North Phoenix Corporate Ministry Collection

Jennifer Brice

Graduate Theological Union Archives

Graduate Theological Union

2400 Ridge Road

Berkeley, California, 94709

Phone: (510) 649-2507

Fax: (510) 649-2508

Email: lglenn@gtu.edu

URL: http://library.gtu.edu/archives/

2011

North Phoenix Corporate Ministry Collection

Collection number: GTU 98-11-02

Graduate Theological Union Archives

Graduate Theological Union

Berkeley, California

Processed by:: Jennifer Brice
Date Completed:: 6/17/2003
Cataloged by:: Lucinda Glenn
Encoded by:: Michele Gibney

Descriptive Summary

Title: North Phoenix Corporate Ministry collection

Dates: 1966-1987

Collection number: GTU 98-11-02

Creator: North Phoenix Corporate Ministry

Collection Size: 7 boxes 5 linear feet

Repository: The Graduate Theological Union. Library.

Berkeley, CA 94709

Abstract: The North Phoenix Corporate Ministry was a group of Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant Congregations in northern Phoenix, AZ who worked together in areas of education, worship, social concern, creative arts, and communication. Included are administrative files, program files, financial records, information on organizations, news clippings, photographs, negatives, slides, audiotapes, and a video.

Physical location: 4/B/4-5

Languages: Languages represented in the collection: English

Access

Collection is open for research.

Publication Rights

Copyright has not been assigned to The Graduate Theological Union. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Archivist. Permission for publication is given on behalf of The Graduate Theological Union as the owner of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.

Preferred Citation

North Phoenix Corporate Ministry collection, GTU 98-11-02. Graduate Theological Union Archives, Berkeley, CA.

Biography / Administrative History

The North Phoenix Corporate Ministry was a group of Catholic, Jewish, and Protestant Congregations in northern Phoenix, AZ who worked together in areas of education, worship, social concern, creative arts, and communication. In 1966, William Smith, the minister of Cross Roads Methodist Church, Samuel Lindamood, the minister of Orangewood Presbyterian Church, and Theodore Knotter, minister of the North Congregational Church of the Beatitudes, began meeting to become better aware of how they could work together. In the same year, Father John Odou, pastor of St. Francis Xavier Parish, had brought together a group of Catholic lay people interested in interfaith activities and ecumenical involvement. Following various joint worship services, discussions, and events, in 1967, clergy and laity of St. Francis and the Protestant congregations joined together to form the North Phoenix Corporate Ministry. Goals and structures were focused around: 1. Prayer, both private and in interfaith services; 2. Dialogue, both casual and professional; and 3. Social Action, churches working together on programs. In 1970, Sister Mary Christine Athans, a participant in the early organizing discussions and meetings, was appointed the Executive Director. From the beginning, both clergy and laity together were involved in the Ministry's development.

In 1968, Rabbi Moshe Tutnauer began working with NPCM and the Beth El Congregation joined the interfaith coalition. In 1970, Rabbi Albert Plotkin and the Temple Beth Israel Congregation, representing Reformed Judaism, became a part of NPCM. Over the next decade, Our Saviour's Lutheran Church, Shadow Rock Congregational, and Sunrise Presbyterian Church also joined.

The Ministry was deliberate in its purpose beyond services and programs. In "The Purpose of the North Phoenix Cooperate Ministry", 1973, it is agreed that all: 1. Acknowledge that we worship the same God; 2. Emphasize the similarities in our beliefs, and build cooperation and mutual regard; 3. Worship together periodically; 4. Foster knowledge and understanding of each other's beliefs; 5. Promote a willingness to listen to each other; 6. Promote carefully selected joint religious, educational and social action programs and activities; and 7. Become a model of practical interfaith action which can and will be implemented by other corporate groups.

From 1968 until 1986, NPCM put on a Fall School of Religious Studies, a Spring Forum educational series, hosted guest lectures, sponsored local social service efforts (including a food bank, preschool, and clothing bank), produced publications on ecumenism, held art festivals and craft fairs, and sponsored music and drama events. NPCM arranged a yearly interfaith Community Thanksgiving Service and Clergy Exchange between member congregations. NPCM also supported a social service agency, the Interfaith Cooperative Ministries, 1981 - 1985. In 1987, due to a decline in activities and a lack of support from the clergy, the North Phoenix Corporative Ministry was dissolved.

(See NPCM History, 1966 - 1984, Box 1, File Folders 53-54.)

Scope and Content of Collection

This collection was received from former participants in the North Phoenix Corporate Ministry in 1998. Included are administrative files, program files, financial records, information on organizations, news clippings, photographs, negatives, slides, audiotapes, and a video.

Indexing Terms

The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the library's online public access catalog.

