How We Got Here – A Brief History of Unity Lincoln

• • The earliest known Unity presence in Lincoln was a study group that formed in 1937.  It is unknown when Mabel Peck arrived to lead.
  • In 1942 Rev. Mabel Peck left this Unity Truth Center, and interim ministers from Unity Village, Missouri, and Omaha kept the group active into the 1960’s.
  • In 1982 Rev. Frank Munkel, assistant minister at Unity Church of Omaha started a study group again in Lincoln. It met mid-week at the Gaslight Village, Gateway Realty, and the YWCA.  The first Sunday service was held in the basement of the Bethany Medical Center with 18 attending.
  • In 1983 the first board of directors was elected and a Sunday school was started.  During this year bylaws were adopted and the new ministry was accepted into the Association of Unity Churches with Rev. Louise Munkel joining Frank as co-minister.  There were twenty-seven members, eighteen of whom were service affiliates or had their primary membership in another church.  Classes began and social activities were expanded.  A church brochure was developed.
  • In February of 1985 the present building was leased on a three-year contract, with the option to purchase it at the end of the lease for $70,000.  Many improvements were needed on the building, and the congregation pitched in to make these improvements.  A 9 a.m. celebration service was begun.
  • In May of 1989, the membership voted to purchase the building at 135 N. 31^st Street, our present home for the price of $70,000.
  • In 2008 – 2009 the church received generous gifts totaling $107,000, setting Christ Unity Church on a decidedly new financial footing.  On January 21, 2009, the mortgage was paid in full , and celebrated with a mortgage burning ceremony.

   

• In October, 2011, the congregation voted to change our name to Unity Lincoln.
• Unity Lincoln has MOVED, to 1941 N. 68th Street!
  THANK YOU, GOD!

Our Ministers and Spiritual Leaders:

Study Group, 1937

Rev. Mabel Peck, 1942

Rev. Frank and Rev. Louise Munkel, 1982

Rev. Les McClelland, 1990

Rev. Heather Withers, 1994

Rev. Donna Unfried hired as an interim specialist minister, 1998

Rebecca Hudson, a Licensed Unity Teacher, was hired as Spiritual Leader in May, 1999

Rev. Cindy Sickler was hired as temporary minister in August, 2001

Rev. Ed Reifer began as minister November, 2001

Rev. Gerry Sickler & Rev. Cindy Sickler, Transitional Ministers, 2003

Rev. Carole Lunde began as minister November, 2004

Rev. Toni Stephens Coleman began as minister January, 2014