Angie Forbes Found a Minister to Heal a Rift and Gave the First Money forForbes Hall

Everyone at the Unitarian church in Santa Monica called her Angie. She didnot want formality to stand in the way despite her proper appearance and eastcoast money. Angie Forbes was very much a part of the Unitarian Church in SantaMonica, and the social hall where much of our church life happens is named afterher.

Angeline Low Forbes came to Southern California in the 1950s, a widow,leaving her Massachusetts home to be with family that earlier came west. Shebought a house on Bonhill Road, north of Sunset, and sought out the UnitarianChurch in Santa Monica. She came from a Unitarian family and had been marriedto Dr. Roger Forbes, a Unitarian minister.

Angie’s story in the church really begins in the mid-'50s when the churchwas embroiled in controversy brought on by the fear and accusations of the McCarthywitch hunts. California had passed a law requiring a loyalty oath from non-profitorganizations and the church split almost evenly in half regarding the issue.It was a very tense and divisive time in our church’s history. The minister,Howard Matson, Angie, and some 80 other members wanted to get on with churchbusiness and signed the oath. The split in the church widened and Matson resigned.

Seventy members left and formed the West Los Angeles Unitarian church. Thoseremaining, including Angie, picked up the pieces.

A dark cloud hung over the church and many ministers, knowing the tensions,did not want the minister position. Angie Forbes was on the search committeeand in December, when she went to New England to be with family, she also visitedchurches to look for a new minister. One of her visits in January 1956 was tothe Unitarian Church in Albany, NY, where Ernie Pipes was minister. He had servedthere since graduating from Harvard Divinity School in 1952. After the service,Angie invited Ernie to lunch at her fancy hotel restaurant. She explained ingeneral terms the problems facing the Santa Monica church and that the churchneeded a healing ministry.

In August Ernie began his 35-year ministry at our church. After the Pipes familyhad settled in, Angie occasionally invited Ernie and Maggie to her house fordinner. They were served by a maid and enjoyed an Emily Post dining experience.

With a growing congregation in the late 50s (all churches grew during thosecomfortable Eisenhower years, says Ernie) the church needed more room. Angiewas on the building committee and put up the first money, which enabled thechurch to hire an architect and encouraged other contributions.

The construction included tearing down a small, unused parsonage at the westend of the church and tearing out the wall that separated the sanctuary fromthe kitchen and meeting rooms in the north side of the church. The huge beamreplaced the wall and opened up the sanctuary. The two-story addition at thewest end included a social hall, new kitchen, and upstairs classrooms.

Angie Forbes died before the new building was finished in 1960. The congregation,recognizing her contribution, voted to name the social hall Forbes Hall. Theycreated and hung a bronze plaque to honor her. Have you seen it? If so, youhave a picture of the woman who had a very significant role in the history ofour church. If not, see if you can find it. That’s a real
challenge.

— Nels Hanson