ALL SOULS INSTALLS ITS TENTH SENIOR MINISTER
—by Lois Chazen

Accompanied by majestic music from the 16th to 20th centuries by Palestrina, Händel, Beethoven, Monteverdi, Gabrieli and Holst, the Rev. Dr. Galen Guengerich was officially installed as the tenth Senior Minister of the Unitarian Church of All Souls Sunday evening October 28, 2007. In the 188 years of this historic institution there have been remarkably few and remarkably notable leaders. Praise, confidence and warm encouragement to lead beyond the heights already achieved by previous ministers and congregations and a challenge to soar into the unknown were echoed by fellow clergymen and theologians who participated in the moving celebration of Dr. Guengerich’s acceptance of the congregation’s call. Before a capacity crowd of well-wishers in the Sanctuary, Diana Eck, world-renowned Professor of Comparative Religion and Director of the Pluralism Project at Harvard University, gave a stirring sermon. While praising the leadership role of All Souls in unifying today’s multi-cultural, multi-religious world, she urged continued dedication toward this goal. She expressed great confidence in Galen’s capabilities as well as affection, and challenged him “to surprise us,” to be bold in charting his ministry.

Following the Prelude “Canzona” by Giovanni Gabrieli played by Minister of Music Walter Klauss, and “The Call To Celebration” with triumphant music of the 18th century by George Frederic Handel, there was an impressive processional including all our ministers—past and present, guest speakers from Texas, Louisiana, Minnesota and Massachusetts as well as New York, members of the Church Board of Trustees and Deacons. The Processional Hymn “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” with music by Ludwig van Beethoven and the hymn “True Grace Impart,” with music by Giovanni Palestrina, had arrangements commissioned for the celebration by Bruce Saylor, a contemporary composer. The ever-splendid All Souls Choir was accompanied by instrumentalists. All together, the music from the choir loft was a thrilling accompaniment to the event.
		Participants waiting in the vestibule to process into the Sanctuary for the Service of Installation.

George Collins, President of the congregation, conducted the Rite of Installation with responses by Dr. Guengerich and the congregation: “… By common agreement we have called you to be our Minister,” he proclaimed. “We recognize this as a covenant between us. We would have you dwell among us, preach the truth in freedom, inspire and counsel us. We would have you lead us in the spirit of love and compassion, minister to us in times of joy and sorrow, and demonstrate, by word and example, the way of courage which calls us to account before justice….” Galen responded: “… I accept this call and promise to discharge it with my whole heart and mind, in the unity of the spirit and in the bond of peace.” The Congregation replied: “… Together our wisdom is greater, our vision wider, and our strength more resilient….”

		The Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy, President of the Interfaith Alliance and pastor at Northminster Church in Monroe, LA, gave the invocation and the Rev. Cheryl M. Walker, Assistant Minister at All Souls, led The Litany of Dedication while the Rev. Dr. Laurel Hallman, Senior Minister of the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, TX, gave the Charge To The Minister. The Rev. Robb Eller-Isaacs, President of the Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association and Co-Minister of Unity Church-Unitarian of St. Paul, MN gave the Blessing. The Rev. Jonathan Stein, Senior Rabbi at Temple Shaaray Tefila at 79th Street and Second Avenue read from Isaiah 61:1-4 and Elisabeth Sifton, Senior Vice President of Farrar, Straus & Giroux, author of The Serenity Prayer: Faith and Politics in Times of Peace and War offered an Installation Prayer. On a family note, Dr. Holly G. Atkinson,Galen’s wife, in opening words, described how she found All Souls, and Galen’s 14-year-old daughter Zoë lit the chalice. The ceremony ended triumphantly with “Allelujah” by Henry Purcell.
Rabbi Jonathan Stein reading from Isaiah 61.

Galen has been an innovator and strong pastoral presence as well as an erudite preacher in the thirteen years he has served as Associate and Co-Minister at All Souls. Galen completed his doctoral dissertation, “Comprehensive Commitments and the Public World: Tillich, Rawls and Whitehead on the Nature of Justice,” at the University of Chicago in 2004. He graduated first in his class from Princeton Theological Seminary. He is chairman of the Board of the Interfaith Alliance Foundation and is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. His articles appear frequently in professional publications and books and he participates in panel discussions nationwide. He may be heard on National Public Radio and twice monthly on Sunday “Morning Meditations” on WQXR. He is a past president of the Audubon Society and a member of the Advisory Board of Musica Viva. Galen was a Visiting Scholar at Union Theological Seminary. He conceived the idea of and participates in All Souls at Sundown, presented the first and third Sunday of every month in the Sanctuary. Jazz music is played with poetry readings by Galen.

Among Galen’s distinguished predecessors are Henry Whitney Bellows, who began his ministry in 1839 and remained on the pulpit for 43 years. Bellows was known for his articulate sermons. He was founder of the US Sanitary Commission during the Civil War, a founder of the Union League Club and the Century Association, a great friend of Horace Mann whom he assisted in founding Antioch College, and of Peter Cooper who founded Cooper Union. Bellows was active in The National Conference of Unitarian Churches as one of many efforts to increase church membership. The Rev. Dr. Walter Donald Kring came to All Souls in 1955 and retired in 1978. An alumnus of Harvard Theologial Seminary, he was a historian, with interests in Oriental religions and Chinese pottery of the Sung Dynasty. In his later years at All Souls he wrote a three volume history of the church. For many years he was a trustee of the UU Service Committee and President of the Board of Trustees of Beacon Press. He was an expert potter and his work was exhibited in museums.

Galen’s immediate predecessor, the Rev. Dr. F. Forrester Church, now the Minister of Public Theology at All Souls, delivered The Charge to the Congregation at the Installation. He urged the congregation: “To be who you are,” and “To give your heart, mind and soul to Galen.” He went on to say, “Unitarians are sometimes fetishists for Ralph Waldo Emerson’s admonition to be ‘Self-Reliant’.” Forrest advised, “Let Galen lead; he will lead you grandly.” Forrest was named Senior Minister of All Souls immediately after receiving his doctorate from Harvard in Early Church History and has served All Souls for nearly thirty years. Author or editor of 23 books and extremely popular on the lecture circuit and in the press, he has interest in government, politics, and the founding fathers. The son of US Senator Frank Church, Democrat from Idaho, he has served as a Director of the Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt Foundation for many years as well as on other Boards.

	The Congregation cheers Dr. Guengerich at the conclusion of the Service of Installation.
Prof. Diana Eck, Forrest & Galen sing a hymn.		Galen gives the Benediction.