2020 Recognition Awards
February 1, 2020
First Unitarian Chuch of Dallas
2020 Robinson Award:
Susannah Garza, First Unitarian Church of Dallas
Jim Holmes, Red River Unitarian Universalist Church
The awards will be presented at our annual luncheon on February 1st, at First Unitarian Church of Dallas. Tickets are $20, or $12 for Students and Seniors and can be purchased online below.
We will also present the NTUUC grants to the congregations.
We offer our congratulations, and hope to see you at the luncheon.
Our Luncheon Speaker:
Rev. Dr. Rodney Lemery
Minister of Worthy Now Prison Network
"An Ever Expansive Faith"
The Prison Ministry of the Church of the Larger Fellowship provides us a unique look into our Unitarian Universalist faith movement. The stories and experiences of our incarcerated members demonstrate the power of an expansive theology that covers many of the faith traditions of the world. Please join us as we explore how these stories and experiences could and arguably should shape our own traditional brick and mortar spaces.
Rev. Dr. Rodney Lemery currently serves as the Minister of the Worthy Now Prison Network at the Church of the Larger Fellowship as well as a volunteer chaplain at the Solano County Jail.
He lives in Hercules, CA with his husband, a human-resources professional, and their fur-baby Basil. Rodney and his husband are members of the Mount Diablo Unitarian Universalist Church in Walnut Creek, CA where Rodney also holds a part-time assistant ministry job as the Justice Minister for the congregation.
Like lawyer and activist Bryan Stevenson, Rodney believes that "Each of us is more than the worst thing we’ve ever done." Rodney's theological foundation is rooted in process and relational thought and can be summarized it in the following terms: "The great mystery of life...the divine...or what some call G*d, is that aspect of the metaphysical that permeates all of the nooks and crannies of the universe creating a fabric of interconnections among all things. This deep connection calls us all to care, love, teach and learn from one another. Through this profound relationship between all of creation, we have the capacity to recognize a more whole, just and perfect world."
Reservations for Awards Luncheon
Channing Hall
First Unitarian Church of Dallas
The 2019 NTUUC Awards Committee
Carol Cappa - Westside UU Church
Elbert Hill - Red River UUChurch
Celeste Kennedy, Chair - Community UU Church
Elec Winner - Pathways UU Church
Daniel Polk ex officio - NTUUC Executive Director
2019 Recognition Awards
January 26. 2019
Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff
3839 W. Kiest Blvd., Dallas, Texas 75233
Our luncheon speaker will be Rev. Shari Woodbury - Westside UUC
"The Beating Heart of Liberation"
We are pleased to announce the recipients of the 2019 Robinson Award:
Kelly Cofield-Dyer, Red River Unitarian Universalist Church
Elizabeth Gustwick, Horizon Unitarian Universalist Church
Conrad Hamric, First Unitarian Church of Dallas
Dianne Nixon, Westside Unitarian Universalist Church
Beth Wasson, Pathways Church, a UU Congregation
The 2019 Clark Award goes to:
Lauren Daniell, Director of Lifespan Religious Education at Horizon Unitarian Universalist Church
The 2019 Raible Award goes to:
Rev. Dr. Daniel Kanter, Senior Minister, First Unitarian Church of Dallas
Tickets are $20 or $12 for Students & Seniors
You can use the registration form (button below) to purchase your event tickets or contact your congregation's NTUUC representative for additional details.
2019 NTUUC Awards Committee:
Nancy Foreman, Horizon Unitarian Universalist Church
Elbert Hill, Red River Unitarian Universalist Church
Celeste Kennedy, Chair, Community Unitarian Universalist Church
Elec Winner, Pathways Unitarian Universalist Church
Daniel Polk, ex officio, NTUUC Executive Directory
What are the NTUUC Recognition Awards?
Past Award Recipients and Ceremonies
2018 Award Recipients
Photos by Kathy Grey (l-r): Sharon Thompson, Gwen Lummus, Carol Franzen, Marilyn Alexander, Linda Frank, Sherri Randall, Wally Eakins
The Awards Luncheon for 2018 was held on February 3, 2018 at the
Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff.
Visit the events page for presentation details
and more information on our award recipients:
2017 Award Recipients
The Awards Luncheon for 2017 was held on January 28, 2017 at the
Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff.
Visit the events page for presentation details
and more information on our award recipients:
2016 Award Recipients
The Awards Luncheon for 2016 was held on January 23, 2016 at the
Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff.
