Records Retention Schedule for Synods

of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

© Edition current as of January 2013. Office of the Secretary, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. These guidelines may be copied for use in the synods provided copyright is acknowledged. A copy is also available in PDF format suitable for printing.
Legal Records Information on Congregations Information on Rostered Persons	Information on Synod Employees Correspondence including E-Mail Synod Financial Records	Documents and Reports Synodical Agencies Schools and Camps Synodical Auxiliaries

Legal Records
Description of Records	Care of Records	Final Disposition
Charter or articles of incorporation Synod constitutions and bylaws	Retain in the synod office and send copies to the ELCA Office of the Secretary/Legal Office.	Send copies to the synod or regional archives.
Minutes and reports of the synod assembly	Retain copies in the synod office for current administrative purposes. Supply the Office of the Secretary and the ELCA Archives a copy of synod assembly minutes and reports as produced by uploading to your synod’s digital archive in the ELCA Archives’ Synodical Online Digital Archive or send hard copies to the Office of the Secretary and the ELCA Archives.	Send hard copies of these minutes and reports to the synod or regional archives as produced.
Minutes of the synod council Minutes of the synod council executive committee	Retain copies in the synod office for current administrative purposes. Upload electronic copies of synod council, and synod council executive committee minutes to your synod’s digital archive in the ELCA Archives’ Synodical Online Digital Archive (SODA).	Send hard copies of these minutes to the synod or regional archives as produced.
Deeds, titles, surveys, leases, mortgages, easements and blueprints	Place in a fire-proof safe or bank safe deposit box and use copies for administrative purposes.	Records are retained permanently by the synod.
Tax exempt status reports and documentation of the synod’s nine-digit federal employer identification number	Retain current documents.	Copies are maintained in the ELCA Office of the Secretary/Legal Office.
Documentation for bequests, gifts and endowments	Place in a bank safe deposit box while current	Send to the synod or regional archives after the file is closed.
Property and liability insurance policies	Keep both current and retired policies. Place in a safe deposit box and use copies for administrative purposes.	Records are retained permanently by the synod.
Current service contracts	Retain while active	Destroy when no longer current.
Information on Congregations
Disposition of Records	Care of Records	Final Disposition
Constitutions and bylaws of congregations Articles of incorporation	Retain while current.	Send inactive documents to the synod or regional archives.
Copies of property related documents of congregations	Retain while current.	Send inactive files to the synod or regional archives.
Congregation insurance policies	Retain copies of current and retired policies	Records are retained permanently by the synod.
Congregation annual reports	Retain current copy.	Send inactive copy to the synod or regional archives.
Congregation statistical reports (Forms A & C)	If received on paper, Retain current copy 2 years.	Destroy as replaced.
Congregation benevolence giving statement	Retain while current.	Destroy as replaced.
Letters of call or employment	Retain current copy (place the original copy in the individual’s file)	Records are retained permanently by the synod.
Congregation profile	Retain while current	Send inactive documents to the archives
Congregation histories and anniversary books Reports of special congregation projects Congregation audio and visual materials Samples of congregation newsletters, Promotional pieces, Bulletins of special occasions	No need to accumulate in the synod office beyond immediate usefulness.	Send directly to the synod or regional archives.
Congregation leadership directory	Retain current year	Destroy as replaced
Information on Rostered Persons
Disposition of Records	Care of Records	Final Disposition
Information on rostered persons Records of the Candidacy Committee	Information on rostered persons serving in the synod’s congregations and agencies is presented in the document, Care of Information on Persons Rostered in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Information on Synod Employees
Disposition of Records	Care of Records	Final Disposition
Letters of application Letters of call Position description Mobility form Resume Continuing education documentation Honors and clippings	Retain for the tenure of the employee	Send to the synod or regional archives upon completion of service
Letters of recommendation Background checks Performance appraisal Contracts Health related documents including worker’s compensation	If the information attests to the employee’s fitness to fulfill a responsibility or perform a service, it should be retained for 50 years after completion of service. If the information relates to a possible claim or lawsuit by others involving the employee’s conduct or duties, it should be retained in the synod office or under controlled access in the synod or regional archives for 50 years after completion of service.	Shred either upon completion of service or after 50 years according to guidelines in the “Care of the Records” column.
Emergency notification forms	Retain while current	Destroy upon completion of service.
Correspondence including E-mail
Description of Records	Care of Records	Final Disposition
Correspondence of the bishop and assistants to the bishop	E-mail is especially vulnerable to loss. E-mail that represents the policies, program, and ongoing life of the synod should be printed out. Letters and e-mail to and from officers of the synod or with the presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America should be kept for the tenure of the bishop; the files then should be appraised for permanent value. Only letters that describe the program and ongoing life of the synod should be kept for the archives.	Send to the synod or regional archives upon completion of service.
