What should churches keep?

Ever wonder why a church would keep a copy of its bulletin from each worship service? Over the years this could become quite a stack! What about minutes from all those boring meetings?

Records of the past are kept because they’re able to wrench us out of our present comfort – or pain – and tell us the story of how we got here. They give us identity. They remind us of decisions, people, and a God who continues to be faithful. Stories of the past give us courage and vision for the future.

Many congregations find it difficult know what to save, and how to save it. This short list may help:

1. Vital records such as membership, baptism, and cemetery registers.
2. Legal papers such as deeds, mortgages, constitutions, and bylaws.
3. Records of organization such as minutes and correspondence from church committees and other groups. Minutes should record decisions and discussions leading up to them. These types of records have the greatest use in the future.
4. Publications by and about the church and its members such as newsletters, bulletins, and relevant articles in community newspapers.
5. Ministerial materials such as sermons, correspondence, and e-mails.
6. Special records such as photos, oral histories, family papers and genealogies, community histories, videos, and recordings of special events.

The technology problem

Many records exist in electronic format. Technology is changing so fast, we can’t be sure future software or hardware will be able to read that data in 20 years. In most cases, congregations should keep paper copies of important information and hard copies of photos. Paper is still the most secure and longest lasting format for archiving.

When churches choose to save records electronically, they should save the software programs along with the files, and migrate them when they update their computer systems.

Confidentiality

It’s important to remember that some records will be sensitive or confidential in nature. Congregations should put restrictions in place to protect the information from being misused, but not necessarily destroyed. This might include allowing only certain people to look at the information, prohibiting duplication of the material, or closing files for a certain number of years.

The Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies serves the MB conference by collecting stories and archives, making them available for the future. The Centre welcomes donations of materials from congregations, families, and organizations for long-term preservation and use. This service is especially helpful for congregations that may not have enough space to store their own archives, or are looking for a secure place to keep records. Visit the Centre for MB Studies to see which materials have already been archived from your congregation.

For more information about keeping church records, visit MBHC: Heritage Preservation.

Conrad Stoesz is an archivist at the Centre for Mennonite Brethren Studies and Mennonite Heritage Centre, both in Winnipeg.