Visit the events page for presentation details
and more information on our award recipients:
2015 Award Recipients
The Awards Luncheon for 2015 was held on January 31st, 2015 at the
Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff.
Visit the events page for presentation details
and more information on our award recipients:
2014 Award Recipients
(l-r): Anne Smith, Nelah McComsey, Gene Dailey, Marion Hill,
Jeff Bullock, Cherri Mayberry
The Awards Luncheon for 2014 was held on January 25th, 2014 at the
Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff
Visit the events page for presentation details
and more information on our award recipients:
2013 Award Recipients
(l-r): Marianna Seaton, Rev. Russell Elleven, Carolyn Cameron, Lauren Daniell,
Patsy Roe, Chet Smith, Ed Westmeyer
The Awards Luncheon for 2013 was held on January 12th, 2013 at the
Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff.
Visit the events page for presentation details
and more information on our award recipients:
2012 Award Recipients
(l-r): Scott Grey, Bruce Cameron, Nancy Foreman, Ray Enstam,
Natalie Briscoe, Ian Rule, Pam Wat
The Awards Luncheon for 2012 was held on January 21th, 2012 at the
Unitarian Universalist Church of Oak Cliff.
Visit the events page for presentation details
and more information on our award recipients:
2011 Award Recipients
(l-r): Daniel Polk, Karen Lewis, James (Ron) Suiter, Marla Loturco, John Myers, Gil Guerrero, Judy Gutierrez, Dick Hildenbrand, Missing:Rev. Laurel Hallman, Cindy Treece
The Awards Luncheon for 2011 was held on January 29th, 2011 at the
First Unitarian Church of Dallas.
Visit the events page for presentation details
and more information on our award recipients:
2010 Award Recipients
The awards for 2010 were on March 27th, 2010.
Visit the events page for presentation details
and more information on our award recipients:
Grants to Our Congregations
NTUUC Presents our annual grants to our congregations as part of the Award Luncheons. Complete details on the awards can be found on our:
NTUUC
Recognition Awards
2019
The Ruth Clark Award:
Lauren Daniell
The Robert Raible Award:
Rev. Dr. Daniel Kanter
Marty Robinson Award:
Kelly Cofield-Dyer
Elizabeth Gustwick
Conrad Hamric
Dianne Nixon
Beth Wasson
2018
The Ruth Clark Award:
Sharon Thompson
The Robert Raible Award:
none
Marty Robinson Award:
Alan & Gwen Lummus
Carol Franzen
Marilyn Alexander
Linda Frank
Sherri Randall
Wally Eakins
2017
The Ruth Clark Award:
Gene McKeon
Kathy Smith
The Robert Raible Award:
Rev. Mark Walz
Marty Robinson Award:
Barb Rodman
Bill Daffinee
Camilla Norder
Carole Harner
Ruby Hill
2016
The Ruth Clark Award:
none
The Robert Raible Award:
none
Marty Robinson Award:
Daniel Althoff
Cindy Fountain
Judy Hembree
Marge Stockton
Bunny Summerlin
2015
The Ruth Clark Award:
Lillian Drab-Braddick
Karl Thibodeaux
The Robert Raible Award:
none
Marty Robinson Award:
Deb Bliss & the Community Gardeners
Elbert Hill
Linda Ice
Sarah Reiling
2014
The Ruth Clark Award:
Cherri MayberryThe Robert Raible Award:
noneMarty Robinson Award:
Jeff BullockGene Dailey
Marion Hill
Nelah McComsey
Anne Smith
2013
The Ruth Clark Award:
Marianna SeatonThe Robert Raible Award:
Rev. Russell EllevenMarty Robinson Award:
Carolyn CameronLauren Daniell
Patsy Roe
Chet Smith
Ed Westmeyer
2012
The Ruth Clark Award:
Natalie BriscoeThe Robert Raible Award:
Rev. Pam WatMarty Robinson Award:
Bruce CameronRay Enstam
Nancy Foreman
Scott Grey
Ian Rule
2011
The Robert Raible Award:
Rev. Laurel HallmanThe Ruth Clark Award:
Gil GuerreroJudy Gutierrez
Karen Lewis
Marty Robinson Award:
Dick HildenbrandMarla Loturco
John Myers
James Ron Suiter
Cindy Treece
2010
Marty Robinson Award:
Mike EllsberryHoward McMahan
Myrtle McMahan
Amy Hoffman-Shehan
The Robert Raible Award:
Rev. Dennis HamiltonThe Ruth Clark Award:
Don Krehbiel
What are the NTUUC Recognition Awards?
