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Archives & History
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Archives & History

The General Commission on Archives and History serves the church through the memory of ministry, allowing United Methodists to learn from their past and anticipate our future. Its work not only preserves the history of the denomination and its antecedents but makes it accessible. Many resources and guidance are available to those capturing and preserving the history of their congregation and conference.

Archivist-Records Administrator, Frances Lyons-Bristol, holds a book of listing early Methodists including circuit rider the Rev. Freeborn Garrettson, one of thousands of historic items and documents housed at the General Commission on Archives and History at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. Journals courtesy of the General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church. Photo by Kathleen Barry, UMNS.
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Archives & History

Celebrating our United Methodist heritage

Planning suggestions, quotes from famous Methodists and resource links provide a wealth of ideas for celebrating our United Methodist heritage in your congregation or annual conference.

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Pages from "The Doctrines and Disciplines of the Methodist Episcopal Church 1864." Courtesy of GCAH.
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History

The ties that bind: The United Methodist Trust Clause

From the days of John Wesley United Methodists have been connected not only by shared practices and ministries, but the model deed holding all church property in connectional trusts.

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Scenic photo of Epworth by the Sea, the Christian retreat center in St. Simons Island, Ga. named to honor the boyhood home of John and Charles Wesley. Photo by Diane Degnan, United Methodist Communications.

History of the Church

Discover the timeline of the United Methodist Church. This resource captures all of the significant dates of the evolution of the United Methodist Church.
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Articles and Resources

Contact Information

The General Commission on Archives and History is located in the United Methodist Archives and History Center located on the campus of Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, USA. Train service to Madison via New Jersey Transit is available from Hoboken or New York's Penn Station. Newark International Airport is approximately 25 miles from the Center. Hotels, motels, and a reasonably priced retreat center are nearby, but beyond normal walking distance.  Directions to the campus and a campus map are located on the Drew University web site.  If you would like to arrange a tour of our facilities, please contact us at [email protected].

Address 36 Madison Ave | Mailing Address P.O. Box 127, Madison, NJ  07940, USA | Phone 973-408-3189