Guide to the United Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. Board of National Missions Division of Church Building Aid Records

At the time of the reorganization of Boards and Agencies in 1923, the work of the Board of Church Erection became the responsibility of the new Board of National Missions. The old Board of Church Erection, however, continued to maintain an incorporated name for legal reasons.

Since 1923 the work of church erection has experienced a wide range of relationships within the administrative framework of the Board of National Missions. In 1924 the work of the superseded Board of Church Erection continued as the Division of Buildings and Property. The Division had several departments: A Department of Field Activities and Survey from 1924 to 1930; a Department of Grants, Loans, Mortgages and Titles; Building Fund Campaigns; and a Bureau of Architecture.

In April of 1930 the Division of Buildings and Property was discontinued as it had functioned and Building and Property interests of the Board were cared for through departments attached to the Office of the General Secretary and the Treasury. During 1930 and 1931 the work became a Department of Buildings and Property under the Office of the General Secretary. In 1932 and 1933 it functioned as the Department of Buildings and Property under the Treasury. In 1934 it was called the Department of Building Aid under the Treasury. During 1935 and 1936 it was the Department of Building Aid under the General Secretary. From 1937 until 1949, the Department of Building Aid was listed in the Annual Report of the Board as being under the Treasury.

The Department worked together with the Church Debt Service Bureau in building projects. The Bureau was created in 1938 as a separate service bureau under the direction of the Treasurer of the Board, "to be available to churches and presbyteries for the purpose of investigation, the formulation of plans, and the actual conduct of church loyalty or debt raising campaigns".

In 1949, the name of the Department of Building Aid was changed to the Department of New Church Development and Building Aid. In 1951 the work became one of the two Inter-Divisional Offices of the Board as the Department of New Church Development and Church Extension. At that time one function of the work continued under John N. Penn, Jr. as Secretary of the Office of New Church Development and Building Aid, while the other function of New Church Development--Organization and Promotion had Richard S. McCarroll as Secretary. The dual responsibility for new church development in the PCUSA's Board of National Missions thus rested jointly with the Department of New Church Development and Building Aid (Division of the Treasury) and the Department of New Church Development--Organization and Promotion (Division of Missionary Operation).

The primary function of the Office of New Church Development and Building Aid, operating under the Division of the Treasury, was to process applications for building aid, to recommend certain ones for approval, and to collect previously appropriated outstanding aid. Other
responsibilities included counseling on new church development and church extension, assistance in financial planning for church building, and the supervision of the Board's fund-raising service.

Funds for the Church Building Aid work of the Board came from funds raised nationally for capital purposes, gifts designated for this specific use, and the repayment of mortgage loans and grants. The Fund Raising Campaign Service, begun in 1950, helped churches raise funds for building projects. The Committee on New Church Development and Building Aid was charged with the review and consideration of applications for loans or grants from the Building Aid funds of the Board, and all applications for grants for building and sites from other funds made available for new church development, and presenting its recommendations to the Board.

During the 1960's the Department of New Church Development and Building Aid (Division of the Treasury) became the Division of Church Building Aid under the General Department of Treasury and Business Management. In 1972 the work of the Board of National Missions was transferred to the new Program Agency.