urn:taro:utsa.00088 A Guide to the Church Women United in Texas Records, 1934-2004 (bulk 1960-1999) March 9, 2006Encoded in XMetal 3 by Traci JoLeigh Drummond according to instructions in TARO 2 EAD 2002 Editing Instructions. March 26, 2008 Revised in XMetal 3 by Angela McClendon to standardize format, standardize subject headings, fix coding errors. Descriptive Summary Church Women United in Texas Church Women United in Texas Records 1934-2004 1960-1999 Materials are in English. MS 39 7.7 linear feet (about 5,700 items) Archives and Special Collections Department, The University of Texas at San Antonio Library. Church Women United in Texas is an ecumenical community of Christian women in Texas who accept the purpose of the movement as stated in its bylaws. Originally formed in 1934, today CWU in Texas is composed of individual members and local units throughout the state. It is also affiliated with the national organization of Church Women United.Reports, minutes, financial records, correspondence, printed materials, photographs, and scrapbook material document the organization, structure, and activities of Church Women United in Texas records, 1934-2004. The bulk of the collection documents executive board meetings, leadership council meetings, and the annual state meetings, from 1960-1999. However, also included in the collection are financial records, documentation of the state organization's work with local units, and scrapbook materials extending the knowledge and understanding of the state unit's history. Historical Note

Church Women United in Texas is an ecumenical community of Christian women in Texas whose purpose, as stated in its bylaws, is to encourage church women to come together in a visible fellowship to witness to their faith in Jesus Christ and, enabled by the Holy Spirit, to go out together to every neighborhood and nation as instruments of reconciling love wish to manifest their unity through fellowship, study and cooperative action.

Church Women United in Texas was originally formed in 1934. This organization is composed of local units and individual members who accept the purpose of the movement. Local units are organized into 11 geographical areas within the state for ecumenical development and activities. CWU in Texas is affiliated with the national organization of Church Women United.

The state unit's management is vested in its executive board. The board meets routinely in the spring and in the fall, in coordination with the annual state meeting which is open to all members. Other meetings are scheduled during the year for forums, seminars, workshops, and leadership training.

CWU in Texas works to form and nurture local CWU units. It assists local units with their ecumenical celebrations of World Community Day, World Day of Prayer, and May Fellowship Day. It also supports local units' advocacy and service work in their local communities with projects such as prison ministries, literacy and job skills training, and food banks. As a channel or liaison between the local and national levels, CWU in Texas assists local units with national CWU ministries. CWU in Texas also works with organizations with similar goals, such as the Texas Conference of Churches, the World Council of Churches and the United Nations.

The national organization of CWU was founded in 1941. Today, its national headquarters are in New York City, and it has 1200 local and state Units in the United States and Puerto Rico, which represent 25 million Protestant, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, and other Christian women. Members work nationally and internationally in partner groups on common issues and emphases. Annual ecumenical celebrations and international or global relations events are held to further the organization's goals.

Sources: Church Women United website, http://www.churchwomen.org/; Organization - Bylaws, Box 1, Folder 1; Organization–Structure, State Unit, Box 1, Folder 3; Activities-Ecumenical Action/Advocacy and Service Projects, Box 12, Folder 3; and Scrapbook Material-Local Units, 47th Anniversary, Box 14, Folder 5.

Scope and Content Note

Reports, minutes, financial records, correspondence, printed materials, photographs, and scrapbook material document the organization, structure, and activities of Church Women United in Texas. The bulk of the collection documents executive board meetings, leadership council meetings, and the annual state meetings, from 1960 to 1999. Materials are arranged into three series: Organization, Activities, and Scrapbooks.

Folders within the Organization series contain materials on the state unit's structure, bylaws, and membership, as well as meeting minutes and reports, financial reports and records, newsletters, yearbooks, publicity materials and newspaper articles. Prior to 1984, financial records of the state unit are included in the executive and annual meeting reports. Materials provide detailed documentation of the state organization's work with local units, as well as the work within those local units, from 1960 to 1999. Work with the national organization is less well documented.

Folders in the Activities series contain information on the organization's ecumenical celebrations and materials on ecumenical advocacy and service projects supported by the state and local units. Materials on projects are arranged alphabetically by the sponsoring organization's name. These materials primarily describe the projects and celebrations. Details of units' participation in these activities are in the reports and records in the Organization series.

Scrapbooks, dating between 1962 and 2004, further document the state unit's membership, organization, and activities. Some scrapbook materials are housed in folders. Other scrapbooks have been unbound and wrapped in acid free paper for preservation. Included in the scrapbooks is some printed material duplicated in other series. However, photographs and other material in the scrapbooks extend knowledge and understanding of the state unit's history and work, as well as the history and work of local units. Photocopies of newspaper articles covering activities in years prior to1960, the date of the earliest scrapbook, and programs from early state assembly meetings can also be found. One of the earliest documents in the collection is the program of the State Assembly Meeting held in Dallas, Texas, in 1939, located in Box 14, Folder 5.

