Joint Commission on Merger, Administrative Subject Files, 1946-1964

Summary Information

Call Number: bMS 10012
Title: Joint Commission on Merger, Administrative Subject Files, 1946-1964
Repository: Harvard Divinity School Library, Harvard Divinity School,
45 Francis Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02138-1911
Quantity: 19 boxes (6.65 linear feet)

Administrative Information:

HOLLIS Number:AXY8143
Preferred Citation:  Joint Commission on Merger, Administrative Subject Files, 1946-1964, bMS 10012, Harvard Divinity School Library, Harvard Divinity School.
Access: There are no restrictions on access to this collection. 

Scope and Content:

This collection consists of the administrative records of the Joint Merger Commission of the American Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church of America. These records are numerous and varied, touching on nearly every aspect of the denominational merger. Significant parts of the collection include correspondence between the Joint Commission and local church bodies. This correspondence relates to preliminary merger questions, local church discussions of the merger plan, reports on progress, and the voting records (ballots) of churches. The collection also includes minutes and records of a number of committees involved with the commission: the Joint Budget Committee, the Nominating Committees, regional committees, the Department on Ministry, and the merger committees of each denomination. Also included are a number of publications (articles, study manuals, etc.) circulated by the Joint Merger Commission to local churches and regional church bodies. In addition, the collection includes details about the merger plan, regional conference records, and subject folders relating to joint worship, hymns, and social concerns.

Container List:

Box 1
1959-1961
Advantages and Disadvantages of a Merger
Agenda's for Meetings --Executive Secretary's Report
Alabama State Convention
Alabama Universalist Convention
Alabama Universalist Correspondence
Amendments
Amendments (Originals and Copies)
American Unitarian Association --Board Meeting, 10/11/60 --Questions and Comments (Committee 3)
American Unitarian Association and Universalist Church of America --Department of Ministry --Material Sent to Committee 5
American Unitarian Association and Universalist Church of America --Joint Budget Committee, 1960-1961
American Unitarian Association and Universalist Church of America --Nominating Committees, 1960-61 (1)

Box 2
American Unitarian Association and Universalist Church of America --Nominating Committees, 1960-61 (2)
Budget, 1960-1961
Convention
Churches and the Ministry, 1961-1963
Commission Members
Committee 4 Regions --Correspondence, 1960-1961
Committee 4 Regions --Drafts and Working Papers for Committee 4 Committee 4 Regions --Report, 1960
Committee 4 Regions --Final Reports Supplement, 1961
Committee 4 Regions --Functions
Committee 4 Regions --Letter to Denominations, July 15, 1960
Committee 4 Regions --Minutes, 1960-1961
Committee 5 --Ministry
Committee on Mid-Continental Consolidation, 1960
Consolidation, Coordinating Committee on 1960-1961

Box 3
Consolidation, Coordinating Committee on --AUA Info. 
Sheets, 1954-1960
Consolidation, Coordinating Committee on --UCA Info. Sheets, 1957-1960
Coordinating Committee --Report on Consolidation, June 1960
Correspondence, 1956-1957
Correspondence --General Mailing (1-2)
Correspondence --Manual
Correspondence --Kring, Rev. Walter D.
Correspondence --Reports
Correspondence --Reports, 1958-1960 (1-2)

Box 4
Correspondence --Reports, 1958-1960 (3-4)
Council of Liberal Churches and Interim Committee Correspondence, 1960-1961
Delegate Recommendations --1960-1961
Detroit Conference Minutes --Religious Education --Joint Commission Detroit Conference Minutes --Reports
Discussion Guide
Eligible Churches and Fellowships
Federal Union --New Joint Commission, 1952-1953 (1-2)
Federation of Christian Universalist Churches, 1961

Box 5
Final Plebiscite Ballots --1-800

Box 6
Giles, Phillip R. --Merger, 1960-1961
Gillen, Paul
Greeley, Presidency --General Correspondence, 1961
Guest Conference, 4/29/58
Historical Notes/Correspondence (1-3)
History of Attempts to Unite Religious Liberals, 1899- 1935 --(Dr. Samuel A. Eliot's record)

