50th Anniversary Celebration!

A History

In October 2004, Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Church celebrated its 50th anniversary, measured from the October 17, 1954 service on the University of Maryland, College Park campus. It has been an eventful 50 years, so eventful that it took a full four weeks to celebrate!We are currently collecting photographs and memories of all these events to preserve on this part of the PBUUC Web site.

Please send any recollections you have of these events, or photographs, to techgeeks@NOSPAMpbuuc.org [after removing the text NOSPAM from the e-mail address]. Watch this page take shape over the next few months.

The four weekend of celebrations were the:

• Arts Weekend (October 15-17)
• Founders, Movers & ShakersWeekend (October 23-24)
• Social Action Weekend (October 30-31)
• 50th Anniversary Finale Weekend (November 6-7)

All the events were highlighted in the Invitation to the Celebration, which also included the Paint Branch 50th logo, a watercolor painting of PBUUC member Jane Trout. Kudos to Rene McDonald and her Anniversary Celebration Team!

Arts Weekend: October 15-17, 2004

Friday

• Drama Workshop: Robin Walbrook opened the festivities by leading a small group in improvisional theatre.

Saturday

• Children's Dance Workshop
• Children's Visual Arts Workshop
• Banner Production

Sunday

• Worship Service: The Art and Spirit of Paint Branch, Rev. Barbara Wells ten Hove. This service included poetry readings, music from the choir, and the Chalice Dancers.
• Art Exhibit: A exhibition of works of Paint Branch artists opened with an Artists Reception after the service. This exhibit remained on our walls throughout the celebration.
• Concert

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Founders, Movers & Shakers Weekend: October 23-24

Saturday

• Dinner Dance at Riderwood: A reunion ingathering of Paint Branchers near and far. (List of attendees).

Sunday

• Worship Service: Founders Day Service, all Paint Branch ministers in attendance, and others as well!
• Glen Ceremony: In memory of Betty Larson, the first Director of Religious Education at PBUUC.

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Weekend of October 31

Saturday

• Forum: "An Insider's view of the International Criminal Court" John Washburn, guest speaker
• Workshop: Environmental/ Health Issues

Sunday

• Worship Service: Wrestling Less with Angels than with Prophets, Rev. Jaco ten Hove. (Social Action Theme from Order of Service)

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50th Anniversary Finale Weekend: November 6-7

Saturday

• Open House: Paint branch was open to visits by our neighbors; who were delivered invitations by a small group led by Marge Owens.

Sunday

• Worship Service: The Liberal Church in a Fundamentalist World, Rev. William Sinkford, President of the Unitarian Universalist Association.
• Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony: The rebuilt RE building was not quite ready yet, but that didn't stop Rev. Sinkford and the RE-Build team from cutting a ceremonial ribbon anyway!
• English Cream Tea: The Ethnic Dinner crew held its first event of the 2004-5 church year as an afternoon tea, a grand Grand Finale indeed!

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