wfn.org | ELCA Archives and Records Center Dedicated

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ELCA NEWS SERVICE

September 24, 1999

ELCA ARCHIVES AND RECORDS CENTER DEDICATED
99-232-JB

     ELK GROVE VILLAGE, ILL. (ELCA) -- About 75 people attended a
dedication ceremony Sept. 17 for the new 16,000 sq. ft. Archives and
Records Center of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA).
Earlier this year the archives moved here from its former location in
the Village of Rosemont.
       Rosemont sought the property for development and purchased it
from the ELCA in 1998, which necessitated the move, said the Rev. Lowell
G. Almen, secretary of the ELCA.  The ELCA Office of the Secretary is
responsible for maintaining the archives of the church.
      The archives and records center offer visitors a chance to learn
about the personalities and character of the people in the church, said
the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, a participant
in the dedication.
     "It's a place where we can check our bearings and learn if we're
on the right course," Anderson said. "History gives you a longer
wheelbase when you deal with the bumpy road of the present."
     He also said the records in the archives demonstrate that in
difficult times the church survived.  "It's good to know that," Anderson
said.
      Anderson used the archives to prepare for the 1999 Churchwide
Assembly held last month in Denver.  In his assembly report he detailed
changes in the church this century and compared it to a similar
description of the 19th century, quoted in the 1901 edition of  "The
Lutheran Almanac."  The almanac is housed at the ELCA's archives, he
said.
     Improved climate control for records storage, plus better space
for researchers and staff are features of the new facility compared to
the previous site, said Elisabeth C. Wittman, ELCA chief archivist.  The
ELCA occupied the previous facility for 12 years, beginning with the
formation of the church in 1988.  The staff moved into the new facility
in early June. Archives users call or visit the facility, Wittman
said.  Records at the archives include books, films, records and photos.
Records of the ELCA predecessor church bodies are housed there,
including records of the Lutheran Church in America, American Lutheran
Church and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches.  Wittman
said many people contact the archives for family genealogy records, but
such records are limited.
     The oldest material at the center is a collection of handwritten
minutes from the Joint Lutheran Synod of Ohio that dates back to the
early 1800s, Wittman said.
     In the past 10 years requests for archival material have increased
dramatically, Almen said, a reflection of the size of the 5.2 million-member 
ELCA and the amount of material from predecessor churches.
     "There is a vast, precious collection here," Almen said. "We house
stories of miracles and people recounting their pilgrimage of faith."
     "We were delighted when we found this facility in Elk Grove
Village," he said. "We believe this will serve our needs adequately."
     Almen also expressed appreciation for the "genuine care" the
construction workers, contractors and architects put into the renovation
project for the archives.  Among the companies involved in the project
were Borg Construction Co., Lom-Bar Electric Co., JRB Architects and the
Village of Elk Grove.  Personnel from the Office of the Secretary also
were involved in the building project.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html