wfn.org | Commission to Increase Attention to History Overseas

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"UNITED METHODIST DAILY NEWS 97" by SUSAN PEEK on April 15, 1997 at 14:24
Eastern, about DAILY NEWS RELEASES FROM UNITED METHODIST NEWS SERVICE (328
notes).

Note 321 by UMNS on Sept. 16, 1997 at 16:37 Eastern (4737 characters).

Produced by United Methodist News Service, official news agency of
the United Methodist Church, with offices in Nashville, Tenn., New
York, and Washington.

CONTACT:  Ralph E. Baker                          509(10-71B){321}
          Nashville, Tenn. (615) 742-5470           Sept. 16, 1997

Archives and history commission to give
more attention to United Methodism outside U.S.

by Robert Lear*

    MADISON, N.J. (UMNS) -- Expanded attention to United Methodist
history in countries outside the United States was called for here
Sept. 12-14 by the denomination's General Commission on Archives
and History.
     Included  in such an emphasis could be identification of
historic sites in Central conferences (regional bodies outside the
United States) in Africa, the Philippines and Europe.  Other work
might include publication of histories of the church in specific
regions, development of a "genealogical" list of annual
conferences relating to individual countries and restoration of
burial places of missionaries and others.
     It was reported here that apparently the only two historical
sites registered outside the U.S. are Hay Bay Church in Ontario,
Canada, and the grave in Bristol, England, of Captain Thomas Webb,
a layman who was a leader in developing Methodism in the New York
City-Philadelphia region.  An example of a volume of history in a
specific country might be the history of the church in Zimbabwe 
being published as part of the observance of Methodism's 100th
year there.
     Also cited here as an example of possible projects was the
need for funds to repair the cemetery in Angola where Bishop
William Taylor and some of the 42 missionaries who arrived in the
country in 1885 are buried.  Bishop Emilio J.M. De Carvalho of
Luanda, Angola, president of the commission, said about $600 is
needed to repair the graves.
     A global emphasis will be developed for Heritage Sunday
themes in the coming quadrennium. 
    Archives maintained here include a significant number of items
related to Methodism outside the U.S., including many photos from
the former Methodist Board of Missions.  A photocopy album is to
be developed for patrons to use in selecting photos in the 243
albums from which reprints can be made.
     Retired Bishop Ole E. Borgen, Lillestrom, Norway, already has
been chosen to receive the Archives and History Commission's
Distinguished Service Award for l998.  The honor will be conferred
at the commission's meeting in September, 1998, in Little Rock,
Ark.
     Receiving the l997 award here was Rosemary Skinner Keller, a
pioneer in the field of history in the church and nation, who is
academic dean, vice president for academic affairs, and professor
of church history at Union Theological Seminary in New York City. 
She is the first woman to receive the service award.
     Skinner devoted her acceptance address to a review of the
life of Anna Howard Shaw, first woman to seek, and be denied,
ordination in the Methodist Episcopal Church, and a close
associate of Susan B. Anthony in the struggle for women's
suffrage.  Shaw possessed a keen sense of humor undergirding a
"buoyant spirit" and a deep faith commitment that enabled her to
consider both her life and her work as a calling, Skinner said.
     Turning to other issues, the 24 lay and clergy directors of
the commission discussed a concern that some annual conference
restructure plans may not provide adequately for historical and
archival functions.  The church's Book of Discipline states that
provision is to be made in any annual conference structure for the
functions related to general agencies, and the Judicial Council
has upheld the principle in a number of decisions.
     Bishop J. Lawrence McCleskey, Columbia, S.C., commission vice
president, said he recently has examined several annual conference
restructure plans and "a lot of crazy stuff is going on."  The
commission took no action here, but will monitor the situation in
coming months.
     Working with Drew University, the commission has set up its
own "web page" (www.gcah.org) and is developing a "home page." 
The steps are expected to provide a much wider constituency to
whom information can be made available.
     Archivist Dale Patterson reported that work is on target to
have all agency holdings and 90 percent of manuscript holdings
described by the year 2001.
     The Rev. Charles Yrigoyen Jr., was re-elected general
secretary.  A budget of $776,853 was adopted for l998, an increase
of $91,464 above l997.

                              #  #  #

     * Lear is retired director of the United Methodist News
Service office in Washington.  His home is in Reading, Pa.

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