History Projects
for the Local Church
1. Write or update your history
2. Research and honor the founders of your church, both ministers and laymen
3. Conduct studies in Sunday School or a special topics class on the history or historical issues of the United Methodist Church
4. Conduct an old-style camp meeting on the church grounds or another appropriate site
5. Designate several Sundays during the year for special historical services. These could replicate services from the past in your church or be in a historic United Methodist style
6. Plant a memorial tree or trees on the grounds to recognize a local church anniversary date or people important to your church’s history
7. Prepare an exhibit or exhibits in a high visibility location in your church on your church’s history
8. Include short articles or historical facts relating to your church’s history for the church newsletter
9. Recognize long-time members of your congregation
10. Conduct oral history interviews*
11. Hold an old fashioned hymn sing
12. Use costumed historical characters to celebrate anniversaries of events in your church’s history
13. Design a questionnaire that will record the family histories of each member
14. Design and make an anniversary quilt
15. Hold a photography day to digitally scan members’ photographs of church activities
16. Invite former ministers to record their memories of your church
17. Take part in local festivals
* For more information visit the oral history web page and oral history bibliography
Archives of DePauw University
and Indiana United Methodism
400 S. College Ave.
P.O. Box 37
Greencastle, Indiana 46135
765-658-4406
fax 765-658-4423
www.depauw.edu/library/archives
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