The creative sageing award was given to two people this year, Dr. Esther A. H. Hopkins and the Rev. Dr. David C. Pohl. The Rev. Phyllis Hubbell presented the awards on behalf of UURMaPA during a video conference call since our annual luncheon could not take place in person due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The citations follow:

Esther A. H. Hopkins

We honor Dr. Esther A. H. Hopkins for the varied and diverse paths taken in her retirement years. Dr. Hopkins had a distinguished career as a biophysical chemist and as a Patent Attorney. She was meanwhile an active member of her professional society, being a National Councilor of The American Chemical Society, (ACS) for more than thirty years, recognized by them as a Fellow.

Retiring from The Polaroid Corporation, she became a Deputy General Counsel in the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Meanwhile she was a Trustee of her alma mater, Boston University, serving twenty-two years as trustee and a further ten as an Overseer. She gave a Century Scholarship to the University.

After retiring from DEP, she went into politics in Framingham becoming the only Afro-American ever elected to a public office in the 317 years that Framingham was a town. She was a member of the Board of Selectmen and served a term as its chair. She also served on the finance committee, and the Tercentennial Commission, was elected to the Representative Town Meeting, and the Regional Vocational School Committee.

She was an active member of First Parish in Framingham and now, at 93 is active with the Unitarian Universalist Society of Martha’s Vineyard where she served on the Intern Committee, the Installation Committee and the Worship Committee. She represented the families of deceased ministers at the annual UUA Service of the Living Tradition, served on the Committee to Select the Hymnbook Commission, and endowed the UUA’s T. Ewell Hopkins Ministerial Aid Fund.

UURMAPA proudly honors Esther Hopkins with the 2020 Creative Sageing Award!

David C. Pohl

Before he retired, the Rev. Dr. David C. Pohl enjoyed a long and distinguished career in Unitarian Universalist ministry both as a settled minister and in later roles with the Unitarian Universalist Association Department of Ministry. Rev. Pohl retired in 1993 but returned to serve as interim Director of the Ballou Channing District.

Rev. Pohl worked in two major roles in his retirement. He served from 2003 until 2016 as First Vice President of the Unitarian Service Pension Society. The Pension Society provides Service Gratuities to approximately 350 retired UU ministers. Rev. Pohl also began work in 2003 as President of the UU Society for Ministerial Relief, a position he continues to hold. This organization provides needed financial support to retired ministers and their surviving partners. It holds an endowment of over $14 million; under Dr. Pohl’s leadership, it disburses over $400,000 annually in special and ongoing grants.

Rev. Pohl’s dedication to our faith has led him to take on innumerable other responsibilities throughout his retirement years including membership on the boards of trustees for Meadville Lombard Theological School and the Church of the Larger Fellowship. He was on the Placement Committee of the International Council of Unitarian Universalists, finding ministers to fill pulpits abroad during their sabbatical years. As a presenter for the UUMA’s Center program on Ministry, he led programs at half a dozen districts. But perhaps most importantly, he has also spoken at numerous ordination and installations and conducted or given eulogies for many colleagues and their partners. He has clearly touched many lives. He is a minister’s minister.

The Unitarian Universalist Retired Ministers and Partners Association (UURMAPA) is pleased to honor Rev. Pohl with its 2020 “Creative Sageing” Award!