PEOPLES TEMPLE OF THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST
A CALIFORNIA CORPORATION
MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
OCTOBER 8, 1973
A regular meeting of the Board of Directors of PEOPLES TEMPLE OF THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, a California corporation, was held at 7:30 p.m. on October 8, 1973, at the church in Redwood Valley, on East Road, in Mendocino County, California, call and notice of such meeting having been expressly waived by the by-laws of the corporation.
All of the directors were present.
TIMOTHY O. STOEN acted as Chairman of the meeting and Linda S. Amos acted as Secretary of the meeting.
The minutes of the meeting of the Board of Directors held on September 10, 1973 were read to those present; there being no objections, corrections or modifications thereto offered, the same were approved.
A report on the progress of the construction of the San Francisco Temple was read and approved.
A report on the development of security measures and systems for the operating facilities was read and approved.
A report indicating that arrangements had been made to conduct church services in the San Francisco area at Benjamin Franklin Junior High School – a block away from the church – was read and approved, the Board indicating their thanks to the School District for its cooperation under the circumstances.
A supplemental report on the agricultural and church extension was then read. A discussion was held concerning the growing world food shortage including starvation around the world and of our church’s Christian duty to aid to provide food for the hungry. Reports of surveys and investigations by the church members in different areas of the globe and as to the receptiveness of various governments was read and received. After a long discussion, it was concluded that the Church should establish an agricultural mission in the tropics and that Guyana, South America, was the most suitable place to do so for the following reasons, among others:
First, it has a close physical proximity to the United States; second, it is English speaking; third, its economy is typical of so-called underdeveloped nations as are its agricultural circumstances; fourth, the government seems to have policies encouraging agricultural developments in the country.
In order to establish a Mission and Church Extension, the following resolution was proposed and unanimously adopted:
RESOLUTION 1973-5 POST FIRE
RESOLVED, that a Branch Church and Agricultural Mission be established in the cooperative Republic of Guyana; that the Board of Directors of PEOPLES TEMPLE OF THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST, a California (U.S.A.) corporation and a member church of the General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Inc., which is officially recognized by the United States Internal Revenue Service and by the State of California Franchise Tax Board as a tax-exempt religious organization, hereby RESOLVES AS FOLLOWS:
WHEREAS this board has determined that the purposes of this corporation and church would best be served by establishing a branch church and an agricultural and rural development mission in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, said mission to be operated in accordance with the national development plan of Guyana,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED AND ORDERED AS FOLLOWS:
1. The Board of Directors hereby authorizes James W. Jones, pastor and president of said corporation and church, and all persons designated by said pastor, to take any and all actions necessary or convenient to the establishing of a branch church and of an agricultural and rural development nation in the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, said actions to include, but not to be limited to, the following:
- Establishing of bank accounts in Guyana.
- Purchase and delivery of machinery and equipment.
- Purchase and lease of land.
- Construction of buildings.
- Planting of crops and raising of livestock.
- Negotiations with governmental officials and businesses.
- Transfer of corporate assets and incurring of liabilities generally, including to and by a Cooperative Society, Ltd., to be formed under the laws of Guyana and to constitute a legal manifestation of said corporation and of said church in Guyana.
2. The Board of Directors hereby establishes in, and extends to, Guyana an official branch of PEOPLES TEMPLE OF THE DISCIPLES OF CHRIST.
3. The Board of Directors hereby authorizes J.R. Purifoy to purchase the equipment, material, and supplies on behalf of the corporation and aforesaid mission; provided, however, that subsequent approval is given by the president or financial secretary of said corporation.
4. The Board of Directors hereby authorizes any two of the following persons to deposit and withdraw monies from any and all accounts in any Guyana Bank which has been established in the name of said corporation or such cooperative society; provided, however, that all withdrawals shall require the signatures of two persons:
- James W. Jones
- Archie J. Ijames
- Timothy O. Stoen
- Eugene B. Chaikin
- Carolyn M. Layton
- Marceline M. Jones
Any two of the aforesaid persons are also authorized the purchase, on behalf of a corporation and aforesaid mission, equipment, materials, and supplies.
TIMOTHY O. STOEN, Chairman
Attest:
LINDA S. AMOS, Secretary