New sub-floors were installed in the kitchen, nursery/pre-school and primary room, topped by no-wax linoleum tiles. The auditorium ceiling and cupola were cleaned and painted.
On February 1, 1992, the Rev. Carol Hilton and the Rev. Dwight Smith began their co-ministry at PUUF, facilitating the continuation of ongoing programs and initiating new programs and approaches. They speak all but one Sunday a month, while the Sunday Service Committee plans the Sunday Service for one Sunday of the month. Their ministry involves pastoral care, involvement in the total functioning of the Fellowhip life, as well as Sunday Services.
In 1997 and 1998, after funds became available through the sale of excess property, a complete renovation of the Fellowship building involved a greatly enlarged concrete and brick patio, a new concrete sidewalk at the front entrance, sloped sidewalk approaches for the handicapped, electrical work, new heaters and lighting, painting, new roofing, new window systems and doors, insulation in the walls and a new stucco exterior with new painted trims. Street improvements were made, with curbs, gutters and sidewalk along Buena Vista Drive and a new, improved entrance was made to the enlarged parking lot. A new lighted sign was installed at the street entrance. New landscaping borders Buena Vista Drive and the grounds have been graded and prepared for hydro seeding of low maintenance grasses and plants. Memorial gardens with trees and shrubs are planned.
In 1999, a gala 40th Anniversary celebration was held to show off the new look of the Fellowship and remember those who made it possible. Everyone agreed the prime goal of the Fellowship now was to grow until it could build and support a new Sanctuary. In the meantime, there was $700,000 left from the property sales sitting in the bank earning interest.
After a very successful ministry, Dwight and Carol decided to enjoy the fruits of retirement in 2003. After honoring them, the congregation turned its attention to finding a replacement. Because the next minister would serve through the capital fund drive, the building of the new Sanctuary and the transition into a multi-building campus, it was decided that a national search would be conducted. In the meantime, the Rev. Tom Owen-Towle, who was already familiar with the Fellowship would provide stewardship for a year.
During the year, the pace picked up on the new building. An Architect and builder were chosen and plans were drawn up. The ministerial search was successfully completed and Rev. Beth Johnson became our minister in September of 2004. The year was one of activity. A capital funds drive was run successfully and new building work continued. This year had a great milestone when at calendar year end, enough money had actually been contributed to qualify for a $200,000 grant from the Spirit Foundation. We have just completed a groundbreaking ceremony June 11, 2006
EARLY HISTORY OF THE RANCHO
Much interesting history precedes the time when the Mexican land grant was given to Robert Kelly and the Rancho Agua Hedionda Y Los Monos was formed. Spain first colonized and later ruled what is now California and Mexico. Missions were founded in California by Franciscan padres in the last half of the 1700s; San Diego Mission was the first to be established in 1769.
Great herds of cattle were driven from the San Diego Mission to Mission San Juan Capistrano. In those fenceless days, cattle, horses, and donkeys ranged wherever they pleased and fed upon grasses on the slopes surrounding our Fellowship's building site. In 1798 the San Luis Rey Mission was founded where Oceanside now stands and its large herds of cattle spread out over the countryside, ranging over this land. Mexico gained its independence from Spain in 1822 and California was under Mexican control. Eventually the Mexican government encouraged settlement of what is now Southern California by giving land grants. Many "'white" settlers (including many Irish and German families) came to farm and to raise cattle for beef and hides, among them the Kelly family, Ida Dawson's ancestors. There was a lucrative market in America and in Europe for cow hides, destined for shoes, and for tallow which was used in the manufacture of candles in those pre-electricity years. Clipper ships regularly shipped hides and tallow from Southern California to shoe factories in Massachusetts and candle factories throughout the eastern part of America. The ships also brought new settlers from Eastern America to this land before the California Gold Rush.
In those early days there were grizzly bears and small black bears here. Inland, the mountain sheep and beavers were plentiful. Herds of antelope roamed across the hills. California condors lived here long ago, too. When farming developed there were many squirrels here. Now, few squirrels and burrowing owls, who live in holes, dwell here. Farming and then residential development have decreased the populations of most of the mammals and many of the birds who once lived here. There used to be mule deer in the brush in protected areas in the vicinity when the Fellowship was first built. Until the early 1960s, cattle were on the site of the Fellowship. The PUUF building is the first building on our 10 acre site.
Some people look around Vista and deplore the development that they see -- commercial and residential. However, the greatest change to the environment and to the ecology of the area occurred when farming began over 150 years ago.