Rev. Dr. Sidney D. Fowler
First Congregational United Church of Christ
309 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001.
Reverend Dr. Richard B. Griffis, United Church of Christ (UCC) pastor and
former national staff member, died in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday morning, December 6. Through his long ministry, Richard served the church through a remarkable variety of settings – as a pastor of local churches, with both the conference and national settings of the UCC, and through justice and inter-religious activism. He was 77.
Richard had standing in the Connecticut Conference serving as senior
minister of Immanuel Congregational UCC, Hartford, for thirteen years. He also served as an interim minister at Round Hill Church in Greenwich, at
Congregational Church of Union, and as Interim Minister of Stewardship and Mission Interpretation for the Connecticut Conference. For the Capitol Region Conference of Churches, Richard was co-director of Breakthrough to the Aging. He also served Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, First Congregational UCC of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and First Congregational UCC in Grand Marais MN. In 1965, while serving First Congregational UCC of Minnesota, Richard marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. at Selma, Alabama. Richard was the founder of the Connecticut Committee for Interreligious Understanding Along with his wife, Anne Hungerford Griffis, they served with the American Friends Service Committee in Nigeria in assisting with relief and reconstruction after the Biafra civil war. From 1972-1977, Richard served on the
staff of the former UCC Office for Church Life and Leadership in New York City and as assistant to Robert Moss, President of the UCC.
Since 2002, Richard and Anne have been living in Washington DC near their sons, Geoffrey and Roger, and their families including 5 grandchildren. In DC, Richard was an active member of First Congregational UCC – serving on the Church Council, Social Action and Awareness Commission, and as a frequent preacher and worship leader. He was a Board member of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area, member of the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, member of the Steering Committee of the Unity Walk, and trustee of the Endowment Fund of the American College in
Madurai, India.
First Congregational United Church of Christ
309 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001.
Reverend Dr. Richard B. Griffis, United Church of Christ (UCC) pastor and
former national staff member, died in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday morning, December 6. Through his long ministry, Richard served the church through a remarkable variety of settings – as a pastor of local churches, with both the conference and national settings of the UCC, and through justice and inter-religious activism. He was 77.
Richard had standing in the Connecticut Conference serving as senior
minister of Immanuel Congregational UCC, Hartford, for thirteen years. He also served as an interim minister at Round Hill Church in Greenwich, at
Congregational Church of Union, and as Interim Minister of Stewardship and Mission Interpretation for the Connecticut Conference. For the Capitol Region Conference of Churches, Richard was co-director of Breakthrough to the Aging. He also served Plymouth Congregational Church in Minneapolis, First Congregational UCC of Minnesota in Minneapolis, and First Congregational UCC in Grand Marais MN. In 1965, while serving First Congregational UCC of Minnesota, Richard marched with Martin Luther King, Jr. at Selma, Alabama. Richard was the founder of the Connecticut Committee for Interreligious Understanding Along with his wife, Anne Hungerford Griffis, they served with the American Friends Service Committee in Nigeria in assisting with relief and reconstruction after the Biafra civil war. From 1972-1977, Richard served on the
staff of the former UCC Office for Church Life and Leadership in New York City and as assistant to Robert Moss, President of the UCC.
Since 2002, Richard and Anne have been living in Washington DC near their sons, Geoffrey and Roger, and their families including 5 grandchildren. In DC, Richard was an active member of First Congregational UCC – serving on the Church Council, Social Action and Awareness Commission, and as a frequent preacher and worship leader. He was a Board member of the United Nations Association of the National Capital Area, member of the Interfaith Conference of Metropolitan Washington, member of the Steering Committee of the Unity Walk, and trustee of the Endowment Fund of the American College in
Madurai, India.
A memorial service will celebrate Richard’s life and faith on Sunday,
January 15, at 4:00 pm at First Congregational UCC in Washington, DC. The service will be only the third worship service in the new downtown building that Richard was instrumental in supporting its construction.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly suggests donations to the United
Nations Association, National Capitol Area (UNA 2000 P Street NW Suite 630, Washington DC 20036) and First Congregational UCC (309 E Street NW,
Washington DC, 20001).
