Archives & History
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Members gather for a rural church picnic in Washington state in this undated photograph, which is part of The United Methodist Church’s archive of historical items. Photo courtesy of the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History.
Members gather for a rural church picnic in Washington state in this undated photograph, which is part of The United Methodist Church’s archive of historical items. Photo courtesy of the United Methodist Commission on Archives and History.

Archives & History

The General Commission on Archives and History serves the church through the ministry of memory, allowing United Methodists to learn from our past while envisioning 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. [Photo: In this undated photograph, members gather for a church picnic at a rural Methodist church in Washington. Photo courtesy of the General Commission on Archives and History.]

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Archives & History

UM History Hub

Learn alongside the General Commission on Archives and History to understand the past, contextualize the present and envision the future. Courses include Local Church Historians' School, offered for free.

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Un-Tied Methodism podcast logo. Courtesy of GCAH.
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Podcasts

Un-Tied Methodism podcast

Better understand The UMC by exploring the denomination's history and consider what its future may look like in "Un-Tied Methodism," a podcast hosted by Dr. Ashley Boggan D., general secretary of the Commission on Archives and History.

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What does it mean to be United Methodist?

Find out from Dr. Ashley Boggan Dreff, General Secretary of the General Commission on Archives & History, as she shares what United Methodists believe and how we are to live our faith in the world around us.

The 2023 Heritage Sunday theme is "Local church histories: The cornerstone of our faith."

Heritage Sunday 2023 resources highlight local churches

Heritage Sunday 2023 is May 21. Check out the many resources designed to help you promote this special Sunday with your local church's history.

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Kevin Dusenberry joins the General Commission on Archives and History as its digital archivist. Photo courtesy of Kevin Dusenberry.
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Archives & History

GCAH hires digital archivist

Kevin Dusenberry has joined the staff of The UMC's General Commission on Archives and History as digital archivist as the agency moves toward digitalization of its extensive collection.

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Contact Information

The General Commission on Archives and History welcomes visitors to its location at the United Methodist Archives and History Center on the campus of Drew University in Madison, New Jersey, USA. Conveniently located 25 minutes from Newark International Airport and one hour from Manhattan, individual and group tours can be arranged by contacting [email protected].

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

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