In Memory of Vivienne H. Chapman (December 10, 1927 – December 7, 2021)
Rev. Vivienne H. Chapman died on December 7, 2021, at the age of 94.
Vivienne was born on December 10, 1927, in Staten Island, NY to Rev. Paul Harmon and Violette Lafferty Chapman. As a daughter of a Unitarian minister, she attended Unitarian Universalist churches all her life. Her first two volunteer activities were joining the junior choir at age eight, and writing a church school play at the age of nine. From 1943 to 1945, she was an officer of the American Unitarian Youth (AUY). In 1949, she received her Bachelor of Arts from Wellesley College, MA, following which she spent several years teaching English.
Vivienne was an active layperson in religious leadership. She served the First Parish in Weston, MA (1956-1973) as a Religious Education (RE) teacher and as a member and chair of the RE Committee. She was a Delegate to the UUA General Assembly and organized church-sponsored modern dance classes for children and adults. She served as a RE Consultant to the First Parish in Milton, MA, (1968- 1971); and as a RE Director to the First Parish in Concord, MA (1971-1973).
In 1974, Vivienne earned her Masters’ degree in English/ Education from Tufts University, MA. She became a UUA Certified Director of RE in 1975. Subsequently, she served as a part-time RE Director at the First Parish in Brookline, MA (1976) and as a Director of Religious Education and Senior Programs at All-Souls Unitarian Church, Washington, DC (1982-1986). After spending twenty years of her life in two somewhat related professions: teaching secondary school English and working as a religious professional, she desired to serve as a parish minister to the denomination into which she was born. In 1987, she graduated from Harvard Divinity School with her Master of Divinity.
Rev. Chapman was ordained as a parish minister in 1988. Her first church was the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Lubbock, TX (1988). Her ministry at the Lubbock congregation marked increased Sunday attendance and a noticeable increase in membership. There was also a significant increase in contributions to the Annual Canvass. For the next ten years, Rev. Chapman taught in college as she accepted the position of Director of Residence at St. Margaret’s School, Tappahannock, VA, and then worked as an English Instructor at College of DuPage, Glen Ellyn, IL (1994-1998). Her work of teaching English to the first- generation immigrant women at the College of DuPage was highly meaningful to her. In 2000, Rev. Chapman re-entered religious leadership as a Director of RE at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Barnstable, MA. She rejuvenated the church school programs and the Adult RE.
Rev. Chapman was an active member of the DuPage UU Church, Naperville, IL. She served the DuPage’s Worship Committee and sang in the choir. She was the Religious Education Program Director for the Unitarian Society, MA (a small community South of Boston). She revived the struggling church school of 50 students and developed a robust lay Education Committee. In addition, she was an Education and Program Consultant to New Hampshire/ Vermont Unitarian Churches and a member of the Ohio UUMA Chapter (1986-1987). For the UU Meeting House, Chatham, MA she served as a Denominational Affairs Chair (2002-2012) and a Worship Committee Chair (2012-2019).
Rev. Chapman was involved in various church activities and sang in the church choirs all her life. She served the UU churches as a committed lay person, a Director of Religious Education, and a parish minister. She helped the congregations at all levels to explore their spiritual lives and find information about kinds of religious frameworks. She led adult education groups and provided training in leadership and teaching skills to the layperson involved in the RE Program. She provided pastoral care and guidance to children, youth, and adults.
Vivienne volunteered with the Toledo (OH) Interfaith Group; and the Lubbock (TX) Clergy Group. She was a member of WETA-Radio/TV, Washington, DC; the League of Women Voters; Boston Inter-Racial Group, and Planned Parenthood. She was a member and volunteer of Public Radio in several locations including Lubbock, TX. She enjoyed writing, drama, dance, hiking and backpacking, sewing, wood sculpture, and photography in her leisure time. Some of her published works include Drugs, Perspective for Parents, 1970 (over 20,000 copies distributed to communities in the Greater Boston area); and Understanding Ourselves and Our Feelings, UUA Department of Education; Project Experience, a proposal for occupational competency training for high school students, Boston Public Schools, 1975.
Vivienne is survived by her four children, Caroline Guild, Todd Guild, Katherine Guild, and Sylvia Guild Beaudoin; and her five grandchildren as well as nieces and nephews.
A memorial service was held at 2 pm on Saturday, July 30th, 2022, at the First Parish Church in Weston, 349 Boston Post Rd., Weston, MA 02493.
In lieu of flowers, please consider donating in her name to the Faith & Family Hospice Foundation, 420 Lakeside Ave., Suite 203A, Marlborough, MA, 01752.
Notes of condolences can be sent to the family care of Sylvia Guild Beaudoin, 4 Kendal Common Rd., Weston, MA 02493-2160.