ELWYN B. ROBINSON DEPARTMENT OF SPECIAL COLLECTIONS
CHESTER FRITZ LIBRARY
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA
3051 UNIVERSITY AVENUE STOP 9000
GRAND FORKS, NORTH DAKOTA 58202-9000

CHURCH WOMEN UNITED OF GRAND FORKS RECORDS

COLLECTION: OGL #1444

DATES: 1961-1999

SIZE: 4.25 linear feet

INTRODUCTION

ACQUISITION: The Church Women United of Grand Forks Records were deposited in the Orin G. Libby Manuscript Collection by Beverly Bale, Grand Forks, North Dakota, on March 1, 2002 (Acc.#2002-2564) and Laura Munski, Grand Forks, North Dakota, on August 1, 2002. (Acc.#2002-2578).

ACCESS: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Department of Special Collections.

HISTORICAL SKETCH

The Church Women United of Grand Forks was an organization whose primary purpose was to bring together Christian women in common faith and outreach in the community. Membership was open to all Christian women who wished to manifest their unity and express the ecumenical dimensions of their faith and work. Other women were allowed to participate provided that they understood the purpose of the organization and intended to cooperate in advancement of its program.

The club's agenda consisted of three annual days, World Day of Prayer (first Friday in March), May Fellowship Day (first Friday in May) and World Community Day (first Friday in November); three Forums, one in February, April and October; and an annual meeting (first Friday in December). The purpose of each Forum was to inform participants about issues in the community and suggestions for volunteer service. In 1956, the Fellowship of the Least Coin (May) was added. The purpose of this event was to pray for the reconciliation of the home, community, nation and world. At this event, a common offering was taken to raise money to issue grants to women's projects worldwide. Additional meetings could be called by the president or any five members of the executive team to discuss the "call to meeting" business.

Locally, the group did many things over the years. In the 1950s, they funded and staffed summer schools for migrant children. Later they played a role in the development of the LISTEN "drop- in" center to provide activities for disabled individuals. Over the years they made donations of time, money or materials to the following organizations: the Grand Forks Mission, Salvation Army, Community Violence Center, MESA, CROP, Habitat for Humanity, Memorial Park Cemetery Chapel, Koinonia Center, Quad County Community Action Program, Church World Services, local Correctional Center, POW (People Overcoming Welfare), Emergency Food Cupboard, the National Peace Institute Foundation and the University of North Dakota International Center.

In 1999, the Church Women United of Grand Forks voted to disband their unit because of aging membership and the new lifestyles of women in society. Prior to the Grand Forks Flood of 1997, the organization had trouble finding officers and after the flood membership dropped.

SCOPE AND CONTENT NOTE

The Church Women United of Grand Forks Records consist primarily of seven different types of documents: executive, membership, community projects, financial, state documents, national documents, and miscellaneous information. The executive papers contains the club's bylaws, officer records and liaisons. Also included in this section is the local unit handbook and a list of available emergency services. The membership section is arranged alphabetically. It includes information about projects the club was involved in, awards it received, yearly calendars of events, meeting minutes, directories and miscellaneous correspondence and newsletters. The community projects section is arranged alphabetically and includes information on specific annual days and community projects. The financial section contains the club's budget, financial statements and treasurer reports. The state documents, national documents and miscellaneous information contain general information about the organization. Items included are the bylaws of North Dakota Church Women United; issues of the national magazine, Church Woman; and various pamphlets from conferences and annual events.

Also included in the collection are 4 scrapbooks dated 1964 to 1998.

BOX AND FOLDER INVENTORY

Box 1
Folder
Executive

1. Bylaws of Grand Forks Church Women United 1981 - 1994
2. Officers and Liaisons
3. Church Women United Officers and Installation
4. About Church Women United
5. Handbook, Local Units 1988, 1993
6. Emergency Services

Membership

7. A letter from the Grand Forks Church Women United Unit 1998
8. Annual Reports 1983-1998
9. Awards
10. Church Women United Calendars 1986, 1988, 1996
11. Church Women United Secretary Minutes 1991-1998
12. Directories 1996-1998
13. Letters for the President of CWU 1985-1996
14. Meeting Minutes 1968-1990
15. Meetings 1964, 1985-1990
16. Miscellaneous Letters 1963, 1987, 1994-1998
17. Newsletters 1980-1999

Community Projects

18. 75th Anniversary World Day of Prayer 1961
19. 1968 Thank Offering by Madeline Weller
20. Community Outreach Projects
21. Ecumenical Development and Action Committee
22. Fellowship Banquet Annual Meeting
23. Fellowship of the Least Coin 1988
24. In God's Image - Women's Role in shaping the future of the world and of the church 1985
25. Listen Center 1985, 1993
26. May Fellowship Day 1985-1986, 1990, 1995-1996
27. Multi-Ethnic Support Association - Community Housing Resource Board Activities
28. Voices from Private Worlds
29. World Community Day 1986-1990
30. World Day of Prayer 1985-1999
31. Celebrations Report Form

Financial

32. Financial

State Documents

33. Bylaws of North Dakota 1976-1980
34. Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota
35. North Dakota Conference of Church Records - Collection Inventory MSS 10110 (State Historical Society)

National Documents

36. Annual Reports, 1984-1997
37. National Church Woman Magazine 1980-1997

Miscellaneous

38. Miscellaneous Pamphlets

Box 2
Scrapbook 1964-1972
Scrapbook 1973-1980
Scrapbook 1981-1991

Box 3
Scrapbook 1981-1991

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