Specialized Ministries and Social Welfare Office. Records

MP-08-R0344

The Archives of the Episcopal Church

Fonds

Specialized Ministries and Social Welfare Office. Records

• 1964-1984 (Creation)

3 cu.ft. (3 boxes)

The Social Welfare Office began in 1968 with the appointment of Woodrow W. Carter, Sr. as a senior associate for specialized field services. It was originally attached to the newly formed section of Experimental and Specialized Services (ESS), which had reportedly formed out of the former Joint Urban Program. Following another staff reorganization of the Program Function that began in 1970, the ESS unit ceased and Carter was listed as Social Welfare Officer in 1972 in the Social Welfare Services unit of the Program area. His role was to serve as a liaison to various committees and commissions as needed. Dr. Carter was the Officer for Social Welfare until his retirement in 1983.

This collection provides a high level overview of the work of the Social Welfare Officer, Woodrow W. Carter, Sr., with particular emphasis on his work to coordinate interest across the Church in addressing salient and time-sensitive social concerns. The records bridge the later years of the Christian Social Relations Department but speak mostly to the experimental and investigative strategy of the national church bureaucracy in the 1970s. By that decade, the remnant departmental boundaries of the National Council's Domestic Mission portfolio had given way to amorphous structures that allowed executive officials more flexibility in responding to the perceived needs of the day. The central mission personnel became known as the mission “Program staff” that carried out the work of Executive Council under the direction of the Presiding Bishop. The records serve to demonstrate the last years in which the national Church’s ministry specialists served the governing Council as program staff officers and executives were appointed by and served at the behest of the chief executive officer, a title that was added to the office of the Presiding Bishop.

Six series constitute the records of the Specialized Ministries and Social Welfare Office:
Research and Studies, 1965–1979
Conference and Committee Meetings, 1974–1981
Family Life Program Files, 1964–1982
National Commission on Social and Specialized Ministries Meeting Files, 1977–1982
Program Administration, 1973–1984
Grant Awarded, ca. 1975–1980

Access to Episcopal Church records is governed by the Archives Public Access Policy. Research requests must be submitted in writing.

The Archives is able to respond to limited requests for reproductions subject to copyright restrictions, internal policy, and the condition of the source documents.

• English

• Aging ministry
• Blind ministry
• Church and Society
• Family planning
• Grants
• National Commission on Social and Specialized Ministries

• Carter, Woodrow W. (Subject)