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In Memoriam: the Rev. Dr. Edwin R. Edmonds

NEW HAVEN (11/07/2007) -- The Rev. Dr. Edwin R. "Doc" Edmonds, Pastor Emeritus of the Dixwell Avenue Congregational Church UCC in New Haven, died at his home on November 6, surrounded by his family. He was 90 years old.

In a message to the authorized ministers of the Connecticut Conference, Conference Minister Davida Foy Crabtree wrote:

"Dr. Edmonds came into the United Church of Christ when Dixwell Avenue Congregational Church in New Haven was seeking a new minister. For the next 35 years, Doc served that church with great creativity and deep commitment to the welfare of the city. His was a prophetic voice raised fearlessly against any powers that ignored or trod on the poor or anyone experiencing discrimination.

"Whether in New Haven, in the Conference, or in the national setting of the UCC, Dr. Edmonds was a force to be contended with: articulate, scholarly, passionate and unrelenting. He was one of the founders of the national UCC Commission for Racial Justice in 1967, and a leading advocate against racism and for full inclusion of all people in the life of the Church. Within our Conference, he developed the Ecumenical Minority Empowerment Corporation and worked always to build coalitions of the faithful to create a more just society.

"At Dixwell, Doc built a church that stood powerfully for civil rights, housing and community development, and the concerns of children, public schools and the arts. Following his retirement, Dr. Edmonds became an active member of Church of the Redeemer in New Haven and continued his membership there until his death yesterday.

His reception into God's great embrace is sure. This was a giant of a man, intellectually, spiritually and prophetically. I encourage you to set aside the time to come to his memorial service on the 24th as a testimony to his remarkable leadership and his faithful devotion to the Gospel of Jesus Christ."

A service in celebration of Dr. Edmonds' life and ministry will be held at 2:00 pm on Saturday, November 24th, at Center Church in New Haven.