Protestant Council of New York & Family of Man Award

The organization that is today the Council of Churches of the City of New York had its beginning in 1895 as the New York Federation of Churches and Christian Workers. It is the oldest ecumenical council of churches with a continuous beingness in the United States.
On March 18, 1895, a paper on the poor of New York Metropolis – "What Are the Churches Going to Practice Nearly Information technology?" – was presented to an alumni meeting at the Spousal relationship Theological Seminary. Discussion of that newspaper prompted an organizing coming together which was held May 13 at the United Charities Building. A subsequent meeting on October 21, at which the Constitution was adopted and officers elected, was followed by the offset public meeting on December 2, 1895. Dr. Walter Laidlaw (of the Collegiate Church) was chosen May 25, 1896, to be the first Executive Secretarial assistant.

Later discussion as to whether the new Federation would get into the settlement business firm business, the following statement was adopted on March 30, 1896:

"The Federation shall be an interdenominational instrument for sociological ills investigation in the City of New York, contributing the directive information it accumulates to the churches of the districts investigated, to the co-operating churches in the Federation, to the diverse denominational church building extension committees, and to the charitable organizations of the City. The Federation further shall charge itself with the supervision of the supply, by existing agencies, of the needs disclosed in districts investigated; with the stimulation of the cosmos, by denominational ways, of new when existing agencies show inadequate; and with such other piece of work as fourth dimension and opportunity shall dictate."

It became an organization of denominations and agencies and was incorporated in 1901 as "The Federation of Churches and Christian Organizations in New York City." Lath Membership was virtually diverse denominationally, from all boroughs and included a representative from St. Patrick's Cathedral. Plans were laid for a million dollar fund raising effort to support the evolution of a staff of 35.

The Federation worked extensively with the 1900 Demography data which was collected co-ordinate to the boundaries of the New York State Associates Districts. Foreseeing problems develop in data comparing and assay as a result of the 1905 Assembly redistricting, Dr. Laidlaw published an article in 1906 calling for the utilise of smaller demography enumeration districts that would retain their boundaries from Census to Census. He persuaded the Demography Bureau, in 1909, to adopt this method for use in New York Urban center in the 1910 Demography. The Bureau then extended its use, every bit well, to other major cities – Baltimore, Boston, Cleveland, Chicago, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and St. Louis – and, ultimately, to the entire nation.

In the 1920s, the organization'south name was changed to "The Greater New York Federation of Churches" and its offices moved to the Masonic Grand Lodge Building on W 23rd Street. The Greater New York Federation aided in the organisation of the Queens Federation of Churches in 1931 and the ii organizations shared office infinite until 1946.

On October 15, 1943, "The Protestant Council of the Urban center of New York" was formed past the consolidation of The Greater New York Federation of Churches with the Brooklyn Church and Mission Society (which was organized in 1829), The Metropolitan Federation of Daily Vacation Bible Schools, and The Interdenominational Committee on Released Fourth dimension. The Protestant Council's ecumenical piece of work was organized by Departments – Pastoral Intendance (supervising youth ministry and chaplains in City hospitals and prisons), Radio and Television (developing and coordinating the placement of over 35 weekly broadcasts), Christian Social Witness (advocating for practiced public policy and working to meet the needs of the poor, particularly in the expanse of affordable housing) and Church Planning and Inquiry (continuing the original purposes of research assay and assisting denominations in church growth). Additionally, the Council operated "civic division" offices to relate to local congregations in the City's Boroughs of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx and Staten Island.

In the 1960s, the Protestant Council undertook meantime two split up 1000000-dollar fund raising campaigns – one to build the Protestant Chapel at JFK International Airport and the other to build and sponsor the Protestant Pavilion at the 1964-65 New York World'southward Off-white. The award-winning film, Parable, a mime representation of the ministry of Christ as a circus clown, was commissioned and starting time presented equally the centerpiece of the Protestant Pavilion. The Family of Man Medallion was struck and presented at a distinguished almanac feast recognizing many national and world leaders, beginning with President John F. Kennedy in October 1963. The issue connected until the 1980s honoring (among others): Lyndon B. Johnson, Richard M. Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Henry Kissinger, Menachem Begin, Anwar el-Sadat, Helmut Schmidt, Jose Lopez Portillo, Bishop Desmond Tutu and Pierre Elliott Trudeau. In 1968, the Protestant Quango renamed itself "The Council of Churches of the City of New York."

The Council reorganized itself again in 1989, returning to its cadre functions – public policy assay and advocacy on behalf of Christian denominations, and catalyzing (but non operating for the long-term) specific programs of straight assistance. The Board of Directors, in the current design, is comprised of the Bishops and executives of member denominations and the president and CEO of each of the contained civic councils of churches. Information technology is a leadership forum for the Christian community of New York City.

In a perspicacious act, 2 years earlier the infamous events of nine/11, the Quango of Churches of the City of New York brought together the New York Board of Rabbis, the ii Roman Catholic Dioceses and the Imams Quango of New York to form the Commission of Religious Leaders of the City of New York. This trunk, formed to accost local public policy issues, has worked successfully in addressing problems of police brutality, and the lack of affordable housing for the homeless and depression-income.

In response to the needs post-obit the 9/eleven set on, the Council of Churches, working with Church World Service and the Committee of Religious Leaders, brought together the New York Disaster Response Interfaith Task Force which worked to develop the Care for the Caregivers Interfaith Project which was supported past the September 11th Fund.

The Council is currently focusing on a number of initiatives to amend the health of the City'south neighborhoods. Nosotros will be working to bring congregations together to address the educational, economical, housing, and safety challenges that present themselves, in varying degrees, in the myriad neighborhoods that contain the City of New York. The Council is updating and developing boosted information resources to heighten the ability of local cooperation among congregations, community organizations and the City assistants.

Historical Names         Council Presidents         Council Executive Directors

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Source: http://www.cccny.net/about/history.htm

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