Manual for Annual Conference
We are pleased to offer the sixth edition of this Manual for the Annual Conference Commission on Archives and History. The Book of Discipline lists the commission’s responsibilities, and this manual is a resource to assist the commission in fulfilling those duties.
In addition to fulfilling basic administrative responsibilities, we hope that each commission will actively recover, study, interpret, and celebrate our shared heritage. Local churches, the Annual Conference, and the general public are depending on you to meet their needs. This manual offers general guidance that we hope will help you do just that. Of course, each situation is different, and the suggestions offered here are intended to be neither limiting nor exhaustive.
The specific disciplinary provisions for the Annual Conference Commission on Archives and History are listed on the inside front cover. Please read these paragraphs carefully. They describe your duties and give you the authority to proceed with your work.
As you begin your work, remember:
- Your role in the Annual Conference is crucial, for you will ensure that vital information is collected and preserved for the future.
- Your relationship to the local church is crucial, for you will provide leadership, encouragement, and support for the recovery of history at its most important level.
- Your involvement in the wider historical community is crucial, for you are an important link in the connectional chain that binds us all together.
The staff of the General Commission on Archives and History is prepared to assist you upon request. Write or call us.
Ashley Boggan, General Secretary
Mark Shenise, Associate Archivist
General Commission on Archives and History
P.O. Box 127, 36 Madison Avenue
Madison, NJ 07940
(973) 408-3189; FAX (973) 408-3909; E-mail: gcah@gcah.org
CONTENTS
Paragraph 641.1-4, The Book of Discipline
The Annual Conference Commission on Archives and History
Membership
Finances
Personnel
Bylaws
Agenda for Meetings
The Conference Archives
Developing an Archival Program
Policies and Forms
The Archival Facility
Records Management
Library Guidelines
Exhibits
Oral History
Working with…
The Public
Researchers
Tours
The Local Church
The Annual Conference
History at the Annual Conference Session
Memoirs in the Conference Journal
Writing an Annual Conference History
Records of Closed Churches
The Jurisdiction
The General Commission
Other Historical Agencies
Bylaws for a Conference Historical Society
The Historic Places of United Methodism
Historic Sites
Heritage Landmarks
Governmental Landmarking of Heritage Sites
Heritage Sunday