Why The Local Church Needs to Organize and Write Their History
When an elder dies, a library perishes- African Proverb
As a child, I was blessed to grow up in Asbury United Methodist Church in Washington, DC, an African American Methodist Church, founded in 1836 by enslaved and free African Americans because they could not freely participate in all of the ministries of the white church a few blocks away.
Our historian, the late Louise Robinson, was my heroine. She kept meticulous records, organized an inviting space, and was constantly calling our attention to the rich history of our church. I was also exposed to all of the heroes and heroines of the time, Harriet Tubman, Frederick Douglas, and George Washington Carver, as well as stories of persons right in our congregation who made a difference in our church and in the city. However, when I grew up, I too began to realize the importance of the history of the local church, and how our stories were told, retold, and recorded.
In 1968 the Uniting Conference of the Evangelical United Brethren Church and the Methodist Church met to unite and become The United Methodist Church. An important aspect of the uniting agreement was the approval of a resolution that by 1972, the Central Jurisdiction structure of the Methodist Church would be eliminated and the previously all African-American annual conferences would be merged with the appropriate geographical annual conferences. Also in 1968, Black Methodists for Church Renewal (BMCR) was formed. It was during that time that Blacks in the newly formed denomination decided that they did not want the history of Black persons lost, so the African American Methodist Heritage Center (AAMHC) was formed to preserve, protect and promote the history of African Americans in the Methodist Church in 2001. I was blessed to be a part of the organization, as a board member, and now serve as the Executive Assistant to the Board of Trustees. Items in our collection, housed in the state-of-the-art facility of the General Commission of Archives and History (GCAH) on the campus of Drew University in Madison NJ come from individuals and churches.
In my travels with AAMHC across the denomination over the years, It has become apparent that the local church is the key to ensuring that the ministry of memory is not lost. All of our great leaders started out in a church somewhere that gave them the foundation needed to work and serve.
My advice to those just starting out in building a history center or maintaining an existing one is as follows: Get the church records out of your houses, basements, and garages, and get them to a safe place; start small if you have not started at all; form a committee with end dates if needed; make your work exciting, share good stories; make an annual report to your Church Council; involve youth, use their skills and ideas and their help with technology and alternative forms of communication; use conference resources; seek partnerships with organizations/churches beyond your walls; arrange for mentors and do succession planning.
GCAH has developed an outstanding course, Local Church Historians School, to help the local church develop and nurture their members. The course is self-paced and at no cost, however, donations are accepted. For those interested in a certificate as a Local Church Historian, and 3 CEUs there is a fee. Please go to gcah.org to see the other great resources available for youth as well as adults.
Until the lions have their own historians, the history of the hunt will always glorify the hunter – African proverb.
Carol L. Travis, Executive Assistant
African American Methodist Heritage Center,
36 Madison Ave, P.O. Box 127, Madison, NJ 07940;)