Correspondence with pastors of the synod	Letters and e-mail with pastors of the synod should be handled according to the guidelines in Care of Information on Persons Rostered in the Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Synod Financial Records
Description of Records	Care of Records	Final Disposition
Annual audit reports	Copies must be submitted to the treasurer of the ELCA.	Send to the ELCA Archives
Synodical Budget/Actual Submission form	The Synodical Budget/Actual Submission Form and Guidelines are provided by the ELCA Office of the Treasurer to assist in reporting results in consistent categories.	Send to the ELCA Treasurer.
Annual budget Annual treasurer’s report Information on permanent bequests, gifts and endowments	Must be included in the minutes of the synod assembly	Send with the minutes to the ELCA Archives.
Bequests after distribution Mortgages paid in full Legal files and notes on synodically owned real estate Loans and notes after sale or termination	Retain for 20 years.	Shred after 20 years.
Canceled checks or copies of canceled checks Cash receipt record Special fund-raising appeal record Bank reconciliations Accounts payable vouchers, originals and documentation Payroll administration records such as W-2, W-4, 941 forms and payroll registers Cash receipt journals	You will have a financial management database that handles all of your accounting transactions. Retain the information regardless of format for 7 years (IRS requires a retention period of 4 years, Tax Guide for Churches and Religious Organizations IRS p1821)	Delete and/or shred after 7 years.
General invoices	Retain for 3 years.	Shred after 3 years.
Synod Remittance Advice System (SRAS)	The SRAS is an Excel-based system that streamlines and automates the process of submitting monthly synod remittance advices to the ELCA Churchwide Office.
Documents and Reports
Description of Records	Care of Records	Final Disposition
Reports from the synod to the ELCA Church Council Reports from synod staff or about various synod partnerships and activities Publications of the bishop Worship bulletins for synod sponsored events	These are created electronically but used and preserved as paper documents. These documents add to the story of the synod and should be collected in the archives of the synod or region. If not included in synod council minutes, select for inclusion in the archives.	Send to the synod or regional archives at the conclusion of the bishop’s term of service.
Synod newsletters News releases and other promotional material Training program material World Wide Web site Membership directories (with or without photographs)	When retained exclusively in electronic format, print samples for preservation in the synod or regional archives.	Send samples to the synod or regional archives.
Synodical Agencies, Schools, and Camps
Description of Records	Care of Records	Final Disposition
Constitutions and bylaws Articles of incorporation Minutes of boards Audit reports Copies of insurance policies	Agencies, schools and camps related to the synod are encourages to protect their vital records by duplication and dispersal. Copies of vital records placed in the synod office may serve this purpose.	Retain until superseded by updated versions or until tenure of new officers, then transfer to the synod or regional archives.
Programmatic material Newsletters Histories and bulletins of special events	See Final Disposition for recommendation.	Send directly to the synod or regional archives.
Synodical Auxiliaries
Description of Records	Care of Records	Final Disposition
Constitutions and bylaws Minutes of boards Assembly programs and documents Audit reports	Auxiliaries related to the synod are encouraged to protect their vital records by duplication and dispersal. Copies of vital records placed in the synod office may serve this purpose.	Auxiliaries related to the synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America should be responsible for their own records management practices. Such auxiliaries are encouraged to place appropriate materials in their synodical or regional archives.
Programmatic material Newsletters Membership directories Audio visual materials	See Final Disposition for recommendation.	Send directly to the synod or regional archives.

See also these additional guidelines . . . .	Records Retention Schedule for Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Care of Information on Persons Rostered in the Synods of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America *Manual of Policies and Procedures for Management of the Rosters* (November 2010) Candidacy Manual (April 2010) (Congregational and Synodical Mission) Candidacy Resources (Congregational and Synodical Mission) Synod Guidelines: Internal Controls Best Practices (Office of the Treasurer) Recommendations for Your Synod Secretary Records Retention Schedule for Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Maintaining the Parish Register: Advice for Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Congregational Treasurers Financial & Accounting Guide (Office of the Treasurer) Certification of Congregation Records at the Time of a Pastoral Transition (form) Disposition of Records for Disbanding Congregations A Brief Guide for Archives of Congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Comparison of Microfilming and Digital Preservation Technologies
*For additional information, contact. . . .*	Archives of the ELCA Office of the Secretary Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 321 Bonnie Lane Elk Grove Village, IL 60007 Telephone: (800) 638-3522, ext. 2818 Email: archives@elca.org	Office of the Secretary Evangelical Lutheran Church in America 8765 West Higgins Road Chicago, Illinois 60631 Telephone: (800) 638-3522, ext. 2800