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II
THE CHURCH FROM ONE TO SIX -
1944 - 1950
The new church was dedicated to the service of mankind and it was soon apparent that dedication meant more than pious words. Prior to the establishment of the church a community survey was conducted. The results provided some interesting insights into the nature of the community and its needs. The South Berkeley Community Church Center was created to serve all persons who cared to attend its activities. The indomitable Mrs. C. R. Claiborne furnished early leadership and continued to guide the fortunes of the Center throughout the decade of the 1940's. The "Prophet", an informative and pleasant church bulletin, states that the Center program was on a six day basis as of April 30, 1944. A scant two weeks after it's establishment 151 persons had attended the various groups and classes. Those participating had their choice of millinery, dressmaking, knitting, music appreciation, boys clubs, girls clubs, or nutrition taught by a Red Cross instructor. By the beginning of 1950 the center had become one of the most outstanding achievements of the church. No one contributed more time, effort, or inspiration than Mrs. Mattie Claiborne. She always considered the Center as her finest work and the Reverend Roy Nichols concurs in that evaluation. From Salem Methodist Church "In the Heart of Harlem" he writes in a letter dated September 28, 1964 ..."The Community Center program pioneered by Mattie Claiborne, was the most significant church project in California in the 40's"...
Searching through the record one discovers other beginnings. The first Vacation Church School under the joint auspices of South Berkeley Community Church, St. Paul AME Church, and the Progressive Baptist Church, was started in August of 1944. The Reverend Robert James of the American Friends Service Committee was the coordinator of the Vacation School project. At the time he was in Berkeley as leader of a work camp group which earlier had stripped away the jungle of vines from the old church building and then applied a much needed coat of paint. The paint, of course, has faded but the idea of the Vacation Church School has never died.
In retrospection, from the vantage point of fifteen to twenty years, one can discern a panorama composed of moments of jubilation and sorrow, of welcoming and departures, of births and deaths, and of weddings and christenings. There are scenes of Roy Nichols and Ruth Richardson being joined in holy matrimony by Dr. Buell Gallagher and Dr. Howard Thurman in July of 1944; of the formation of the first choir under the direction of Alfred O'Neal; of the tremendous effort put forth to attempt to secure the passage of a fair employment Practices Act in 1946; of the readjustments by dozens of dozens of persons to the demands new situations created by the advent of peace or at least the cessation of total war in 1945, and of Buell Gallagher running a very close race for congress from the seventh district of California. The section of the picture most clearly delineated is the resignation of Roy Nichols and the acceptance of the pastorate by his successor, John Charles Mickle.
Mr. Mickle came to South Berkeley Community Church from Cleveland, Ohio in 1947. He remained as pastor past the end of the 1940's and his quiet manner provided effective leadership for the congregation. In characteristic understatement he recalls that: the pastors and members put forth many efforts to fulfill in the church building and in the community our calling: "To serve, in so far as we may, the spiritual, social, and recreational needs of the people without regard to race, creed or color. Some of the activities involved were:
"In the church building: worship services, Sunday school classes, organized play, millinery classes, ballet classes, well baby clinic, released time Christian education classes, fine arts exhibits, scouting for girls and boys, knitting classes, weaving classes, public speaking classes, meetings of human relations groups, classes in the practical arts.
In the community: working for racial integration: in ministerial associations, in public schools, in hospitals, in city governments, in libraries, in employment.
In the life of our Christian denomination: helping other churches to achieve racial integration and to serve the people of the neighborhoods in which they are located, and fostering interracial patterns in the programs and activities of youth, laymen., and ministers."
The resignation of Dr. Gallagher to accept a position with the United States Government in Washington, D.C. left a void difficult to fill. Everyone had been aware for a long time of a sense of apprehension that the brilliant Buell Gallagher would move on to larger fields. But everyone hoped against hope that somehow the church could keep him. Such was not to be and the congregation listened to the disheartening news on March 13, 1949. With the fortitude born of adversity the church accepted the situation and prepared to sponsor a banquet honoring Dr. Gallagher and his family. The banquet was at the International house on March 31, 1949. Every segment of the racial and economic community had representatives at this event, a testament of the sense of loss felt by all who knew and loved this wondrous fighter in the field of social justice.
Recognizing that church housing is a necessary part of carrying on the work of God the congregation authorized a committee selected by the Board of Trustees to do whatever was necessary "to make and complete the purchase of a parsonage" for the church. The committee (composed of Edwin C. Linsley, Argee Barksdale, and Isaac Jones, Sr.) discharged its immediate duty by purchasing a building located at 1807 Fairview Street one half block from the church.
In summary we can say that the six year old was a vigorous child by the end of 1949 but he had not escaped his growing pains. Poignant evidence of this fact is revealed in this statement by Edwin C. Linsley, the financial secretary.
"Dear Member:
As we come to the end of this year, we find that the financial position of the
South Berkeley Community Church is unfortunately not as strong as it should
be. Our actual receipts did not measure up to what we expected and included
in our annual budget, while expenses have continued at the expected rate."
The date of the report is December 29, 1948. It could have been a December in any year from 1944 through 1964.