Dr. Charles W. Williams of Baytown, Texas, the collector and donor of these papers, was Chair of the Texas Methodist Planning Commission (TMPC) and Houston-East District Superintendent. The Texas Methodist Planning Commission began with a number of Texas delegates to the Methodist General Conference who believed that through closer cooperation among the several Methodist conferences of the state they could bear a more effective witness and render a better service in Texas. The delegates met at the General Conference in Boston, Massachusetts in 1948 and agreed to present a resolution recommending a statewide Methodist Planning Commission to each Annual Conference in Texas. Thus, TMPC was founded in 1948 "for the purpose of studying, evaluating, and proposing plans for the work of the Methodist Church in Texas whenever that work shall affect more than one Annual Conference."
The first meeting of the Commission was held October 19, 1948 in the Chapel of the Methodist Home in Waco, Texas and officers were elected. A constitution and by-laws were adopted at the second meeting of the Commission in 1949. For a number of years, meetings were held at the Methodist Home in Waco. The meeting place was moved to Lakeview Assembly at Palestine and eventually to the First United Methodist Church in Euless.
The results of the work of the TMPC were most evident in the Texas Methodist Stewardship Movement, the Texas Methodist Foundation, the Inter Conference Commission on Mexican American Work, and the Texas Methodist Historical Commission. As of 1978, the TMPC’s purpose was "to hear plans and proposals from Program Councils of the Annual Conferences and from statewide agencies and institutions; to consider, share and evaluate such plans and proposals; and to make recommendations to the Annual Conferences concerning the work of the United Methodist Church in Texas wherever the work shall affect more than one Annual Conference."
In March 1982, TMPC realized that the Annual Conferences could accomplish the purposes for which the commission was created, and the Commission was dissolved.
Sources: "A Brief History: The Texas Methodist Planning Commission," Charles W. Williams papers, Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University.
"Memo: Resolution to Discontinue the Commission, March 9, 1982," Charles W. Williams papers, Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University.
The Charles W. Williams Texas Methodist Planning Commission papers comprise 0.5 linear feet of correspondence, propositions, recommendations, meeting minutes, meeting agendas, and other organizational records. The majority of these documents were generated or collected by Dr. Williams during his time as a member and Chairman of the Texas Methodist Planning Commission (1975-1982). The collection reflects the accomplishments of the TMPC and the internal workings of the Commission. It also documents the Commission’s efforts to enlarge the Methodist Church (later United Methodist Church) in Texas and reach out to minorities.
Dr. Williams originally had the folders labeled both by subject and function. The folders were re-arranged by function in 2010.
The folders in each series are arranged alphabetically by title, and items in each folder are chronological.
The collection is open for research use. Patrons must sign the Acknowledgement of Legal Responsibility and Privacy Rights form before using this collection.
Permission to publish materials must be obtained from the Director of the Bridwell Library.
It is the responsibility of the user to obtain copyright authorization.
This collection is indexed under the following terms in the Southern Methodist University Libraries' online catalog. Researchers desiring related materials may search the catalog using these terms.
[Identification of item], Charles W. Williams papers, Bridwell Library, Perkins School of Theology, Southern Methodist University.
Donated by Dr. Charles W. Williams on May 23, 1986.
This collection was arranged and described in 2010 by Allison Osborn.
Lara Corazalla, 2010.
The first series consists of four folders of correspondence. The majority of the correspondence deals with proposals, recommendations, agendas, and dates for meetings.
The second series of the Charles W. Williams papers consists of eleven folders of organizational records documenting the internal workings of the Commission.