Imperial Valley press., 1923-06-09
Rev. McGaughey Brings Report of
First Community Conference
US. Churches. Held i'm Chicago

the Imperial community church has
just returned from the first confer
ence of community churches of the
United States, held in Chicago May
% to "a.
Rev. McGaughey, delegate from
California and his jealous efforts in
this direction received recognition
when he was made first vice-p -persi-
dent of the executive committee to
which will be entrusted the work of
promoting the work for the next
year.
Rev. McGaughey' report follows
in part
"The first National conference Of
Community churches was held in
the st. Paul Union church of Bever-
ly Hills Chicago.
Community churches and lay
men from nearly every northern
state in the union were in attend
ance.
Three Types Of Churches
"The community churches are Of
three types, generally speaking. The
first and oldest + 1a' " the Union
church, not lar eSsful be
eausa Of a gel ing that
ese churches a7~ wn from
angcllcal ehris I-ltv.
There were ao1a Ole exceptions
however, as in thc ease of the St.
Paul's church NAere the Covention
was held. This church has been
organized for 80 years and has
been a power for good at home and
abroad. Today this church sup
ports seven missionaries.
''The second type of church Is
the denomina tional community
church, where IN agreement has
been reached b. the denominations
to leave the fled TO single sect.
This in new fields and where the
population is small has succeeded
quite well.
''The third type of church is the
federated community church, sort
of half way between the union and
denominational types. BY far the
greater numoer of churches repre-
sented in the movement are in this
class. Churches thus federating are
not asked to withdraw from their
denominational connection.
1.-THE ultimate goal of all these
efforts, however, is the same-to
unite the broken body of Christ in
to united church; thus helping to
answer the Saviors' last prayer
THAT they all may be one; that the
world may believe that thou hast
sent me.
".The conference was addressed
by some of the outstanding relig
ious leaders of America, among
them representa- YES Of co operative
agencies supported by. the churches.
% States Represented
90 A fair idea < how the charcles
viewed the movement may be gath
cred from the following account Civ
en- in the Continent the largest
Presbyterian paper.
- Men and women from 2S
states gathered at ST. Paul's union
hold the first national conference of
church in Chicago, My 1924 to
community church workers. 1t was
frankly admitted that $50 churches
that have sprung up mostly since
the war have many difficult prob
lens to face. All speakers were
agreed that no new denomonation
should be formed. To prevent the
formation of separate denomina-
tions, it was proposed that the
preachers of the movement should
continue their attachment to de-
nominational organizations. 1t was
voted to make the conference a per-
manent organization and officers
were elected who were charged with
setting up another national con
ference in Philadelphia in May
1924.
'One of the first talks laid upon
this executive committee vas that
of conducting service bureau for
preachers and churches. No reco
mendationS will be given. but the
bureau will provide information
with regard to the educational at
tainments and service records of
ministers. Free-lance ministers and
men who have failed elsewhere will
have a most difficult time getting
any permanent foothold in the
movement
Less Than 1o0 Members
''More than half of the 100000
protestant churches in the United
States have T.. than 100 members.
This is the rs, & of warranted
zol on the part If the seetarian
leaders of thc past, and this move
ment is dest Aaa 20 correct this
over-churehing
Undoubtedly the most impres
sive address OF the convention was
made by Prof. William Hung of
Peking University. His plea for
church union can never be forgot
ten by those who were held by his
peculiar elopuence. Said this learn
ed man from the Orient China can
not understand your divided chris
iianity. We don I understand why
you have Southern Methodist
church in northern China and Nor
thern Baptist church in south Chi
ma. China wants your Christ but
cares nothing for your denomina-
tions.
"These we're almost the last
words of the session and will live
with his hearers, sending everyone
back TO work more earnestly than
ever before for the union or Christs
followers eyQryWhere -