In 1946, a young liberal, The Rev. Jack Mendelsohn, came from Chicago to assume the pulpit. He became identified with Rockford s Mental Health program, which had previously been initiated by Dr. Connolly. One of the many current members who fondly remembers Jack s ministry commented:

JM Day in Rockford occurred shortly after VJ Day. Jack was almost an instant hit. He was an eloquent speaker, warm companion, and charismatic leader. He attracted lively young (at the time) people to the church, and had great rapport with older Members.

Jack Mendelsohn

It was in 1953 that Kay Hotchkiss began to serve the music program of this church, which she did for 50 years until her retirement in 2004.

Jack Mendelsohn left Rockford in 1954 to serve in Indianapolis and later moved to the Arlington Street Church in Boston, where he achieved notoriety for his opposition to the Vietnam War. He later ministered to the First Unitarian Church in Chicago, and The First Parish in Bedford, MA, from which he retired in 1991. He now serves as an interim minister.

In 1954 the Rev. Victor Goff arrived from Massachusetts with his wife and three children, to live in the newly-acquired parsonage on Brown Avenue. The Goffs were both enthusiastic leaders in all facets of the church program and were greatly missed when Vic accepted the position of Director of the Pacific Coast Conference of Unitarian Churches in 1957.