Title: Church Women United of Grand Forks Records, 1961-2003

ID: OGLMC1444

Primary Creator: Church Women United of Grand Forks

Extent: 7.25 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 03/01/2002. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Religion, Women's History - Women's Organizations

Languages: English

The Church Women United of Grand Forks Records date from 1961 to 2003 and have been divided into seven series:

Series 1: Executive

Series 2:  Membership

Series 3:  Community Projects

Series 4:  Financial

Series 5:  State Documents

Series 6:  National Documents

Series 7:  Miscellaneous

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.

Religion
Women's History - Women's Organizations

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Accruals: Dr. Laura Munski of Grand Forks, North Dakota, donated additional material on August 1, 2002 (Acc.2002-2578) and January 29, 2004 (Acc.2004-2675).

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: Beverly Bale, Grand Forks, North Dakota

Acquisition Method: Donation; Acc.2002-2564

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item) Church Women United of Grand Forks Records. OGLMC 1444, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections. Chester Fritz Library. University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Finding Aid Revision History: Finding aid migrated to Archon in July 2015.