Subjects

Interdenominational cooperation--Arizona--Phoenix.

Church work with the poor--Arizona--Phoenix--History--20th Century--Sources.

Church and social problems--Arizona--Phoenix--History--20th Century--Sources.

City missions--Arizona--Phoenix--History--20th Century--Sources.

Community development--Religious aspects.

African Americans--Arizona--Phoenix.

African Americans--Economic conditions--20th Century.

Hispanic Americans--Arizona--Phoenix.

Hispanic Americans--Economic conditions--20th Century.

Index Terms Related to this Collection

Athans, Mary Christine.

Related Material

BACKGROUND READING:

Churches, Cities, and Human Community: Urban Ministry in the United States, 1945 - 1985, edited by Clifford J. Green (Grand Rapids, MI: W.B. Eerdmans, 1996).

The Edge of the Ghetto: A Study of Church Involvement in Community Organization, by John Fish, Gordon Nelson, Walter Stuhr, and Lawrence Witmer (New York: The Seabury Press, 1966).

The Church in the Changing City, edited by Louis J. Luzbetak (Techny, IL: Divine Word Publications, 1966). Proceedings of a Conference on Inner City Research held at the Catholic University of America November 1965.

Series 1 Administration and Organizational Records 1968-1995

Physical Description: 58 folders and 3 legal-sized folders

Scope and Content Note

Includes meeting minutes, office work, correspondence, and historical information for NPCM. Arranged alphabetically. Legal-sized documents can be found in Box 5 ff 1-3.

box-file 1 : 1

Clergy Council 1970 June-1971 May

box-file 1 : 2

Lay Council 1970 September-1971 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Mike Rosenthal

box-file 1 : 3

Clergy Council 1971 August-1972 June

box-file 1 : 4

Lay Council 1971 September-1972 May

box-file 1 : 5

Clergy Council 1972 August-1973 May

box-file 1 : 6

Lay Council 1972 September-1973 May

box-file 1 : 7

Clergy Council 1973 August-1974 May

box-file 1 : 8

Governing Board 1973 September-1974 June

box-file 1 : 9

Clergy Council 1974 August-1975 June

box-file 1 : 10

Governing Board 1974 September-1975 June

Scope and Content Note

President: Mel Myland

box-file 1 : 11

Clergy Council and Data Sheets 1975 June-1976 May

box-file 1 : 12

Governing Board 1975 June-1976 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Audrey Elliott

box-file 1 : 13

Clergy Council and Data Sheets 1976 June-1977 May

box-file 1 : 14

Governing Board 1976 June-1977 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Audrey Elliott

box-file 1 : 15

Clergy Council and Data Sheets 1977 June-1978 May

box-file 1 : 16

Governing Board 1977 June-1978 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Sylvan Brown

box-file 1 : 17

Clergy Council 1978 June-1979 May

Scope and Content Note

Convenor: Marvin Cain

box-file 1 : 18

Governing Board 1978 June-1979 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Tom Jones

box-file 1 : 19

Clergy Council 1979 June-1980 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Jim Jacobson

box-file 1 : 20

Governing Board and Executive Council 1979 June-1980 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Lois Sullivan

box-file 1 : 21

Clergy Council 1980 June-1981 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Rudy Loidolt

box-file 1 : 22

Governing Board and Executive Council 1980 June-1981 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Lois Sullivan

box-file 1 : 23

Clergy Council 1981 June-1982 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Gene LeFebure

box-file 1 : 24

Governing Board and Executive Council 1981 June-1982 May

Scope and Content Note

President: John Acer

box-file 1 : 25

Clergy Council 1982 June-1983 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Dale Bracey

box-file 1 : 26

Governing Board and Executive Council 1982 June-1983 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Judy Rosenthal

box-file 1 : 27

Clergy Council 1983 June-1984 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Herb Silberman

box-file 1 : 28

Governing Board and Executive Council 1983 June-1984 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Jim Smith

box-file 1 : 29

Clergy Council 1984 June-1985 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Arnie Koriath

box-file 1 : 30

Governing Board and Executive Council 1984 June-1985 May

Scope and Content Note

President: Evelyn Brown

box-file 1 : 31

Clergy Council 1985-1986

Scope and Content Note

President: Barbara Haddon

box-file 1 : 32

Executive Council 1985-1986

box-file 1 : 33

Governing Board 1985-1986

Scope and Content Note

President: Kay Dries

box-file 1 : 34

Attendance, Governing Board/ Clergy Meetings 1980-1986

box-file 1 : 35

Annual Meeting 1985

box-file 1 : 36

Annual Report 1984-1985

box-file 1 : 37

New By-Laws 1984

Scope and Content Note