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III
THE FRIENDLY HOUSE OF FRAYER
For many years the majority of the members of the South Berkeley Community Church felt that the Church could promote its program of democratic fellowship most effectively through the employment of co-pastors, preferably of different racial backgrounds, In theory the policy was ideal, but in practice it gave rise to serious complications. Some of these difficulties will be mentioned in greater detail later, but for the moment, it is noted that by the year 1950 the problem of holding good men in the pulpit was becoming serious, Already the Reverends Winters, Nichols, and Gallagher had gone. A new minister, James E. Simpson, had been called to replace Dr. Buell Gallagher, but Mr. Simpson resigned after serving from January through September of 1950. Essentially the problem was this: How can a church with a very limited financial base pay for the services of two highly qualified pastors? The answer was that it could not be done unless the ministers were willing to serve at great personal sacrifice to themselves and their families. Fortunately for the church there were still such men available.
The historian above all others is in a position to know the futility of speculating on "what might have been". Nevertheless it seems probable that the fundamental character of South Berkeley Community Church might have changed had it not been for the unselfish contributions of two men - Dr. Fred S. Strip and the Reverend Ernest G. Houlding. Mr. Houlding had been active in the promotion of the church from the beginning and Dr. Stripp had become active while still a student at Pacific School of Religion. The Reverend John Charles Mickle (with Mr. Houlding serving as Assistant and Dr. Strip as Associate was able to maintain the church without diminution of the quality service rendered to the congregation. A more positive statement is that under leadership of these three men South Berkeley Community Church made some of its most notable advances.
One outstanding achievement was the purchase of the church building from the Northern California Congregational Conference. The receipt of a letter from the Reverend Harley Gill, Superintendent of the Conference, was the immediate cause of action. Dr. Gill gently reminded the church "...You have had the use of the property a number of years, but this kind of arrangement should not continue indefinitely. Perhaps you would like to name a special committee to meet with a committee appointed by the Conference Board of Directors to go into all phases of this problem..."
This letter was written on April 25, 1951. In the church bulletin for May
20, "the following notice appears:
"At a regular meeting held Monday night May l4th, the Church Council voted unanimously
to accept the recommendation of the Trustee Board, that a committee of our Church
meet with a committee of the Board of Directors of the Northern California Congregational
Conference and bring to the membership of the church, for approval, the provisions
of a mutual agreement whereby the title of the property and the ownership of
the building and land may be transferred from the conference to the church.
The members the committee are: Mrs. C.R. Claiborne, Mr. James F. Davis, Mr.
E.C. Lindsley, Mrs, Lucille Lane, and Mr. Anthony Walker. Exofficio: Mr. Joseph
Kittredge and the Rev. J.C. Mickle."
On June 9, 1951 the two committees met at the church. Perhaps unconsciously influenced by a tradition of yankee shrewdaess, the South Berkeley Committee finally persuaded the Conference committee to sell a church valued at $35,000 for $13,000. The mortgage was to be paid in full within five years after the signing of the contract, but there was to be no interest charge for the first three years. The terms were approved by the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors at its June 12th meeting. "The friendly house of Prayer" now was the property of the congregation of South Berkeley Community Church.