In Memory of Ken Sawyer (July 5, 1944 – April 24, 2022)
Rev. Kenneth “Ken” W. Sawyer, died on April 24, 2022, at the age of 77.
Ken was born on July 5, 1944, in Summit New Jersey to Warren Folger Sawyer and Eleanor (Tomlinson) Sawyer. He graduated with his Bachelor of Arts in English from Amherst College, MA in 1966 following which he received his Bachelor of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School in 1970.
Rev. Sawyer was ordained on November 9, 1970, by the First Church of Houlton, ME (now the Unitarian Universalist Church of Houlton) where he served from 1970 to 1974. He helped the church create several working committees and then got the committees to play an active and creative role in church programming. During this time, he was also a regular supply preacher for the occasional services at the Universalist Church of Oakfield, ME. Thereafter, he served the First Parish in Wayland, MA (1974-2012). His 38 years of ministry at First Parish marked many changes, including congregational growth, more committees, building additions, etc. The church’s growth was reflected everywhere. In 1983, the Sunday school moved from a converted home across the street to a new Parish House outfitted with much-needed classrooms, offices, and meeting space. He nurtured the health of the church, fostered a spirit of warmth, acceptance, and an openness to diversity, and aided individuals in their religious quests through worship, religious education, and personal relationships. His insights strengthened the quality of ministry at First Parish and his talk sessions on Sunday evenings were well attended and bought more people to the church. Additionally, he mentored 18 ministerial interns during his tenure at First Parish. Upon his retirement in 2012, the congregation unanimously voted to designate him as their minister emeritus.
Rev. Sawyer faithfully served the UUA Ministerial Fellowship Committee from 1989 to 1996, strengthening the quality oF the UU Ministry and its standards. He served his Massachusetts Bay Chapter of the UU Ministers Association in many roles, and was chosen by his colleagues to serve as President of the UU Ministers Association from 2005-2008. In this role he initiated a major review of the UUMA Guidelines. He chaired the UUA Nominating Committee. His Board service included the UU Urban Ministry (formerly the Benevolent Fraternity of Unitarian Churches) over twenty-eight years, and the Church of the Larger Fellowship from 2001-2004. In 1981 he served as an exchange minister for the Unitarians in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1986, he was a faculty member for the UUA Preaching Seminar in Chicago. This led to his work with Rev. Jane Rzepka on their book, Thematic Preaching , which became a standard text for seminarians.
Ken was well accepted in the community and was active in various worthy civic projects as well as the local ministerial associations. In Maine, he was Co-chair for the Houlton Democratic Town Committee (1971-1974); and chair for the Southern Aroostook Community Coordinated Child Care Corp. (1971-1974). He served as a part-time chaplain for Ricker College in Houlton (1973-1974).
In Massachusetts, he chaired the Wayland Clergy Association, and Wayland Youth Advisor Committee; and co-chaired the Wayland Democratic Town Committee. He also taught “Ministry through Preaching” at Harvard University for 10 years.
Ken was a second-generation Unitarian who brought an innate understanding of the UU movement. He was a person of grace, wit, and integrity and was passionate about helping people work out their problems; helping people listen to each other, hear each other, and understand each other. He enjoyed counseling, public speaking, social action, working with people, and doing weddings. His preaching inspired, transformed, and left people with a renewed sense of hope. One of his published works is Perspectives: Sermons by Ken Sawyer, Wayland, MA (1984). In his spare time, he liked gardening, reading, biking, canoeing, and snowshoeing.
Ken is survived by his wife Carol Sawyer; and daughters: Amy Washek and Rebecca Howard.
A memorial service centered on Ken’s family, friends, and the First Parish in Wayland congregation was held on May 21, 2022. A celebration of Ken’s ministry and service to Unitarian Universalism will be held later this fall.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the First Parish in Wayland, Ken Sawyer Unrestricted Endowment, PO BOX 397, Wayland, MA 01778. OR to the UU Urban Ministry, Attn. Annie Stubbs, 10 Putnam St, Roxbury, MA 10019.