Heirlooms of UCN History #33
by Will Frank
Despite the introduction of extensive programming for the young Unitarian Church of Norfolk in 1930-33, the church did not grow in numbers or in its ability to be on its own without a major subsidy from the American Unitarian Association. The lecture series by the Rev. Horace Westwood to attract townspeople to learn about liberal religion, the combined Laymen’s League and Women’s Alliance meetings with prominent figures in the community as speakers, the active and growing Church School for all ages, the successful Forum discussion group now held in the evening, the increasingly frequent church suppers, the new carpeting in the sanctuary, the increasing stewardship of the church by active members, and the capable and enthusiastic leadership of the Rev. Harry and Mary Lutz – all these and more everyone expected would produce solid growth. Yet as 1931 went into 1932 and into 1933, that was not happening. Adult attendance at worship services hovered around 20 for years and the treasury did no better.
Of course Unitarianism was a strange religion to many in the community, but the church was accepted and the minister welcomed into the ranks of the association of clergy. Of course the Great Depression was at its depths, but other churches kept their attendance up. Of course the severe winter of 1932-33 reduced attendance on Sundays with snow storms, but attendance did not pick up when the weather was clear. Of course the attendance at Church School dipped during an epidemic of measles, but waves of communicable diseases did not last forever. The church buried some of its older members, but young couples came in, exclaiming that the free church was a great asset to their lives. Yet active membership did not grow, and if the attendance one week would be 19, and then 22 the next, on the third week it would be down to 18. What could be done?
In early 1933, with the AUA, itself financially stretched thin during the Depression, receiving a steady stream of discouraging attendance and financial reports from Norfolk, decided something had to be done. AUA officials in Boston decided to invite Harry Lutz to Boston for the May Meetings [predecessor of today’s General Assembly] to reach a decision. The AUA officials and Lutz engaged in thorough and frank discussions of the problems faced by the AUA and what might be done about Norfolk, which continued to be a drain on the AUA treasury. In the end the decision was that a change of ministers might be a way out. Although the Lutzes were happy in Norfolk, Harry Lutz was agreeable to whatever the denominational leaders thought best. They did, after all, pay his salary. And perhaps some other minister, with different gifts, could jump-start the Norfolk church.
Lutz went back to Norfolk to finish out the church year, reporting on the full and enjoyable meetings in Boston and regretting that other church members could not attend, but kept his pending resignation to himself. That summer, while the church was closed for the hot summer months, Harry and Mary Lutz went to their camp in Maine to relax, but AUA officials followed him there to talk further about the need for a change. They decided that Lutz would hand in his resignation in early December, by which time the AUA would have selected a successor who might pull the Unitarian Church of Norfolk out of the doldrums. However, the AUA could not find the right minister, and asked Lutz to stay on for awhile.
When the Rev. Walter R. Hunt, the Secretary of the AUA, came to Norfolk in January 1934 to consult with Lutz on the proper moment for announcing the resignation, he found the congregation full of enthusiasm for the Lutzes as their leaders and for the publicity campaign being organized with the hope that it would fill the pews. The AUA still had no replacement for Lutz in the Norfolk pulpit. Yet Hunt and Lutz quietly agreed that Lutz would tender his resignation that May. The as yet unaware congregation was soon to be in for a big unwelcome surprise.