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Indiana United Methodist Church

Historical information about the United Methodist Church. Indiana United Methodist Church records transfer instructions. Indiana Methodist Historical Society information.

Step 1: Guidelines for Managing Records of the Local Church

Guidelines for Managing Records of the Local Church
This manual was created by the General Conference on Archives and History in 2017. It provides information on records management, storage and suggested retention schedules for records. This guide should be referenced before the transfer of records to the DePauw University Archives and Special Collections. On page 29, a detailed table is available to aid in record series titles, descriptions, and specific retention information. 

Guidelines for Managing Electronic Records
Ideas and suggestions on structuring and naming your files as well as ways to prepare them for permanent storage.

Step 2: Records Transfer

Disaffiliated and Closed Churches

Local church records can be delivered in-person, via mail or email. If the records cannot be delivered in-person, via mail or email, please see the instructions below: 

  1. Disaffiliated churches should deliver or mail their records to the Indiana Director of Financial Services at the Indiana Conference Office in Carmel, Indiana. Please contact David Robinson at david.robinson@inumc.org.
     
  2. If the records cannot be delivered to the Indiana Conference Office, please contact your Conference Superintendent to temporarily deposit the records in their locale. The Conference Superintendent will then contact the Indiana Conference Office to arrange a records drop off. The Indiana Conference Office will contact the DePauw University Archives and Special Collections to arrange a records transfer.

Active Church Records (Not Disaffiliated or Closed)

NOTICE: We're currently prioritizing records transfers of closed and disaffiliated church records. We've had to make this temporary decision due to the influx of materials received since 2021. If you need to transfer your records due to a disaster (flooding, fire, pest management) we can work with you on what records to keep and discard. The General Commission on Archives and History has created a guide to managing records of the local church. Beginning on page 27, a records schedule in table form can be found. The document lists out each type of record and what should be kept, discarded or transferred to the archives. 

Local church records needing urgent removal can be delivered in-person, via mail or email. The Archives and Special Collections is located in the Roy O. West Library. A DePauw University campus map is available online with up-to-date parking information. 

Address:

DePauw University Archives
Roy O. West Library
405 S. Indiana St.
Greencastle, IN 46135

For additional information, please contact the DePauw University Archives and Special Collections by email at archives@depauw.edu.