The First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia

First Church was founded at Priestley's direction; however, while he spoke at various meetings, he initially advised the congregation not to employ a full-time minister.

Various members of the congregation formed a lay ministry during this period.

A graduate of the Theological Department of Harvard University, Furness became our Minister at the age of 22. A close friend of Ralph Waldo Emerson, Furness presided over a period marked by the growth and increasing prosperity for First Church. A fiery abolitionist, Furness was a supporter of the rights of all segments of society, including African-Americans and Jews. He also lived to see the construction of our current building in 1885 as our Minister Emeritus - a building designed by his son, the renowned Philadelphia architect Frank Furness.

Joseph May was born in Boston on January 21, 1836. He received an AB from Harvard in 1857. After several years in Europe, he entered Harvard Divinity School and graduated in 1865.  In January 1876, he became minister of the First Unitarian Church in Philadelphia, which he served for 25 years. After his retirement, he became pastor emeritus until his death on January 19, 1918. In 1886 he helped establish a community center for boys in Philadelphia known as the Evening Home and Library Association. He was a strong supporter of education for African Americans throughout his life. (Photo credit: F. Gutekunst Co., Philadelphia)

Rev. Frederick R. Griffin served as our minister for 30 years beginning in 1917. During this time, many of the Church's wealthiest families moved to the suburbs. The resulting decline in donations led Rev. Griffin to abandon the pew rental system and establish the Endowment Fund to provide a basis for financial stability. (Photo of Painting by Violet Oakley, 1936)

Rev. Dr. Harry B. Scholefield was fellowshipped and ordained in 1939. He received a D.D. from Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1963, and an S.T.D. from Starr King School for the Ministry in 1964. Scholefield, who was an Army chaplain, served congregations in Philadelphia, San Francisco, and Weston, Massachusetts during his distinguished career.  He was named Minister Emeritus of the First UU Society of San Francisco in 1973 and also taught at Starr King School. A proponent of the need for a spiritual life for all people, he was known to remark, "If you don't have a devotional life, you will dry up and blow away."

Victor Carpenter is a graduate of Harvard University Divinity School class of 1958.  He was a Merrill Fellow at Harvard (1974) and received a STD from Starr King School for the Ministry in 1987. Victor has served parishioners in First Parish Norwell, Massachusetts;  The Free Protestant Church of Cape Town, South Africa;  The First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia; Arlington Street Church in Boston, The First Church in Belmont, and The First Church of San Francisco. Rev. Carpenter also served as the President of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee 1988-1993; Chair of Witness for Peace in the Middle East 1990-1993; Chair, Horizon House for persons with disabilities 1972-1976; Chair, UUA Task Force on Disability 1994-1998. He has also served in numerous organizational boards including UUA Board of Review 1997-present and presently serves on the board of Tuckerman Coalition UUA Urban Ministry and Massachusetts Department of Mental Retardation Ethics Committee. graduate of Harvard University Divinity School class of 1958.  He was a Merrill Fellow at Harvard (1974) and received a STD from Starr King School for the Ministry in 1987. Victor has served parishioners in First Parish Norwell, Massachusetts;  The Free Protestant Church of Cape Town, South Africa;  The First Church of Philadelphia; Arlington Street Church in Boston and The First Church of San Francisco.Victor has served The First Church in Belmont for seven years and is graduate of Harvard University Divinity School class of 1958.  He was a Merrill Fellow at Harvard (1974) and received a STD from Starr King School for the Ministry in 1987. Victor has served parishioners in First Parish Norwell, Massachusetts;  The Free Protestant Church of Cape Town, South Africa;  The First Church of Philadelphia; Arlington Street Church in Boston and The First Church of San Francisco.Victor has served The First Church in Belmont for seven years and is graduate of Harvard University Divinity School class of 1958.  He was a Merrill Fellow at Harvard (1974) and received a STD from Starr King School for the Ministry in 1987. Victor has served parishioners in First Parish Norwell, Massachusetts;  The Free Protestant Church of Cape Town, South Africa;  The First Church of Philadelphia; Arlington Street Church in Boston and The First Church of San Francisco.Victor has served The First Church in Belmont for seven years and is graduate of Harvard University Divinity School class of 1958.  He was a Merrill Fellow at Harvard (1974) and received a STD from Starr King School for the Ministry in 1987. Victor has served parishioners in First Parish Norwell, Massachusetts;  The Free Protestant Church of Cape Town, South Africa;  The First Church of Philadelphia; Arlington Street Church in Boston and The First Church of San Francisco.

Rev. Brian Kopke was a teacher before entering the Unitarian ministry. He completed his work for the Unitarian-Universalist ministry at Harvard Divinity School at Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Brian was ordained in Duxbury, Massachusetts, in 1970. Since his service at the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, he has served at the First Unitarian Congregation of Ottawa. He now has dual citizenship in Canada and the U.S.

The Rev. Dr. Kenneth Collier was ordained at the Marin Fellowship of Unitarians in Marin California in 1979 after receiving his Masterʼs of Divinity at Starr King School for Ministry. He served at the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia, the Unitarian Universalist Church of Palo Alto, and the Unitarian Society of Santa Barbara, from which he retired in 2007.

Rev. Benjamin Peter Maucere
1992-2005

Rev. Holly Horn
1996-2005

A native of California and a graduate of Starr King School for the Ministry, the Rev. Maucere served as an intern at the First Unitarian Church of Oakland, California before accepting the call to Philadelphia. Rev. Maucere served from 1992 to 2005 at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Philadelphia. During the last nine of those years he was co-minister with his wife, the Rev. Dr. Holly Horn.

The Reverend Dr. Holly Horn has served Unitarian Universalist congregations in Berkeley and Vallejo, CA, Collegeville, PA, and most recently served as co-minister with her husband, the Reverend Benjamin Maucere, at the First Unitarian Church of Philadelphia. She received her Master of Divinity degree from Starr King School for the Ministry, and a doctorate in Theology and the Arts from the Graduate Theological Union, both in Berkeley, CA.

Rev. Nate was born in Germany, raised in Northern Nevada and received a M.Ed. and M.A. from Columbia University and a M.Div. from Union Theological Seminary.  For eight years he served congregations in various capacities in Boston and New York and Nate is nationally known for his social justice advocacy.  To learn more about his ministry visit www.NateWalker.org.