SYNOD ARCHIVES
Please Don’t send everything
Responsibility of Councils & Committees
The following material should not be sent to the Uniting Church Archives NSW/ACT. They have no
archival relevance. These may be retained locally for legal, administrative purposes or for sentimental
value.
General Correspondence – dispose of after 3 years., including
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Invitations
Appointment confirmations
Other routine letters
Correspondence regarding payments etc.
Interim or draft records – dispose of after 5 years, including
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Monthly reports of committees
Draft financial statements
Joint Nominating Committee: Is formed jointly between a Congregation and a Presbytery to appoint a
minister. The whole file including minutes, notes and profiles should be destroyed two years after the last
action. Treat records of any other similar appointments committee in the same manner.
Financial records – destroy as per accounting standards after 7 years, including
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General financial records
Tax documents
Invoices
Supporting correspondence
Quotes
Records such as incident reports, accident reports, Workcover and personal liability claims, personnel
records, refer to the State legal statutes. These may need to be permanently retained in secure storage.
PREPARING THE RECORDS BEFORE YOU SEND THEM!
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These are the records created by the Assembly, Synod, Presbyteries, Congregations, Agencies and
special groups such as the Korean Commission and the Tongan Parish within the Uniting Church.
Where are the archives kept?
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The Assembly Archivist is responsible for records created by the Assembly and its agencies.
The records for the Synod of New South Wales and the ACT are the responsibility of the Synod
Archives, which is based at the Uniting Church Centre for Ministry in North Parramatta.
CONTACT
Uniting Church Archives NSW & the ACT
Centre for Ministry
16 Masons Drive
North Parramatta
NSW 2151
E-mail archives@nsw.uca.org.au
Phone (02) 8838 8974 – Mon/Tues 9.45-2.45
(Urgent only – Library 8838 8940)
What type of records should be deposited in the Archives?
Archives are those records that must be kept for their legal reasons or for their historical value. These
guidelines list what needs to be kept, their preferred format and when they should be deposited with the
Synod Archives.
Why do we need to keep these records?
Other records
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What are the archives of the Uniting Church in Australia?
Label each file or book with the name of the Council or Committee that created
the record, the type of record and the years covered.
Put any file that contains personal or sensitive information in an envelope and
seal it, and label it in the same way as other files. Add CONFIDENTIAL, and the
circumstances under which the information may be read. If it concerns an
individual add the person’s name.
If it is possible please save the time of the volunteers who sort and accession the files:
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Gather records into manila folders or bound volumes. If there are loose sheets make
sure they are in chronological order.
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Remove all metal staples, pins and paperclips.
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Remove all duplicates and drafts.
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A4 paper which has been folded to A5, unfold to A4.
Depositing Records at the Archives --- Reception phone: 8838 8900
Please deliver to Reception at the Centre for Ministry, 16 Masons Drive, North Parramatta
Monday to Friday 9am-5pm (No Public Holidays)
Please remember that lifting heavy boxes of records can cause injury, so pack material accordingly.
The records which are maintained by the Archives provide evidence for important matters such as the
Church’s origins, structures, policies, programs, functions and other vital information. Archival records can
be used to answer questions about precedents and also assist researchers who use them to document
Church or social history.
When should a Congregation, Presbytery or Synod Agency send its records to the Synod
Archives?
In general terms, records of archival importance should be transferred to the Synod Archives, both
physically and legally, when the body that created them no longer needs them in the course of business.
Each transferring body keeps their intellectual rights to their own records. It is recommended that every 25 years you review all the records in your keeping.
Who will be able to use these records?
Just because you have deposited your records with the Archives, it does not mean that ‘anyone’ can have
access to them. Different access conditions may apply, depending on the kind of record and the person
wanting to see it. For example, some records might only be available to the Synod General Secretary or
the Chair of a Church Council. The depositors may ask that some records are unavailable to anyone for a
period of time. Researchers who come from outside the Uniting Church will need a formal letter of
permission to use the records.
Please gather records into manila folders or books and label all files with the name of the
council or Committee that created the record, the type of record and the years covered.
CHURCH REGISTERS -- BAPTISMS, MARRIAGES, AND FUNERALS OR BURIALS
So that they are not lost it is recommended that Registers are sent to the archives every 5-10 years, even
if they are not filled, or when a congregation or agency changes its name.
Agency
Minutes
Significant
Correspondence
and Reports
Policy
Annual
Financial
Reports
Annual
Reports
Publication
Significant
Events
CONGREGATION – INCLUDING – LINKED CONGREGATIONS & MULTICENTRED CONGREGATIONS
Church Council
Y
Y
-
-
Y
Y
-
Elders Council
Y
Y
-
-
-
-
-
Congregational Meeting
Y
Y
-
-
Y
Y
Y
Financial & Property Committee
Y
Y
-
Y
-
-
-
Other Committees or Groups
Signed Minutes Only – Annual Reports are made to the Church Council or Congregational Meeting
DISTRICTS OR CLUSTERS
Coordinating Committee
Y
Y
-
Y
Y
-
-
Presbytery Meeting
Y
Y
Y
-
Y
Y
Y
Presbytery Standing Committee
Y
Y
-
-
-
-
-
Pastoral Relations Committee
Y
Y
Y
-
Y
-
-
Finance & Property
Y
Y
Y
Y
-
-
-
Board (Institutions)
Y
Y
Y
Y
-
Y
-
Executive
Y
Y
-
-
-
-
-
Meeting of Synod – (Include Working Papers)
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
-
Standing Committee
Y
Y
-
-
-
-
-
Committees of Synod
Y
Y
-
-
Y
-
Y
Boards & Units of Synod
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
Y
General Secretary
Y
Y
-
-
-
-
-
PREBYTERY
SYNOD
MINUTES
These are the Signed And Dated Originals which are deposited two
(2) years after the last action. Traditionally the minutes of each meeting
are pasted into a book after the chairperson has signed them. Include
with the Minutes any significant attachments such as correspondence
and reports.
Significant correspondence and reports includes letters appointing a
ministerial agent, major decisions about property over $50,000, policy
documents that have been approved or notifying major administrative
changes. A file of Annual Reports may be kept separately. Financial
reports are included if they have been received by the meeting. No
Drafts or Agendas.
Paste should be a
water based glue.
Annual Reports: Reports received by a Meeting of a Council or
Committee.
Significant Events: Reports only, no miscellaneous collections, may
include photographs. If electronic then pdf, mp3 or [video equivalent].
Financial Records: Only the Audited Annual Accounts are deposited
after the standard period of 5/7 years
Due to restrictions on the amount of storage space we request the
following:-
Policy and Procedural Documents (if not included in Minutes) but
include Statements of purpose and Aims and objectives
These should be deposited five (5) years after the last action or on the
termination of an Agency.
Published Material: Church Histories & other publications.
Newsletters & Magazines – Archives reserves the right to select which
issues they will keep, particularly when information is duplicated from
issue to issue. Two years or more in one file.
Photographs: Older photographs should each be easily identified by
location, date, names and description of the event written in a soft (2B)
pencil on the reverse of the photo. Electronic images only as pdf or tif
on CD-Rom or storage device and must include a list identifying each
image in the same manner.
Property Plans & Specifications: Sketch Plans up to A3 size, of
completed buildings that are attachments to minutes should be included
with minutes.
Formal Building plans & Specifications should be sent to Uniting
Resources.