Etz, Roger F. (Roger Frederick), 1886-1950

Roger Frederick Etz (1886-1950) graduated from Tufts College with an AB in 1909 and an STB in 1910. Etz was ordained into the Universalist ministry in 1913, and was then pastor at the White Memorial Universalist Church in Concord, New Hampshire. His other pastorates included the Universalist Church in Charlestown, Massachusetts, the Universalist Church of the Redeemer in Newark, New Jersey, and the First Universalist Church of Medford, Massachusetts. During World War I, Rev. Etz left his parish to become a representative of the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in France. Upon his return from the war in 1919, he accepted the position of executive secretary of the Universalist General Convention. In 1928, he also accepted responsibility as the general superintendent of the Universalist General Convention, a post he held until 1937. The most significant decision of Rev. Etz's term as general superintendent was rejecting an opportunity to merge with Congregationalism. Instead, he sought closer ties to Unitarianism, which eventually led to the merger of Universalism and Unitarianism later in the twentieth century.

Universalist minister. A.B. Tufts, 1909; S.T.B. Tufts, 1910. Served churches in Concord, N.H. (1913-1917); Charlestown, Mass. (1922-1929); Newark, N.J. (1938-1941); and Medford, Mass. (1941-1950). Etz was general superintendent of the Universalist General Convention from 1929 to 1937. He also served as secretary of the Convention (1919-1937) and as secretary of the Massachusetts Universalist Convention (1942-1946).