 Organization of Collection Series 1. Organization Series 2. Activities Series 3. Scrapbooks Access Restrictions

Researchers must wear gloves provided by the Archives when reviewing photographic materials. Otherwise, there are no restrictions on these materials.

 Usage Restrictions

Permission to publish material from the Church Women United in Texas Records must be obtained from the UTSA Archives.

 Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Church Women United in Texas Records, 1934-2004, MS 39, Archives and Special Collections, University of Texas at San Antonio Library.

 Acquisition Information

Received as a gift from Church Women United in Texas, 1996-2004 (Acc. 1996-016, 1998-004, 2004-073, 2004-112).

 Processing Information

Processed by Kathy Rankin, Archivist, November 2005.

 Related Materials

For related collections available in the UTSA Archives, see also: Church Women United in Texas, Western Hills Unit Records (MS 124) and Church Women United in San Antonio Records (MS 15).

 Index Terms Organizations Church Women United in Texas. Subjects Ecumenical movement--Texas. Women--Texas--Societies and clubs--History. Women and religion--Texas. Women in Christianity--Texas. Locations Texas--History--20th century. Genres/Formats Reports. Minutes. Financial records. Correspondence. Photographs.Scrapbooks. Detailed Description of the Collection Organization

Folders within the Organization series contain materials on the state unit's structure, bylaws, and membership, as well as meeting minutes and reports, financial reports and records, newsletters, yearbooks, publicity materials and newspaper articles. Prior to 1984, financial records of the state unit are included in the executive and annual meeting reports. Materials provide detailed documentation of the state organization's work with local units, as well as the work within those local units, from 1960 to 1999. Work with the national organization is less well documented.

11Bylaws12Glossary, Goals, Seal1Structure13State Units14Local Units1Minutes/Records/Reports1519601619611719621819631919671101968111196911219702119712219722319732419742519752619762719772819782919792101980311981321982331983341984351985 (1 of 2)361985 (2 of 2)371986 (1 of 2)381986 (2 of 2)411987421988431989441990451991461992471993 (1 of 2)511993 (2 of 2)52199453199554199655199756199857199961Regional, Mt. Sequoyah Conference, 1982-198762Regional, Mt. Sequoyah Conference, 1992-199463Regional, South Central Region, 1993-19956National CWU641972651973661974671975681976 (1 of 2)691976 (2 of 2)6101977 (1 of 3)711977 (2 of 3)721977 (3 of 3)731978 (1 of 2)741978 (2 of 2)7519857619867719877819897919908119918Correspondence821970-1977831984-1987841990-19918519928619938Financial Records871985881986891987911988921989931990941991951992961993 (1 of 3)971993 (2 of 3)981993 (3 of 3)991994101Memorial Gifts, 1957-1988102Sally Hanna Funds, 1984-1994103Funds for the Fifth Decade, 1981-198410Newsletters104CWU in Texas, 1962-1976105CWU in Texas, 1977-1984106CWU in Texas, 1985-1989111CWU in Texas, 1990-1994112CWU in Texas, 1995-1999113CWU in Texas, 2000-2004114National CWU, 1985-1987, 1992115Publicity-CWU in Texas, other miscellaneous state units11Yearbooks116CWU in Texas, 1963-1973117CWU in Texas, 1976-1989121CWU in Texas, 1990-1999,2003122Miscellaneous local units in Texas, 1988,1991,1992, 2003Activities

Materials in this series contain information on the organization's ecumenical celebrations and materials on ecumenical advocacy and service projects supported by the state and local units. Materials on projects are arranged alphabetically by the sponsoring organization's name. These materials primarily describe the projects and celebrations. Details of units' participation in these activities are in the reports and records in the Organization series.

12Ecumenical Action/Advocacy and Service Projects123CWU in Texas124Grants131National CWU, 1976-1986132National CWU, 198713Celebrations133General134Fellowship of the Least Coin135May Fellowship Day136World Community Day137World Day of Prayer138Leadership Training, 1987141People's Platform for a Global Society, 1975-1977142Peace Ribbon Project, 1985143Texas Conference of Churches, 1983-1994144United Nations, 1984-1986Scrapbooks

These scrapbooks, dating between 1962 and 2004, further document the state unit's membership, organization, and activities. Some scrapbook materials are housed in folders. Other scrapbooks have been unbound and wrapped in acid free paper for preservation. Included in the scrapbooks is some printed material duplicated in other series. However, photographs and other material in the scrapbooks extend knowledge and understanding of the state unit's history and work, as well as the history and work of local units. Photocopies of newspaper articles covering activities in years prior to1960, the date of the earliest scrapbook, and programs from early state assembly meetings can also be found. One of the earliest documents in the collection is the program of the State Assembly Meeting held in Dallas, Texas, in 1939, located in Box 14, Folder 5.

14Loose Material145Local Units 47th Anniversary14619701511976-19771521978-1979 1531980-1981 1541984-19851611986-19871622003-2004163Assorted Dies (Stamps), CWU in Texas17Bound Material171962-1964181964-1969 191992-1993, Vol. I201992-1993, Vol. II211994-1995 221996231998242000, 51st State Anniversary