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Church Archives

There is a designated area in the Church basement for the accumulation and storage of the Church archives. This area shall be uniquely maintained for such purpose and no other.

Suggested Foothills Archive Practices

Drafted November 2025 By Rev. Gretchen Haley, Senior Minister 

For now, we are only focusing on the printed materials we already have. After this, we will move towards a practice of printing some of our digital materials. And then we will organize our digital materials.  

Suggested Categories for Archival Materials

1. Foundational and Historical Documents

    Founding charters, constitutions, and bylaws

    Unity Records (volumes from 1898 onward)

    Key congregational minutes (e.g., early foundational meetings, mergers)

    Historical narratives written by members

    Artifacts tied to milestones (e.g., the 100th anniversary, original architectural sketches)

    2. Governance, Property, and Financial Records 

      Board of Trustees minutes

      Congregational meeting minutes

      Annual reports

        Treasurer’s reports and endowment records

        Fundraising and campaign materials

        Building and property plans (significant renovations or expansions)

        3. Worship and Ritual

          Orders of Service 

          Memorial records, weddings, dedications, and other special services 

          Sermons (printed and recorded) 

          4. Membership and Community Life

            Membership books, membership lists and directories 

            Obituaries and memorials

            Family information files

            Records of births, deaths, marriages, and major life events

            5. Programmatic and Committee Work

              Reports and minutes of key committees (e.g., Religious Education, Women’s Alliance, Search Committees)

              Historical overviews of programs like Religious Education, music, and social justice initiatives

              Special projects (e.g., Medieval Faire, interfaith collaborations)

              7. Denominational and Interfaith Connections

              UUA-related materials (keep summaries; defer to national archives where appropriate)

              Records of Mountain Desert District involvement

              Correspondence with other UU or interfaith organizations

              8. Non-Foundational Artifacts

                Photos, posters, and promotional materials

                Historical plaques, banners, and memorabilia

                Guidance for Storage Practices 

                High-Priority to Keep Indefinitely:

                  Founding and governance documents (e.g., Unity Records, constitutions, bylaws)

                    Unity Church Charter kept in ministers’ office 

                    Membership books and annual reports

                    Congregational and Board minutes

                    Search Committee Records 

                    Records of ministers, staff, and elected leadership at least once per year 

                    Worship-related records of historical or liturgical significance (e.g., dedications, milestone services). Here is specific guidance for orders of service: 

                      Keep all orders of service through 2014 that we have on file, after that, keep the following: 

                        Water Communion Ceremony 

                        Flower Communion Ceremony

                        Remembrance Sunday 

                        1-2 from Holiday Season 

                        Easter Sunday 

                        1-3 others from the “regular” church year 

                        Installations, Ordinations, Retirement services 

                        Historical narratives written by members or about the church’s role in the community

                        Results / Final Reports of Visioning and Strategic Plans 

                        Representative Sampling (Keep Highlights):

                          Routine committee notes, i.e. Endowment, Finance, Religious Education, Music, and other committees

                          Notes from Strategic Planning and Visioning Sessions and their supporting committees 

                          Newsletters: After 2014, keep annual or quarterly highlights instead of all issues.

                          Sermons: 

                            Focus on sermons that reflect key themes or turning points in the church's history. For example at the start, or end of the church year. Around major social events. 

                            Newsclippings, photos and posters: Prioritize articles and images depicting significant events, milestones, and changes in church life.

                            Let Go:

                              Duplicates of histories, newsletters, or promotional materials

                              Denominational conference records (available elsewhere)

                              Routine financial records (e.g., weekly offering data, minor transactions)

                              Objects or plaques with unclear relevance or duplicative recognition

                              Storage types that are no longer accessible due to outdated technology 

                              If you have any question about keeping an item or not, consult with a group of still-invested members who have been in the church for more than 30 years, and ask them if it is acceptable to let go of an item. The majority of their group can rule on this. So that we don’t wonder later if we have retained an item or not, keep a record of what we have let go of, and in what method (i.e. given to other archives, recycled, etc.) 



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