Church of Our Father – Meeting Minutes, Apr 8, 1901 (Quarterly Meeting)

Atlanta, Ga. April 8th, 1901

The regular quarterly meeting of the Church of Our Father was called to order at 8;30 pm.

Present: Mr. & Mrs. Behre, Mrs. Daniels, Mr. & Mrs. Crafts, Mr. & Mrs. Longley, Mr. & Mrs. Lederle, Mrs. Johnson, Messrs. J.L. Moore, Langston, St. Amand, Harding and Lloyd Daniels.

The Chairman of the Building made a final report of the committee on amounts received and disbursed for new church property.  The report was received and ordered spread upon the minutes.  The committee was discharged from further duties.

Upon motion of Mr. Crafts, the Clerk was instructed to send the thanks of the church to Mrs. B. Ward, Dix, President of the Woman’s Alliance for aid extended to furnishing the church.  Mrs. Owen moved that a vote of thanks be extended to the Building Committee and especially the chairman for the very efficient work which had been done by them.

Committees on Library and old material were granted further time.

Mr. Langston then addressed the meeting upon the present state of the church.  The most noticeable failing of members was in want of cordiality to strangers and it was requested that each one consider himself a member of the receiving committee.  The chief lack of membership, however, was not a lack of self respect but a lack of conscious life.  This applies not only to the church, but to the Sunday school as well.  Not “they” but “we” should be used in speaking of church work.  Attention was also called to the large number of people in the community who should be in active membership.  “Work your friends,” was suggest as an appropriate slogan.

Regarding the S.S. (Archivist: Sunday School), Mr. Langston expressed the belief that not enough interest was taken in it by the members of the church and that under present conditions the S.S. was the most unsatisfactory part of the Church.  All member were urgently requested to drop in upon the S.S. meetings occasionally and to take part in the exercises. All children of members of the church should also attend the S.S. The average attendance at present is about 12 to 15.

Upon motion  of Mr. Behre a special committee of three ladies was appointed to find our how many children are available for the S.S. and to suggest some social events features to attract children.  The chair appointed as such committee Mrs. Behre, Mrs. Johnson, Mrs. Lederle.

An informal discussion was held upon the need of some form of admission to the church.  Upon motion of Mr. Behre, a committee of three was appointed to act with the pastor in considering the question.

The chair appointed Miss Dixon, Mrs. Owen and Mrs. Lederle. Upon motion of Mr. Crafts, the Pastor was requested to appoint four young men as ushers.

Upon motion the following were elected to serve as delegates tot the annual meeting of the A.U.A. to be held in May.  Mrs. R.D. Lowe and Miss Edwine Behre.  Alternates: Mr. & Mrs. C.H. Behre.

Meeting adjourned 9:45 PM

<signed>

Frank Lederle, Clerk

Archivist: The following testimonial to Thomas Kennedy was included in these minutes.

The Church of Our Father, Unitarian, has recently sustained a real loss by the death of one of its honored members and trustees, Thomas Kennedy who died at his late residence on West Peachtree Place, Friday morning, July 6, 1901, aged seventy one.

Mr. Kennedy was born in South Carolina but in early manhood moved to Cartersville, Georgia, and later to Atlanta. Up to three years ago he was connected with a large wholesale house as book-keeper and confidential man, a position which he so successfully filled that at the close of a period of service which continued through twenty eight years, the senior member of the firm cheerfully testified that he was honor and honesty incarnate, and declared that more than one thousand persons having business dealings with the firm trusted him implicitly and regarded him as personal friend although many of them had never seen him.

Some twelve years ago he revealed his interest in the interpretation of Christianity which this church gives by becoming a member and throughout these years he was a firm friend and willing helper. During a portion of this time he was a member of the board trustees, a relationship which he sustained at the time of his death, but during the last three years of his life the state of his health would not allow him to give to the work of the church as much time and thought as was his inclination and desire, and yet, he frequently attended the services of worship when his physical condition would not permit him really to enjoy them in order to swell the attendance and lend encouragement. Only loyalty that is born of honest conviction could have moved him do this.

We shall miss him, we miss him now, and we reverently acknowledge the lesson in honesty and loyalty which his quiet, modest life has taught us.
We join his daughter, his son, his grand-children and other relatives in bereavement and send to them our cordial sympathy with the benediction of
peace – the peace of God.

<signed>

C.A. Langston, Minister
Frank Lederle, Clerk

Physical Archive: UUCA Box: 25   Folder: 04  Book: 01   Pages: 220 – 221
Citation: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta Records, RG 026, Archives and Manuscripts Dept., Pitts Theology Library, Emory University, Atlanta GA