Associations of churches from across the nation can play a major role in preserving Southern Baptist history, and the Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives is eager to help.
In August, the SBHLA received a three-foot-high collection of documents from the Southern Baptist Conference of Associational Leaders, delivered to the library by SBCAL president/CEO Ray Gentry and his daughter, SBCAL director of communications and event planner Allison Gentry.
SBHLA director Taffey Hall said the donated collection “includes unique materials of intrinsic and enduring value.” The collection includes annual meeting notebooks, as well as news clippings, photographs, articles and other resources on the history and mission of local Baptist associations.
“We are most grateful the SBCAL has chosen to donate their records to the SBHLA,” Hall said.
“Baptist associations,” she added, “can play a vital role in helping preserve Southern Baptist history.”
‘Key ways’ to help
“Two key ways to do this include sending materials to the SBHLA and encouraging local Baptist churches within their association to collect and preserve individual church records and histories,” she explained.
“Sending the SBHLA a copy of the association’s annual meeting minutes, a written history of the association, newsletters or photographs can help ensure the narrative of the association’s ministry is preserved for generations to come.”
Churches and associations can send documents electronically to the SBHLA via email at sbhla@sbc.net, and they can send printed documents and other artifacts to the library to the following address: Southern Baptist Historical Library and Archives, 901 Commerce Street #400, Nashville, TN 37203.
For more information, visit sbhla.org/archive-helps or call the library at 615-244-0344.
