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CHAPTER X
NATIONAL
AUXILIARY BODIES
In most
denominational organizations the various functional age and sex groups are
integral parts of the total
organization. In the Universalist and Unitarian denominations many of them are separate and independent
organizations though they operate
for the most part in close cooperation with the churches on the one
hand and the denominational headquarters on the other. In most cases they
are housed at the headquarters and in one way or another contribute to or
are partly supported by the denomination.
Already the two
independent and completely merged functions — religious education in the
C.L.C. and youth work in the L.R .Y. — have been discussed. Descriptions of
three other auxiliaries are in this chapter: the men’s organizations, the
women’s organizations and the Minister’s organizations.
MEN’S
ORGANIZATIONS
Each
denomination has a separate organization for men’s work. In the Unitarian
denomination it is the Unitarian Laymen’s League
and in the Universalist denomination it is the National Association of
Universalist Men.
Unitarian
Laymen’s League
The U.L.L. was
organized in 1919 “for the purpose of en1isting active participation of
laymen in the thought, the work
and the worship of the liberal fellowship.” Originally it operated in the
general luncheon club pattern in local churches. In recent years,
however, the local groups have given their attention to projects of various
kinds, working by means of a variety of committees.
In May, 1958,
there were 107 active chapters with 3,301 members and in
addition 361 members—at—large, men who wanted to he identified with the
League although no organized chapter was accessible to them.
The national
organization is made up of delegates from the chapters who come together
in an annual meeting and elect a Continental Council composed of officers including regional
vice presidents. There is also a
Continental Advisory Committee consisting of 45 prominent men.
In 1957—58, the
income and expenditures amounted to approximately $22,500. The money came
principally from three sources: income from investments, cir. $6,000; dues
from chapters and members—at—large, cir. $4,800; from the United Unitarian
Appea1, $10,600. The budget for 1958—59 is about 20 per cent larger.
The list of
projects which have been sponsored, promoted and executed by the national
organization through and in cooperation with the local chapters over the
years reflects a close relation to and concern with the development and
expansion of the Unitarian Church. They include such items as preaching
missions, the training of laymen, the improvement of ministers salaries,
the financing of new and remote fellowships, the development of
denominational fund raising campaign, the promotion of United Nations Day
and the present publicity campaign. This current project consists of
advertisements in national magazines and
important newspapers with coupons for material on Unitarianism.
Through
organized follow-up and complete record keeping, many of the thousands of
replies have been referred o churches and a substantial number of inquirers
have become church members.
The
Lamplighter is published bi-monthly.
It is sent to all members as a means of communicating news, ideas
and information about projects and the programs of the U.L.L. and also of
the U.U.A.
National
Association of Universalist Men
Compared to the
Laymen’s League, the N.A.U.M. is relatively new, having been organized in
1949. Although not
incorporated, it is an independent body with national officers.
It has no staff, but a considerable volume of necessary work is done
by the officers, principally the President and Secretary.
Present membership is approximately 1,000.
Since its
organization, the Association has devoted its efforts to encouraging local
church men’s clubs to affiliate with the national organization.
The News Sheet, published several times a year, is circulated
to all members. It contains
articles by leading Universalists, news about men’s activities and about
the denomination.
The Association
holds an annual meeting, which in odd numbered years is held concurrently
with the General Assembly. A
part of the annual program is devoted to interesting discussions of
denominational affairs. The association is greatly interested in encouraging men’s
work and in helping to support the denomination.
WOMEN’S
ORGANIZATIONS
Both
denominations have large and thriving women’s organizations which are
independent of their respective denominational headquarters organizations.
In both cases, however, they have their national offices in the
denominational offices and cooperate with the denominational organization
in specific ways or in general.
The organization of the Unitarian women is the General Alliance of
Unitarian and Other Liberal Christian Women.
The Association of Universalist Women is the women’s organization of
the Universalist Church.
The General
Alliance
The G.A. states
its purpose in the 1957-58 Unitarian Yearbook as:
1.
“To quicken
religious life and to maintain and organization of liberal religious women
of all races devoted to the task of realizing those ideals of personal and
social living to which they are committed as Unitarians;
2.
To promote the
association of such women into local groups to further the purposes and
programs of the General Alliance;
3.
To cooperate
with other organizations within the Unitarian Fellowship for the promotion
and extension of Unitarianism;
4.
To encourage,
stimulate and promote the study and discussion of the social and economic
problems of society in order to put more fully into action the principles
of free religion in their homes, their churches, their communities and the
world,
5.
To stimulate an
awareness of the place the church universal may hold in present day life,
so that as Unitarian women they may add to its creativeness and extension.”
The General
Alliance is a federation of local branches which number 420 and gain their
status by forwarding dues of 50 cents per member to the national office.
There are in all nearly 20,000 members.
The annual business meeting of the G.A. is made up of elected
delegates from the local branches which elects a Board of Directors
composed of officers and eight regional vice presidents.
These meet three times a year and invite the Regional Directors to
be present at least one meeting.
The annual
budget is about $50,000. There
are three sources of income: from membership dues a little less than
$10,000; from investments a little over $25,000; from the United Unitarian
Appeal about $16,000. The
expenditures are: about $25,000 for administration and salaries, including
the annual meeting; $14,000 for education and promotion including board and
committee meetings, materials, leadership training conferences and the
Unitarian Alliance News; and $8,500 for field services.
The G.A.
neither supports nor operates service projects, but rather encourages the
local branches to support worthy enterprises in their own communities.
