Church of Our Father – Meeting Minutes of Sep 25, 1892 (Sale of Property/Questions)

Atlanta, Ga. Sep 25, 1892
A called meeting of the Board of Trustees held in Mr. Crafts’ office at 4 pm.
Present Crafts, Currier, Behre, Dixon, Haight, Kennedy and Rev. Mr. Cole.

Mr. Crafts elected Chairman pro tem

Minutes of last meeting read and approved.

Mr. Behre for Special Committee on taxes reported that the church property had been sold for taxes of 1890 (See Archivist Note below)  and was advertised for sale again on the 1st Tuesday of October.

That the collection of taxes for 1891 had been indefinitely postponed.

On motion the whole matter of taxes was committed to Mr. Behre as special committee.

Mr. Dixon as Treasurer made the following report which on motion was accepted and ordered placed on file:

List of Liabilities needing prompt attention

Pastor Salary August & September $200.00
Music $100.00
Taxes city 1890 about $90.00
Taxes city 1892 about $80.00
Pavement assessment about of which $375.00
¼ and one years interest should be paid at once estimated $120.00
Theo. Kirk & Co. Rep Sewer $11.20 $601.20

Cash on hand this date: $141.97

<signed>
John Y. Dixon, Treasurer

A general discussion was had upon the condition and prospects of the church. Mr. Crafts introduced the following questions, viz.

1st Is there need for the Unitarian church in an enlightened and Christian community

2nd What work is then for it to do that cannot be done as will outside the church.

3rd What is the special work in this community that our church should do.

The above questions were referred to Rev. Mr. Cole with the request that he answer them from the pulpit at this convenience.

On motion, it was voted that the chair appoint a committee of three to organize the members of the church into a working committee for the re-building of the Church of Our Father.

The chair appointed the following committee viz, Messrs. Currier, Dixon and Rev. Cole.

On motion, it was voted to request the clerk to introduce an amendment to the constitution to change the annual meeting from November and January and to give members due notice of the proposed change.

No further business appearing, it was voted to adjourn to meet in one week from today (Oct 2 at 4 pm) in Judge Haight ‘s office

<signed>
H.M. Currier, Clerk,

Physical Archive: UUCA   Box: 26   Folder: 03 Book: 02 Pages: 86 – 87
Citation: Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta Records, RG 026, Archives and Manuscripts Dept., Pitts Theology Library, Emory University, Atlanta GA

Archivist Note: From an article that appeared in the Atlanta paper Feb 2, 1892:

Article – Public Notice Church of Our Father parsonage. Item in a larger public notice section indicating “described property, to-wit: A certain city Lot in the city of Atlanta, ward 6, fronting 75 feet on Church street, between Forsyth and Fairlie streets, and running back 100 feet, said lot being improved. Levied on as the property of parsonage Church of Our Father to satisfy a fi fa in favor of the city of Atlanta, against said parsonage Church of our Father and said property, for the proportion of cost of paving the roadway or street proper of Church street with granite blocks.” NOTE: A FIFA lien is a legal writ that has been issued by the tax commissioner against a taxpayer so that his/her property can be seized. This is done with the intention of selling the property to satisfy the tax amount.

This sale is NOT for the church building. Potentially, it is the residential building that the church periodic rented to tenants.

No newspaper notice could be found in Atlanta papers for the “1st Tuesday of October” (October 4, 1892) for the sale of the Church street property.

Newspaper articles are not part of the Pitts Theology Library collect. Contact Archivist for access.