Guide to the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America Office of Planning and Program Records

The papers of the Office of Planning and Program, 1943-1973, detail the history, organization, and activities of the Office and its departments.

The papers date primarily from 1950 to 1970. The papers are organized in three series according to the departments which existed in the organizational structure of the Office of Planning and Program. In each series the papers are arranged alphabetically by subject category. Items within the subject files are arranged chronologically by year, month, and day. Partially dated documents are placed at the end of the month or year; undated items are placed after all dated material. Enclosures are placed after their letter of transmittal. Newspaper clippings, unless enclosed with correspondence, are placed at the end of subject files.

The papers of the Office of Planning and Program, 1943-1973, are arranged in the following series:

• Series 1: Associate General Secretary, 1951-1972
• Series 2: Department of Long Range Planning, 1956-1971
• Series 3: Department of Research, 1943-1973

The Associate General Secretary, 1951- 1971, Series I files are the combined papers of Leila Anderson, Cynthia C. Wedel, and Neiland J. Douglas, Jr. There are also the papers of Russell Stevenson and Charles Forman, chairman and executive secretary of the 1953 Program Emphasis.

The files are arranged alphabetically by subject or name of organization. Items within the files are arranged chronologically by year, month, and day; undated documents are placed after all dated material.

The files consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence, memoranda, minutes, agenda, reports, policy statements, press releases, financial statements, budgets, pamphlets, and leaflets.

The files concern a wide variety of subjects including the Black Manifesto, censorship, civil defense, ecumenical education, juvenile delinquency, migrants, the population explosion, and the World Council of Churches. A number of the files contain correspondence, minutes, press releases, and printed matter relating to the 1953 Program Emphasis. During the Program Emphasis the activities of the NCC centered around the theme, "Christ Calls to Mission and Unity—What Must the Churches Do?"

The Department of Long Range Planning, 1956-1971, Series II files date primarily from 1960 to 1969, The files represent the combined papers of Robert C. Dodds and Harold C. Letts, as well as material of J. Quinter Miller.

The files are arranged alphabetically by subject, name of organization, or geographic location. Items within the files are arranged chronologically by year, month, and day; undated documents are placed after all dated material.

The files consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence, memoranda, minutes, agenda, reports, speeches, press releases, programs, pamphlets, leaflets, and newspaper clippings. The majority of the files are organized under the two headings of "Denominations" and "States." These files concern the Department's relations with various denominations and state and local councils of churches. The files detail planning assistance provided to these groups by the Department, particularly in the area of cooperative planning consultations.

The Department of Research, 1943-1973, Series III files date primarily from 1950 to 1969. They are principally the papers of Lauris B. Whitman. There are also papers of David W. Barry, Earl D.C. Brewer, and Douglas W. Johnson. Under the heading of "Field Research" may be found the papers of Glen W. Trimble who was director of Field Research (1957-1963) and later director of Research Interpretation (1964-1969).

The files are arranged alphabetically by subject, name of organization, or name of individual. Items within the files are arranged chronologically by year, month, and day; undated documents are placed after all dated material.

The files consist of incoming and outgoing correspondence, memoranda, minutes, agenda, reports, constitutions, speeches, surveys, questionnaires, press releases, newsletters, budgets, financial statements, membership lists, mailing lists, reprints, maps, bibliographies, pamphlets, leaflets, and newspaper clippings.

The files detail the Department's relationships with organizations such as the Religious Education Association, the Society for the Scientific Study of Religion, the United Presbyterian Church, USA, the United Methodist Church, the World Council of Churches, and the Association of the Statisticians of American Religious Bodies.

The majority of the files are found under the heading of "PROJECTS." These projects or studies conducted by the Department concern a wide range of subjects including aging, American Indians, broadcast training, clergy compensation, desegregation, urban churches, leisure time, migrants, religious education, immigration, social welfare, television, Spanish Americans, and Appalachia.