A brief history of Unity of Springfield
A positive path for spiritual living.
The Beginning
1933: Marian Hoagland starts a small study group in her home at 449 E. Monroe, called Springfield Unity Center.
1940: The group moves to a converted home at 224 W. State, renamed Springfield Unity Center of Practical Christianity.
1943: Rev. Fannie Baldwin conducts services after Hoagland moves away.
1945: Polly Weeks becomes the full-time leader as the result of a special dispensation from the Unity Field Services Department; she continues her studies and is ordained to the Unity ministry in 1954.
Changing Locations & Names
1949: The Center moves to 213 E. Chestnut, a former Swedish congregational church and later a Presbyterian mission known as Leard Chapel.
1958: The Chestnut location is razed to make way for the new Chestnut Trafficway; the group relocates to 1300 E. Elm. The remodeling includes a peaked belfry for a large brass bell from the old Greenfield Academy.
1960: Rev. Robert Nutter becomes the minister; his wife, Roselle, is also an ordained minister.
1962: Howard Bradford succeeds Nutter.
1965: Rev. Tom Newman assumes leadership.
1966: The name changes to Christ Church Unity.
A New Building
1967: Rev. Ken Tiffany becomes the minister.
1968: Rev. David Schumacher takes over leadership in March.
1969: Unity moves to its current location at 2214 E. Seminole after the merger of Brentwood Evangelical United Brethren Church with Schweitzer Methodist makes the Brentwood property available. Schumacher institutes “Instant Inspiration” and “88-CHILD” (prerecorded telephone messages) and establishes the Unity Art Gallery. Under his leadership, satellite churches or study groups begin in Joplin, Branson-Hollister, Shell Knob, Mountain Grove, and Buffalo.
Leadership
1982: Following Schumacher’s death in July, Rev. Paula McClellan from Unity Village becomes Interim Minister and later the permanent minister in November, alongside her husband Foster.
1983: Rev. Douglas Bottorff becomes the minister; Sue Baggett becomes the secretary and later the Administrator. Bottorff leaves for Colorado in February 1995.
Expanding
1997: The church operates with guest speakers until the hiring of Rev. Jacqueline Mace in August.
1999: The home next door at 2302 S. Luster is purchased for $66,000 to be used as additional space for classes.
2001: Mace relocates to North Carolina in April.
2002: Rev. Dennis Young becomes the minister in November until September 2003.
New Leadership
2005: Rev. Glen Mosely, President of the Association of Unity Churches, offers Sue Baggett the opportunity to become the Spiritual Leader of Christ Church Unity. The Board agrees, and she accepts. On January 1, 2006, Sue Baggett-Day officially becomes the Spiritual Leader.
2009: The Luster house is redecorated and designated as the ‘Teen House’ for Uniteens and Youth of Unity meetings. Sue marries Sean Spears and becomes Sue Baggett-Spears. Sean passes away in 2014.
2011: Christ Church Unity is rebranded to Unity of Springfield on July 6. The Sanctuary pews are replaced with comfortable chairs, and the carpet is replaced. A retractable screen is purchased for the Sanctuary.
2012: A new branded sign is obtained.
2013: Unity of Springfield celebrates its 80th anniversary.
2014: The 80th-anniversary celebration, initially scheduled for December 2013, is held in April due to hazardous weather conditions.
2020: Sue Baggett-Spears marries Paul Day and becomes Sue Baggett-Day, retaining the title of Spiritual Leader.
Life is good and it just keeps getting better!
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