We have named our recognition awards for service by ministers, lay staff members, and volunteers after three pioneers from our North Texas UU history. The Robert Raible Award honors the twenty-two year ministry at First Unitarian by the beloved ‘Daddy Bob,’ the Ruth Clark Award recognizes the many years of dedicated service by the first paid DRE in the Southwest Conference, and the Marty Robinson Award commemorates the decades of wide-ranging contributions of this treasured volunteer and member.
Ruth Reinhardt Clark
Ruth Rienhardt Clark was instrumental in building the Unitarian Universalist presence in North Texas. The first person to be a paid Director of Religious Education in the Southwest Conference, she was on staff at First Unitarian of Dallas, as well as a leader in the Women’s Alliance. In 1987, she and Harold retired to Denton where they joined the Denton UU Fellowship, and were active until Harold’s death in 2002, after sixty-five years of marriage. Ruth remained part of the congregation until her death in 2009, shortly after giving her blessing to naming our award in her honor.
With a warm smile and sparking blue eyes, she welcomed an ever-increasing number of children and parents to RE classes. Ruth found time for each and every child, and helped them all to feel special; it was that leadership that helped build the RE program into one nurturing two hundred children a year.
Ruth also helped build the programs at other NTAUUS congregations, mentoring numerous other Directors of RE and helping them ‘learn the ropes’ of implementing curriculums as well as recruiting and training teachers. We owe her a tremendous debt of gratitude for laying the foundation of our Religious Education programs.
Her boundless curiosity ranged from theology and the nature of the universe to science, poetry, art, mythology, literature and Texas birds and flowers; creative as well, she blessed many friends with her ceramics, drawings, and paintings. She had a rarely matched enthusiasm for life and great patience and affection for those around her, and this award is our attempt to pass on that zest for life.
Marty Robinson
Having first joined a Florida congregation, Marty Robinson became part of Jefferson Unitarian Church in the early 1970s, and headed up the RE program before moving to Germany. When she returned a few months later, she had to settle in Dallas - she said "she couldn't go back to Ft. Worth after they had given her such a big send-off!"
Marty went on to serve as President of First Unitarian in Dallas, and in 1986 helped found Horizon Unitarian Universalist Church in Farmers Branch/Carrollton. She has been instrumental in its continued growth and success, serving in many capacities, including President and chair of Pastoral Caregivers.
Marty has also served as President of SWUUC, (the SW District of the UUA) and Chair of Volunteers for the 1994 General Assembly in Ft. Worth.
Rev. Robert Jules Raible
The Rev. Robert Jules Raible was minister of First Unitarian Church of Dallas from 1942 until 1964. When he arrived in Dallas, the congregation had 175 members and was meeting in rented space; five years later, they had purchased land on Preston Road and moved into their current home. By the end of his tenure, three building phases had been completed, with the new sanctuary completed in time for his retirement.
"Daddy Bob," as he was affectionately known, had "a twinkle in his eyes and a warm tone in his voice that made everyone he met feel special," according to Elaine Wildman, whose wedding ceremony he performed in 1955. He was especially good at persuading all to be involved, but did not hesitate to send someone to another church if our theology was not a good fit. When a person would announce their desire to join, he would first ask, "Have you been to XYZ Church?" He also worked for social justice in conjunction with Temple Emmanu-el at a time when there were few liberal voices in the area, and publicly pressured the Dallas school board to move ahead with desegregation.
Though he was not large physically, his legacy is not minor: he helped build First Unitarian into a strong and viable institution as well as starting the congregations in Oak Cliff, Denton, and Fort Worth. He even maneuvered to have new congregations accepted chronologically instead of alphabetically so that Oak Cliff, after the 1961 merger, would be the first chartered by the Unitarian Universalist Association. Raible Place is appropriately named in his honor, as it was the first integrated apartment complex in the North Texas area and the national ideal for the HUD program that helped us build this affordable housing project. Its sale in 2001 provided the endowment which continues to today help build our congregations.
It is with this history that we named the NTAUUS(now NTUUC) ministry award for Daddy Bob, who did so much to establish our faith institution in North Texas.