A life-long Unitarian Universalist, Bruce Southworth grew up in Knoxville, TN where with his family he attended the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Church. He especially enjoyed the Sunday school where questions were not only welcomed but encouraged. The Youth Group, worship services, social justice activism, friendships, and broad nurturing spirit were also formative.
Bruce is an honors graduate of Harvard College and of Union Theological Seminary.
Upon graduation from Union, Bruce received the Traveling Fellowship awarded by the Faculty – the highest academic honor for a graduating M. Div. student.
From 1976 to 1979, he served the Roanoke Valley UU Church. He is deeply grateful for all they taught him about the arts and practice of Ministry.
Rev. Southworth was called by congregational vote to serve The Community Church of NY UU in 1979 as Colleague Successor to the Sr. Minister. In 1981 the congregation elected him Senior Minister, a position he began in 1982 upon the retirement of Dr. Donald Szantho Harrington.
On June 4, 2017, the congregation voted unanimously to designate him as Minister Emeritus upon his retirement. Excerpts from the Declaration of Emeritus Status follow:
“In recognition and deep appreciation of the contribution that Reverend Bruce Southworth has made to assist us in growing as a caring, justice-making, anti-racist, diverse, spiritual community, we, the members of The Community Church New York Unitarian Universalist, hereby confer upon him the status of Minister Emeritus…
“Since becoming our Senior Minister in 1982, Reverend Southworth has served our congregation with passion, compassion, and intelligence, encouraging us to be bold in our living and in our loving, in our giving and in our forgiving. Beyond mere encouragement, he led us by example through challenges and transformations, all the while helping us to remain anchored in our core values, including spiritual growth, as we confronted the multiplicity of needs and wishes of a very diverse congregation. He has served the members and friends of Community, both individually and collectively, throughout our joys and our sorrows; he walked with us through all the stages of life.
“Beyond his service to our congregation, Reverend Southworth has represented us and the values and principles of Unitarian Universalism in the larger community, not only through speaking out for social justice and against racism and other manifestations of injustice but also by being present on the front lines. He has put his beliefs into action throughout his journey across our nation and the world. He has striven boldly to do his part in making the world awaited become more nearly the world attained.”
Some highlights of his ministry:
For his preaching, Rev. Southworth has twice received the Clarence R. Skinner Award given annually by the Unitarian Universalist Association for the sermon best expressing the social ideals of Universalism.
In April 1990, in South Africa as part of a delegation organized by the American Committee on Africa, he met Nelson Mandela in his home in Soweto. In June 1990, Mr. Mandela visited Community Church during his 1st visit to NY, one of only two church visits he made then.
In 1994, with Nelson Mandela’s candidacy for President, he served as an election observer in Soweto, South Africa, as a member of the Religious Action Network of the American Committee on Africa, the oldest anti-apartheid organization in the U.S.
Among a host of groups, he was President of the Manhattan Division of the NYC Council of Churches, co-founder of the Interfaith Coalition Against Police Brutality, co-founder of Community Church’s nightly shelter for homeless men, Board member of RENA-COA Multiservice Center, and early supporter of the New Sanctuary Coalition NY.
Rev. Southworth is the author of This Day: Worship Resources For The Liberal Church and At Home In Creativity: The Natural Theology Of Henry Nelson Wieman. He is both contributor to and editor of Mahatma Gandhi – An American Portrait, and editor of the UUA pamphlet “UU Views on Jesus.” (2002)
As a denominational leader, he has served in a variety of elected and appointed positions nationally with the Unitarian Universalist Association. This web site includes a sample of sermons, spiritual reminders, Community Church history et alia.