ELK GROVE VILLAGE, ILL. (ELCA) -- About 75 people attended a dedication ceremony Sept. 17 for the new 16,000 sq. ft. Archives and Records Center of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA). Earlier this year the archives moved here from its former location in the Village of Rosemont.
Rosemont sought the property for development and purchased it from the ELCA in 1998, which necessitated the move, said the Rev. Lowell G. Almen, secretary of the ELCA. The ELCA Office of the Secretary is responsible for maintaining the archives of the church.
The archives and records center offer visitors a chance to learn about the personalities and character of the people in the church, said the Rev. H. George Anderson, presiding bishop of the ELCA, a participant in the dedication.
"It's a place where we can check our bearings and learn if we're on the right course," Anderson said. "History gives you a longer wheelbase when you deal with the bumpy road of the present."
He also said the records in the archives demonstrate that in difficult times the church survived. "It's good to know that," Anderson said.
Anderson used the archives to prepare for the 1999 Churchwide Assembly held last month in Denver. In his assembly report he detailed changes in the church this century and compared it to a similar description of the 19th century, quoted in the 1901 edition of "The Lutheran Almanac." The almanac is housed at the ELCA's archives, he said.
Improved climate control for records storage, plus better space for researchers and staff are features of the new facility compared to the previous site, said Elisabeth C. Wittman, ELCA chief archivist. The ELCA occupied the previous facility for 12 years, beginning with the formation of the church in 1988. The staff moved into the new facility in early June. Archives users call or visit the facility, Wittman said. Records at the archives include books, films, records and photos. Records of the ELCA predecessor church bodies are housed there, including records of the Lutheran Church in America, American Lutheran Church and the Association of Evangelical Lutheran Churches. Wittman said many people contact the archives for family genealogy records, but such records are limited.
The oldest material at the center is a collection of handwritten minutes from the Joint Lutheran Synod of Ohio that dates back to the early 1800s, Wittman said.
In the past 10 years requests for archival material have increased dramatically, Almen said, a reflection of the size of the 5.2 million-membe= r=20 ELCA and the amount of material from predecessor churches.
"There is a vast, precious collection here," Almen said. "We house stories of miracles and people recounting their pilgrimage of faith."
"We were delighted when we found this facility in Elk Grove Village," he said. "We believe this will serve our needs adequately."
Almen also expressed appreciation for the "genuine care" the construction workers, contractors and architects put into the renovation project for the archives. Among the companies involved in the project were Borg Construction Co., Lom-Bar Electric Co., JRB Architects and the Village of Elk Grove. Personnel from the Office of the Secretary also were involved in the building project.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
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About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
