MS 274 - Women's Missionary Society of the Benton Ridge United Methodist Church
MLA Citation
Tags
| Title | MS 274 - Women's Missionary Society of the Benton Ridge United Methodist Church |
|---|---|
| Subject | Church |
| Introduction | The records of the Women's Missionary Society of the Benton Ridge United Methodist Church date form 1896 to 1958. The history of the Women's Missionary Society and the Women's Society of World Service is represented in this collection which consists of meeting minutes, a financial ledger and annual reports. The collection was donated to the Center for Archival Collections on November 15, 1982, with the cooperation of Mrs. Walter (Lois) Light of Benton Ridge, Ohio. No restrictions exist on the research use of this collection and duplication is permitted for purposes of preservation and research. The collection was processed and the register prepared by Mary Alice Herrle, a graduate student in American Culture, in October 1983. |
| Agency History | Under the direction of Reverend Burkett, pastor of the Benton Ridge United Methodist Church, a branch of the Women's Missionary Society was formed in 1883. The organization's records for the first thirteen years are not available. However, it is known that in the 1890s the society was strong enough to sponsor several sub-organizations. In 1895, the Women's Missionary Society sponsored the Mission Band. Later, the group started the Little Heralds which was an organization for children. A third sub-group affiliated with the Women's Missionary Society was originally called the Gleaners and was created for young girls; the title was later changed to the Young Women's Circle, and later it became the Young People's Missionary Circle and admitted membership from both sexes. Between 1924 and 1934, Benton Ridge's United Methodist and United Brethren Churches merged. It was then decided that the Women's Missionary Society be renamed the Women's Society for World Service. The Mission Band was retitled the Boy's and Girl's Fellowship, and the Young People's Missionary Circle became the Intermediate and Senior Youth Fellowship. The Women's Missionary Society and later the Women's Society for World Service were oriented towards missionary work. During World War II, the Women's Society for World Service was active in sending care packages to servicemen overseas. During the Korean War, the organization initiated a program for sponsoring Korean orphans. |
| Scope and Content | The Women's Missionary Society collection from the Benton Ridge United Methodist Church is comprised primarily of the organization's meeting minutes from 1896 to 1946, as well as the Women's Society for World Service minutes, which begin in December 1946 and continue through January 1956. The collection also contains the financial ledger for the Women's Missionary Society for 1915 to 1933, annual reports for 1948 to 1950, correspondence for 1952, minutes of the Ladies Aid Society for 1926 through March 1939, minutes of the Young People's Missionary Circle for 1928 to 1933 and a brief history of the Women's Missionary Society prepared by Bessie Burner in 1958. This collection consists primarily of official meeting minutes from 1896 to 1956. The minutes generally describe where and when the meetings took place, the program held, business conducted, those members in attendance and, occasionally, financial reports concerning special funds. The records also provide information concerning membership attendance, membership fees and special contributions. The minutes are incomplete with gaps occurring between 1909 and 1924 and again between 1934 and 1941. |
| Series Description | PROCEEDINGS LADIES AID SOCIETY MINUTES WOMEN'S MISSIONARY SOCIETY MINUTES WOMEN'S SOCIETY FOR WORLD SERVICE MINUTES YOUNG PEOPLE'S MISSIONARY CIRCLE MINUTES CORRESPONDENCE CORRESPONDENCE REPORTS ANNUAL/MIDYEAR REPORTS LITERARY DOCUMENTS HISTORY OF WOMEN'S MISSIONARY SOCIETY FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS WOMEN'S MISSIONARY SOCIETY FINANCIAL LEDGER |
| Inventory | Box 1 Folders
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