Minutes of CRH Board Meeting on March 11, 1965

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Minutes of CRH Board Meeting on March 11, 1965

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Phyllis Lyon & Del Martin Papers.

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The Board of Trustees meeting of the Council on Religion and the Homosexual at Glide Foundation was called to order at 8:15 p.m. on March 11 by Pres. Ted McIlvenna. Other trustees present were the Revs. Clay Colwell and Chuck Lewis; also Bill Beardemphl , Bob Walker, Don Lucas, Mark Forrester, Phyllis Leon and Del Martin.

The minutes were read and approved.

Rev. McIlvenna discussed briefly the problems of setting up a Council in Los Angeles, also a need for homophile people to meet with the clergy in Denver. Mark Forrester moved that the clergy here see what they could do to arrange an L.A. retreat. Motion was seconded by Bob Walker and Del Martin. Passed unanimously.

A discussion on the timing and type of presentation to be made of the "Brief of Injustices" ensued. It was suggested that the actual document take on a legal form with all the trustees signing it. Phyllis Leon pointed out that a condensation, a short and concise presentation should be made at a press conference which would be backed up by the document itself. Mark Forrester was concerned with distribution of the brief to judges, legislators, et al. Don Lucas said the Tavern Guild would very likely pay for the printing and that SIR could handle the distribution. Del Martin suggested that the publications committee work on the press conference presentation. It was agreed that the Brief of Injustices should be finalized and printed and in readiness for that time which might present itself. Rev. Chuck Lewis said he would get the latest draft typed and in the hands of the trustees. Pres. McIlvenna also asked Rev. Lewis to check the scriptural references.

Rev. Clay Colwell reported on the newspaper contacts he and his wife had made on behalf of the Council. They received a warm response from all three papers. But Dr. Colwell warned that we must be very careful in the use of vocabulary, that no flip or irresponsible remarks are made in public. He also reported the United Church's contact in the San Francisco Chamber of Commerce had been able to talk with Mayor Shelley in the Orient, that the Mayor now has copies of the Council's goals and the Quaker View of Sex and had asked to be apprised of future Council activities. The Mayor admitted that he himself had ordered the police to the New Year's Ball, but had done so on the basis of information supplied by the police . Rev. Colwell also added that he had made no further contact with Inspectors Nieto and Castro.

Phyllis Leon suggested that the Council might distribute what she considered to be an excellent pamphlet of Question and Answers on Homosexuality put out by the Albany Trust in England. Hal Call said we should adapt the pamphlet for our own use. After some discussion the publications committee was directed to prepare a Council version of the booklet. A budget of $500 was authorized for 5000 copies of a 24-page booklet to be sold by the Council at 25 cents each. Pan-Graphic Press was awarded the printing job, with delivery within 30 days.

Because the attorneys had failed to apprise the Board that the corporation papers had been returned from Sacramento, Rev. McIlvenna reported the official Council bank account had not yet been opened. Don Lucas volunteered to get the corporation seal and proceed with opening the account.

Hal Call reported that nothing had been done about the Council brochure. Mark Forrester reported that the Young Democrats of San Francisco had passed a resolution endorsing the Council and that it would next be taken up at the state level.

Don Lucas reported that there was still about $600 outstanding on revenue due from the New Year's Ball from Strait & Associates and The Coits. He also said

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he was holding about $450 of Council money and that there was about $150 in the Glide account.

Bob Walker as treasurer was requested to obtain a resale permit for the Council.

Rev. McIlvenna said that Meyer Scharlack of Glide Foundation had requested a speaker for the Council at a luncheon meeting to be held March 22nd at Hospitality House between 12 and 3 p.m., also that a team of three ministers would want to make a tour of the homosexual community on that night and the next afternoon. Mark Forrester, Bob Walker and Bill Beardemphl volunteered to handle the assignment.

Discussion of a phone service in connection with the night ministry, the need for an office and the October conference (date, place size) was put over to the next Board meeting which was scheduled for March 29 at 7:30 p.m. at Ted McIlvenna's home, 566 - 20th Ave.

The next general membership was scheduled for Tuesday, May 4th, at 7:30 p.m. at Glide Fellowship Hall,

Hal Cal announced that Friday, April 2, would be the date for a Mattachine university blast.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:15 p.m.

Del Martin
Secretary

Citation

“Minutes of CRH Board Meeting on March 11, 1965”, The Council on Religion and the Homosexual, LGBTQ Religious Archives Network, accessed May 18, 2024, https://exhibits.lgbtran.org/exhibits/show/crh/item/1798.