Box 7
Hymns (1-2)
Identity Program 1971-1972
India: Khasi Hills Unitarians
India (Udaipur) U-U Correspondence Fellowship
Information Manual --RE: Merger (1-3)
Institutional Consultants, 1960
Interim Commission
Interim Committee Minutes, 1960-1961

Box 8
International Association for Liberal Christianity and Religious Freedom (1-3)
Interviews with Selected Unitarians and Universalists Regarding the Question of a Merger (1-2)
Inventory Phase of the Study of Merger Possibilities, Report on

Box 9
Jesus (1-2)
Joint Biennial, 1957
Joint Statement
Joint Washington Office for Social Concern
Jordan Neighborhood House
Joseph Priestly District
Joslin Camp
The Junior Chorister's Hour
Labor Relations
Laity
Laymen's League

Box 10
Lebanon Liberal Institute
Lenten Meditations
Liberal Religious Education Director's Association
Liberal Religious Peace Fellowship
Liberal Religious Youth Financial Reports, 1955-1961
Listening Past Reports, 1960
May Meetings, 1961
Meeting Minutes, 1955-1958
Minutes and Transcripts, September 1956 - May 1959 (1-2)
Miscellaneous (1)

Box 11
Miscellaneous (2-6)
Miscellaneous Publications 

Box 12
Miscellaneous Publications
Nominating Committee, 1961-1963
Nominating Committee --Biographies, 1963
Nominating Committee --Letters to Nominees, 1963
Nominating Committee --Nominee Suggestions, 1963 (1-2)
Nominating Committee --Nominee Suggestions, 1964

Box 13
Nominating Committee --Nominee Suggestions, 1964
Nominating Committee --Original Nominations, 1963
Nominating Committee --Petitions, 1963
Nominating Committee --Procedures and Timetable, 1963
Nominations
Organizational Set-up of AUA, Notes on
Plebiscite Ballots
1st Plebiscite: A Brief Preliminary Report
1st Plebiscite: 4/15/59 (1-2)

Box 14
Plebiscite Ballots
1st Plebiscite: 4/15/59 Unitarian for and Against (1-3)
1st Plebiscite (Form 4) (1-4)

Box 15
Plebiscite Ballots
1st Plebiscite (Form 4) 
Policies and Procedures (1-2)
A Possible Plan for Merger (1-2)
Post-Merger Records (1)

Box 16
Post-Merger Records (2)
Processes and Procedures of the Merger Committee
Proposal for Planning Survey Merger Commission 
Proposed Plan for Merger
Public Information --Joint Statements (1-2)
Recommendation of Management Survey According to Classifications ABCD
Recommended Features of a Plan
Regions


Box 17
Releases
Report-Syracuse, 1959
Report on the Inventory Phase on the Study of Merger Possibilities
Report on Joint Commission, May 1958-May 1959
Report of the Joint Merger Commission to the Joint Biennial
Rice, William B., D.D. --Lectures at Meadville Unitarian Conference Summer Institute --"The New Denomination -- Its Shape, Dimension and Potential"
Some Sociological Aspects of the Merger of Organizations
Special Projects --Committee on Unitarian-Universalist Union
Special Projects --Free Church of America
Universalist Church of America --Board of Trustee's Minutes, 1956-1959
UU Commission on Federal Union, 1950-1955 (1-2)

Box 18
UU Merger Committee, 1956
UU Merger (Miscellaneous) 
Unitarian-Universalist Relations Prior to Merger
United Liberal Church of America
Universalist Church of America
Universalist Church of America --Board of Trustees Minutes, 1956-1959
Universalist Constitution and Bylaws (1)

Box 19
Universalist Constitution and Bylaws (2)
Voting Lists
Worship Service, 1961

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