Three hundred fifteen (315) of the branches reported in 1957 that
they had done this to a total of$205,000.
The program of
the G.A. is focused on education.
The annual meeting determines topics for major emphasis for study
and action in the year ahead.
In 1958, the topics selected were: problems of the aging, integration,
adoption, federal aid to education, and American Indians.
Helps for study of these topics are prepared by the national office
and local branches are urged to carry out the study program in whole or in
part.
Special
emphasis has been put upon leadership training.
An annual conference is held; likewise regional conferences when
opportunity is afforded. Much material for use by members and in local groups to
strengthen leadership and understand the operation of groups has been
prepared and distributed. The basic purpose of developing more knowledgeful
and skillful churchmanship among Unitarian women has been persistently and
diligently pursued.
Association of
Universalist Women
The
constitution of the Association of Universalist Women states the purpose
“to bring together in a unified group the women-power of the Universalist
Church for the promotion of its total program.”
In the 1958 Yearbook the goals are given as:
1.
Every
Universalist women — a thinking, active member of her church
2.
Every
Universalist woman contributing some service to her church
3.
A planned
program of women’s activities in every church
4.
A planned
budget and methods for raising same
5.
A unified
organization for all Universalist women in each church, expressing faith in
service and prayer.
The A.U.W. has
no dues, no membership, and no delegates.
All Universalist women are included.
The official body is the biennial meeting composed of those women
who attend. It elects officers
and four trustees who constitute the Executive Board of the Association.
Local church groups are affiliated with the 28 state organizations,
the presidents of which form the State Presidents’ Council.
This body holds annual joint meetings with the Executive Board of
the Association of Universalist Women.
The mailing
list of the A.U.W.’s bi-monthly publication, The Bulletin, is the
only available source of information about the number of groups and of
members. From this source the
1958 estimate is: 275 churches with groups; 305 women’s groups; 11,400
women receiving The Bulletin.
The annual
budget of the A.U.W. runs over $130,000.
The income is: from investments, cir. $27,000; from A.U.W. groups,
cir. $27,000; gifts for camps foundation, $20,00; camp committee $4,000.
The expenditures are: administration, including salaries, $16,260;
education and promotion including publications, conferences, and field work
$6,565; projects $107,550. The
A.U.W. receives nothing from the Universalist Unified Appeal, but
contributes $6,00 to it as one of the projects.
It also cooperates with the Universalist Service Committee in
support of programs in Japan and the Jordan Neighborhood House in Suffolk,
Virginia. Other denominational
gifts theological scholarships and special gifts to St. Lawrence
Theological School.
The major
emphasis of the Association of Universalist Women is on the projects which
are carried out through the national headquarters and toward the operation
of which state and local organizations are urged to contribute.
The largest item in these projects are the camps for diabetic girls
and boys, a pioneering and greatly appreciated effort of the A.U.W.
They also own and maintain the Clara Barton Birthplace. The cooperative projects with the Universalist Service
Committee already mentioned and various timely small projects complete the
list.
The A.U.W.
finance department is responsible for all financial matters including the
raising of funds for the projects.
The A.U.W. Service Department is responsible for all projects except
the camps for which the Clara Barton Birthplace and the Camps Committee is
responsible. The Education
Department of which the Executive Director is chairman is responsible for
publications, summer leadership conferences of which there were 7 in 1958,
and sponsoring in cooperation with the State Presidents’ Council a local
adult education program.
The Yearbook
is of special importance. In
addition to the regular information expected in such a publication, there
is a series of special days and events and program suggestions.
A monthly worship series, each prepared by a Universalist woman is
also included.
MINISTERS
ASSOCIATIONS
Both
denominations have organized associations of their ministers on a national
basis. There are also area
associations, several of which combine Unitarian and Universalist
ministers.
Unitarian
Ministers Association
The functions
of the U.M.A. which includes Unitarian ministers of the United States and
Canada, according to the Yearbook are: “to help make the ministry effective
in its prophetic and pastoral leadership; to interpret the functions of the
minister to the churches; to improve the professional capabilities of
Unitarian ministers; to cooperate in administrative relationship with the
American Unitarian Association and other denominational agencies and
institutions in recruiting for the ministry, the training of ministers, the
creation and maintenance of professional status, the settlement of
ministers, the clarification and promotion of the message of liberal
religion, the provision of security for ministers in need, the
establishment of adequate salary standards; to guard the professional right
and status of its members; to defend the principles of freedom in church
and denominational relationships; to formulate a code of professional
practice and to provide for the censure of violations of this code.”
The Executive
Committee is made up of the officers, three members and the presidents of
the seven branches. The funds
come from the United Unitarian Appeal and from $25 annual dues.
Part of the money is allocated to local associations and part is at
the disposal of a ministerial relations committee which assists ministers
and churches with have difficulties.
The U.M.A. is
responsible for the health and hospital insurance program.
It cooperates closely with the Department of Ministry in its various
programs.
The general
program of the ministers concerns professional matters such as practices,
usages and service material.
Universalist
Ministers Association
The ministerial
organization in the Universalist denomination has become active in the last
few years. Its purposes are essentially the same as those of the
Unitarian Ministers Association.
The ministers
conferences have been seriously engaged in an interpretative look at the
Universalist Ministry and serious discussions dealing with ways and means
of improving the services and status of the ministers.
In the last
year or two, considerable attention has been given to area meetings of
ministers. The Midwest area in
particular has had some stimulating programs.
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