Student Christian Movement in New England

The Student Christian Movement was formed in 1934 by the YMCA, YWCA and various Protestant denominations to promote cooperative religious work among college and university students in New England. In 1967, a reevaluation of the aims and future of the SCMNE resulted in a decision to change its name to University Christian Movement in New England and all member groups were to change their affiliation to the UCMNE.

From the description of Papers of the Student Christian Movement in New England, 1926-1969 (inclusive), 1934-1967 (bulk). (Yale University). WorldCat record id: 122589547

From the description of Student Christian Movement in New England records, 1926-1969 (inclusive), 1934-1967 (bulk). (Yale University). WorldCat record id: 702179324

The Student Christian Movement in New England was formed in 1934 as an agency designed to promote cooperative work among college and university students by various organizations and denominations. The policy of the Movement was to support the existing Christian groups on New England campuses rather than to create a new series of student units. The original participating organizations, the Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A., were joined by the Congregational, Presbyterian and Methodist churches as "supporting" members and the Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopal, Unitarian and Disciples of Christ churches as "participating" members. In addition to coordinating Christian student work efforts on the New England campuses, the Student Christian Movement in New England also provided a link with national and worldwide organizations such as the National Intercollegiate Christian Council, the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the Student Volunteer Movement and the World's Student Christian Federation.

The Movement was governed by democratic councils which were representative of all constituent agencies and included student members. The S.C.M. staff had three main functions: 1) to visit and counsel local groups, 2) to teach, preach and provide resource information, and A) to interpret the purposes of the S.C.M. in New England and its relationship to wider university movements. The various conferences, meetings, and projects of the S.C.M. were designed to strengthen the Christian commitment of participating students and to provide opportunity for students to deal with the social problems of their time.

1965 and 1966 were designated as experimental years by the Student Christian Movement in New England, and many of its committees were restructured. The context of the organization changed in 1966 as a national University Christian Movement was formed to replace the National Student Christian Federation and the New England Commission for United Ministries in Higher Education began operation. (See Record Group No. 54 for papers of the New England Commission for United Ministries in Higher Education.) A new focus of S.C.M. activities was instituted in the fall of 1966 when "core groups" of students began to replace the S.C.M. staff as the means of providing counsel and information for local campus groups.

In January of 1967, the national Y.M.C.A. withdrew as a supporting member of the S.C.M. A period of reevaluation of the aims and future of the Student Christian Movement in New England resulted in a decision made at the 1967 Annual Representative Assembly that the name of the Movement be changed to the University Christian Movement in New England and that all member groups of the S.C.M. in New England become member groups of the U.C.M. in New England.

From the guide to the Archives of the Student Christian Movement in New England, 1926-1974, (Yale University Divinity School Library)