THE METHODIST

An organization such as the church has or should have a records management program that sees to the preservation of its vital and historical records. The Discipline of the United Methodist Church mandates that archival records of its various organizational units be transferred to central depositories. The archival records of the Alabama-West Florida Conference are preserved in the Methodist Archives Center.

Link to pages describing the Methodist Collection and the Huntingdon Collection for a list of the record groups we preserve. Also link to Church Records Requested and Personal Papers Requested for more specific information on the records we preserve.

Below are links to guidelines and forms that will help agencies and organizational units determine which records should be preserved in the Archives Center and directions for transferring them.

"What is Records Management?"

"Steps in Creating a Records Retention Schedule"

"Retention Schedule Form"

"Records Transfer Procedures"

"Records Transmittal Form"

Guidelines for Managing Records of the Annual Conference and the Local Church published by the General Commission on Archives and History. These guidelines may be downloaded on your computer or ordered from the General Commission.

For further guidance on appraising records and for instructions on preparing and shipping records to the Archives Center, send an e-mail to the Archivist or phone the Methodist Archives Center at (334) 833-4413.