GS 2013 Article 79 – Archives of General Synod
1. Material:
- 1.1. Report from Burlington-Ebenezer as Archive Church for general synods (8.2.15)
- 1.2. Letter from Burlington-Waterdown concerning the inspection of the archives (8.2.16)
2. Observations:
- 2.1. Burlington-Ebenezer reports as follows:
- 2.1.1. Synod Burlington 2010 mandated Burlington-Ebenezer to “gather and manage the long term archives (older than ten years) of all synodical committees with the exception of the Standing Committee for Book of Praise, but to leave the content of the archival material to the judgement of each committee.”
- 2.1.2. Synod also mandated Burlington-Ebenezer to “send a requisition notice for archival material to all synodical committees within three months following each general synod.
- 2.1.3. The requisition notices to the synodical committees were sent belatedly in February 2011 because Burlington-Ebenezer was not immediately aware that this stipulation was added to the mandate. Notices were sent to the Committee for Relations with Churches Abroad, to the Committee for Contact with Churches in North America, to the Committee for Church Unity and to the Committee for Bible Translation.
- 2.1.4. Archival material was received from the Committee on Relations with Churches Abroad, the Committee for Church Unity and the Committee for Bible Translation. No response from the Committee for Contact with Churches in North America has been received. The material received has been placed in the Archives of General Synod and has been catalogued.
- 2.1.5. No inquiries for information or request for materials from the archives have been received since Synod Burlington 2010.
- 2.2. Burlington-Waterdown reports that the archives of Synod Burlington 2010 kept by the Burlington-Ebenezer church and maintained by archivist br. K. Spithoff were found to be complete and very well organized. They also recommend that the archivist be thanked for his faithful service.
3. Consideration:
From the report it is clear that Burlington-Ebenezer has fulfilled its mandate.
4. Recommendations:
That Synod decide:
- 4.1. To thank Burlington-Ebenezer for its work as Archive Church.
- 4.2. To thank the archivist br. K. Spithoff for his faithful service.
- 4.3. To thank Burlington-Waterdown for examining the archives and reporting to synod.
- 4.4. To reappoint Burlington-Ebenezer as Archive Church and to reappoint Burlington-Waterdown to inspect the archives.
- 4.5. To mandate Burlington-Ebenezer to complete the work of gathering and managing the long term archives (older than ten years) of all synodical committees with the exception of the Standing Committee for the Book of Praise, but to leave the content of archival material to the judgement of each committee.
- 4.6. To mandate Burlington-Ebenezer to send a requisition notice for archive material to all synodical committees within three months following each general synod.