Staff Biographies
Minister
affiliation with that church, and Bruce continues to value the legacy of that experience. He
attended Anderson College, where his father taught sociology, graduating with a degree in
Political Science. Two years later he earned an M.A. in Political Science at Georgetown
University in Washington, D.C. Bruce worked for seven years at the Library of Congress, first
with the Congressional Research Service, then with the U.S. Copyright Office.
In 1979, he entered Meadville Theological Seminary, a Unitarian Universalist school affiliated
with the Divinity School of the University of Chicago. Bruce graduated in 1983 with a M.A.
degree in Religion from the University of Chicago, and a D.Min. degree from Meadville. He
served a year's internship at the First Unitarian Church in Portland, Oregon.
congregation's first minister in its 40 year history, and during his tenure, the congregation grew significantly and built a new
building.
Bruce came to All Souls in Indianapolis in 1993 and found a congregation with deep roots and a respected reputation both in the
Unitarian Universalist tradition and in the history of the Indianapolis community.
Bruce says:
"All Souls represents to me much of the best that can be found in a church community.
Tradition
"I am the kind of person who finds meaning in tradition, and in coming here I found a century worth of tradition, since 1903, of
promoting the values of freedom, reason, and tolerance in religion. Sometimes on the cutting-edge of contemporary thought, and
at other times as the guardian of tested values, this congregation has a solid past on which to build.
Diversity
"In coming to All Souls, I found a UU congregation that seeks to honor diverse religious and philosophical ideas. There is no
question that the religious heritage at All Souls is firmly in the tradition of religious humanism. Yet today's members seem eager to
explore beyond the boundaries of the past, and as a result various members of the congregation embrace a wide spectrum of
religious ideas: theism, agnosticism, Buddhism, Christianity, New Age thought. The congregation is also not of one mind on
political and social policy issues, though all are committed to principles of religious freedom. I find this diversity personally
invigorating, even when it can be challenging to nurture such differences.
Community
"A church works to the extent that it provides a community of people with shared values. They may not think alike on all issues,
but they find in this community more than just a forum for ideas. This is a place where the generations can mix and learn from
each other, where the strains and joys of life, its triumphs and its grief, can be shared with others who care. A 'covenant' is a
statement, not of shared belief, but of shared aspiration and responsibility, and when we are at our best, this community reflects
the sentiments of our covenant:
Love is the spirit of this church,
and service is its law:
to dwell together in peace,
to seek the truth in love,
and to help one another.
Lay Leadership
"I have found at All Souls a treasure of dedicated people, committed to making this church effective. The Unitarian Universalist
principle of democratic organization in our churches means that ministers must rely on the leadership of the members. All Souls is
fortunate to have enough great leaders as to make it appear that the minister is doing a good job! I also enjoy the fact that the
members and lay leaders of their church know how to have fun!
Focus on Tomorrow
"All Souls distinguished history is balanced with a forward looking vision of the church's future. A successful capital campaign
has made possible a building expansion and general update of our facilities. This congregation takes seriously its role as the
custodian of the values of liberal religion in Indianapolis."
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