Preserving Archival Material

Once a congregational historian or staff member of the church realizes the need for preserving historical materials for future generations, the question which usually follows is "What do I save?"

This is a logical response and question. A historian cannot save everything, but there are certain things which definitely need to be preserved, and there are other things about which a judgment call must be made.

This page will seek to describe the type of material which should be preserved in order to maintain good records of the church, its leadership and its membership. The things described on this page are important materials of record and should be preserved. The Historical Society will be glad to accept paper, computer discs, compact discs, digital tapes, audio or video tapes, etc.

Board or Congregational Minutes
Minutes are potentially legal documents and should be preserved to protect the congregation and its officers on legal matters as well as to establish the record of official happenings of the congregation.

Minutes will contain decisions and policy information that will be important to later actions of the congregation or board. Such minutes can be placed on restricted use in the archives or library. In this way they are not open to the general public, but only to appropriate members of the congregation.

• Constitution and By-Laws (original and revised forms)
• Charter
• Meeting Minutes (Board, Committees)
• Legal Records (Deeds, Trust Agreements, Tax Certificates, etc.)

Correspondence
All official correspondence dealing with policies, functions, personnel, plans, and programs of the church or any of its official organizations should be preserved by groups either by year or by the pastorates of senior ministers.

Membership and Baptismal Records
The baptismal records should carry the date of the actual baptismal service and the birthplace of the candidate. Membership records should record how the person was received into membership. When membership is withdrawn the records should show whether it was by death, removal, or transfer, the date this took place and if transferring, the church to which the person is transferring.

Financial Records and Ledgers
Regardless of form, basic annual financial records should be retained. The books of the congregation should be audited annually either by a committee within the congregation or by a Certified Public Accountant with the report of the audit placed in the archives. This should be true of congregational records and of any group within the organization which maintains a regular treasury.

Annual reports of all endowment funds, designated accounts, and special offerings should also be accounted for in an official way.

Reports
Any report issued by the minister, board or committees relating to the work, surveys, activities, plans and projects including annual reports, yearbooks and directories should be preserved. Dates should be on all such reports.

Publications
Newsletters, bulletins, especially those of special events, pastoral letters and similar communications should be preserved in the archives.

• Newsletters
• Publicity Releases
• Promotional Pamphlets, Brochures
• Membership Directories
• Newspaper Clippings
• Worship Bulletins

Legal Papers
Deeds, mortgages and bills of sale with regard to property, contracts relating to long term equipment and other papers of legal nature which may be needed in the future should be carefully copied. Place the originals in safe keeping in a lock box or fire-proof safe and have copies accessible to the files.

Order of Service
General and special service folders such as installations, funerals, ground-breaking, cornerstone laying, dedications, and other special events should be regularly retained along with clearly identified photographs when possible.

Photographs
Pictures of personnel, ministers, boards, buildings, properties, special events, special groups and others are important and should be properly identified. Blueprints of buildings should always be kept.

Visual and Audio Records
Videotapes, slide productions, recordings and audio tapes are all valuable records and form important documentation material for the future.

• Interviews with Former Ministers
• Interviews with Long-Time Church Members
• Tapes of Sermons, Choral Programs, Special Services
• Recordings of Conferences, Assemblies

Rare Books and Periodicals
Often these may be in personal collections or possessions but are offered to the church or should be requested by the church for preservation for the future. If counsel is needed concerning these the Historical Society will be glad to advise a congregation or a person. These generally need special care, handling and preserving.

Diaries, Scrapbooks, Congregational or Organizational Histories
Often this type of material may have been prepared or kept by individuals within the church or community. They would certainly become valuable gifts to the church archives.

• Biographical Files on Ministers and Members
• Memorabilia and Artifacts (Plaques, Diaries, Trophies, Paintings)

Denominational Records

• Yearbooks and Directories
• Programs and Reports of Assemblies and Conventions
• Periodicals published by the Denomination

Miscellaneous
Any documents, manuscripts, leaflets, pamphlets, etc. relating to the work of the church are important also.

 

Preservation is Important!
Are your records and historical material for the congregation well preserved and secure? There is far more to adequate preservation than storing materials in a box or a cabinet.

Have you thought of placing copies or originals with Disciples of Christ Historical Society? In the case of extremely old, fragile material it is often desirable to place the original with the Historical Society and keep copies within the congregation. The originals can always be returned for special occasions.

Once in the Society's library and archives, material is placed in acid-free boxes, acid-free file folders and envelopes. The temperature and humidity are controlled for constant atmosphere and environment.

All of this retards deterioration of paper and enhances preservation. The Society will be happy to work with your congregation to preserve valuable material.