Indianapolis Recorder: Mixed Worship – Transcript

“White Pastor Plans Program to Increase Mixed Worship.” Indianapolis Recorder, November 12, 1960, p. 1 – Transcript || Annotation || Archive || Back

The pastor of an integrated church has appealed for volunteers, particularly Negroes, who desire to aid in a program to increase interracial worship in the city.

Rev. James Jones, young white pastor of the People’s Temple Christian Church, 975 N. Delaware, explained that beginning Sunday the church will not hold Sunday morning services. Instead, members of the congregation will go out in interracial teams to visit other churches throughout the city.

“The worshipers in this project have been indoctrinated to enter the other churches in the spirit of nonviolence and Christian love,” Rev. Jones told The Recorder. “If they find another church home in the process, we are willing to relinquish all ties with them.

“We welcome others who want to assist us in this activity,” he continued. “We particularly need the cooperation of Negroes, as there are more Caucasians than non-Caucasians in our membership.”

Persons desiring to take part on a regular weekly basis should come to the People’s Temple at 10 a.m. Sunday, the minister said. There they will be formed into teams and directed to the various churches.

The People’s Temple regular weekly services will be held on Sunday afternoons.

WIDELY KNOWN FOR its practice of uncompromising Christian fellowship, the temple is affiliated with the Disciples of Christ. A free restaurant, commissary for the poor, and senior citizens’ home are operated in conjunction with the church, while Rev. and Mrs. Jones are proprietors of a nursing home.