History

Refreshing our Memory in the Mid-America Region

The Mid-America region has played a notable part in the history of Lutheranism in America. One can learn much by examining the parallels between the challenges we face today and those met years ago.

The information preserved in archives enables us to remember accomplishments, failures, and even common details that help us to make informed judgments and take wiser actions in the future. The Region 6 Archives serves this purpose in several ways.

• Preserving and making available the official and permanently valuable records of participating synods and institutions.
  
• Providing archival support to congregations and institutions.
• Identifying and collecting the records of predecessor bodies.

These objectives are accomplished by actively collecting the official documents of the synods and helping them to identify the important records to keep. Congregations and other Lutheran institutions are responsible for establishing and maintaining their own archives. The Archives provides information and consultation to assist in establishing and maintaining congregational and institutional archives.

Roots of Region 6 Archives (ELCA)

Memory is an important part of our Christian lives. Our faith and actions are based on His Word as it was written and preserved through the years. The church's identity is preserved through traditions and through conscious efforts to document and protect its history in archives.

The constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America acknowledges the importance of providing archives to preserve the memory of this new united church. It calls for the nine regions to provide "for regional archives, associated with institutions ofthis church wherever possible (18.10.13)." To this end, a task force of knowledgeable representatives of Region 6 synods was appointed.

The work of the Region 6 Archives Task Force began in September 1990. The task force made recommendations for the basic structure of an archives. It solicited bids from Capital University, Trinity Seminary, and Wittenberg University for a site for the regional archives. In February 1991, Trinity Lutheran Seminary offered the use of its Mees Dormitory basement for the Region 6 Archives.

In 1992 the task force directed the renovation of the Mees basement. The Region 6 Archives opened in November 1992.

Jennifer I. Long is the current Archivist of the Region 6 Archives, after serving as Interim Archivist during the previous year.  Jennifer earned a Master of Library and Information Science in May 2006 from Kent State University. She also earned a Master of Arts in Religion from the Claremont School of Theology in Claremont, CA, where she focused on the history of Christianity.  Jennifer continues the tradition of excellence at the Region 6 Archives with a love for both perpetuating church history and serving people.

For more history of the ELCA Region 6 Archives, see the Archives Newsletter Archive.

Return to the ELCA Region 6 Archives Home Page