The Rev. Dr. Philip R. Giles

The Rev. Dr. Philip R. Giles, whose career spanned fifty-four years of distinguished service in parish ministry, denominational leadership, and armed forces chaplaincy, died on July 2, 2013, at the Illinois Veterans’ Home in Quincy, Illinois, aged 96.

Mr. Giles was especially energetic and influential in organizational work as the last General Superintendent of the Universalist Church of America (UCA) prior to its consolidation with the American Unitarian Association (AUA) in 1961. He later recalled that the Universalists were “wary of power and institutions,” and he set about to strengthen the UCA “so it could carry more of its weight in the merger.” Under his revitalizing program, Operation Bootstrap, some of the influence of independent state Universalist conventions was shifted to the national office, internal communication was improved, the UCA’s financial base was strengthened, ministerial pensions were increased, several congregations moved to new or renovated buildings, and publication was expanded. He saw these changes as essential for the future, whether for a self-sustaining UCA or in preparation for consolidation with the AUA. In the words of a family member,

“His commitment to the liberal religious movement mirrored his philosophy that each generation is responsible to help succeeding generations move forward. He always said, “Your generation doesn’t owe anything to mine. We hold you on our shoulders and you will do the same for your children.”

Philip Randall Giles was born in Haverhill, Mass. on January 23, 1917 to Nelson R. and Ina Butler Giles. He earned a B.A. from Tufts College and an S.T.B. from Crane Theological School, both in 1942, and later received honorary doctorates from Tufts and St. Lawrence University.

In 1939, during his student years at Tufts, Mr. Giles began parish ministry at the Universalist Church in Southbridge, Mass, where he was ordained by the Massachusetts Universalist Convention on May 10, 1942. Meanwhile, in June of 1941, he was married to Aurelie Proctor of Fayville, Mass. After ordination he entered the Army Air Corps as a chaplain, spending two years in New Guinea and several months in Tokyo during the occupation. Thereafter he joined the Air Force Reserves and was recalled to another stint (1951-53) of active military service as a wing chaplain at Connelly AFB in Waco, Texas, during the Korean conflict. His reserve chaplaincy status afforded him an instrumental role in the design of the spectacularly modernist Air Force Academy Chapel, completed in 1962 in Colorado Springs. He retired with the rank of colonel in 1977.

Returning to parish ministry after WWII, the Rev. Mr. Giles was settled at the White Memorial Universalist Church in Concord, New Hampshire from 1946 until 1949, when he joined the Universalist headquarters staff. There he served successively as director of fund-raising (Unified Appeal, 1949-51), assistant to the General Superintendent of the UCA (1953-1954), and then director of ministry and extension, before his own election as General Superintendent in 1957.

In 1961, having helped steer the final stages of UCA-AUA consolidation, Philip Giles served as UUA Vice President for Field Relations until 1963, then District Executive of the Joseph Priestly District, and returned to UUA headquarters as Vice President for Development (1970-74).

Resuming parish ministry, Dr. Giles was settled at the UU Church of Muncie, Indiana (1974-78), the First Universalist Church of Denver, Colorado (1978-82, where he was named Minister Emeritus in 1988), and the UU Church of Corpus Christi (1982-1983). He then embarked on a career in interim ministry, serving churches in Providence, Rhode Island (1983-84), Croydon, England (1984-85), Needham, Mass (1985-86), Melrose, Mass (1986), Middleboro, Mass (1987-88), Corpus Christi, Texas (winters of 1988-90), and Barnstable, Mass (1992-93).

Philip Giles came from a family of outdoor enthusiasts. He enjoyed camping, birding, fishing, and swimming. He and his family spent summers at various Universalist and Unitarian camps, institutes, and retreat centers around the country. He led workshops at Ferry Beach and Star Island in Maine, Camp Unirondack in the Adirondack Mountains of New York, Bridgman on Lake Michigan, and the Rocky Mountain District summer institute at Estes Park, Colorado.

In a letter of sympathy to an old friend, Mr. Giles once wrote:
“I have never been able to bid adieu, even for a time, gracefully and easily. It has always been easier to take refuge in a casual “See you later.” But that won’t do now . . . I have often wished I could take comfort in the Christian myth of immortality. But my mind won’t permit it. My comfort has to be with those we leave behind—immortality enough for me—but it does not assuage the hurt, the grief, the loss when dear ones go on ahead. It’s a lonely business, made tolerable only by the evergreen memories and pride of having been the recipient of their trust and love and friendship.”

Philip Giles was preceded in death by his wife, Aurelie, and a brother, Paul, of Concord, New Hampshire. He is survived by two daughters, Lee Giles Hirstein of Schaumburg, Illinois, and Susan Giles Godsey of Nehalem, Oregon, two grandchildren, a great-grandchild, nieces and nephews, and a sister-in-law.

Cremation rites were conducted for Dr. Giles. A memorial service was planned for a later date in St. Albans, Maine, site of the family cemetery since the 1760s.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Society for Ministerial Relief, c/o Glen Snowden, Secretary, 34 Meeting House Ln #201, Stow, Mass 01775.

Notes of condolence may be sent to Lee Giles Hirstein at 2442 Charleston Drive, #6, Schaumburg, Illinois 60193; or Susan Giles Godsey at P.O. Box 128, Nehalem, Oregon 97131.