District Archives

Nebraska District Archives

 

District archives collect, preserve, and make available institutional records about the history, administration, congregations and people of the Nebraska District of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod. The archive maintains a collection of historical materials, including proceedings from past district conventions, minutes of district board meetings, and financial reports.

The Nebraska District archive partners with the synodical archives in preserving congregational records and holds records for a small number of congregations. The archive does not have an electronic data base for official acts (baptisms, marriages, burials), nor does it maintain family history records.

The District archive is located in the Nebraska District office in Seward and access is by appointment only. To inquire  about access to the District archives, contact the district archivist, Rev. David Palomaki at redeemerlc@windstream.net or call Kim Hofer at 402-643-2961, extension 1014.

Congregational Archives

 

The following links and downloads from the Concordia Historical Institute will be of help to congregations in maintaining and preserving records in an archive.

  • Introduction to congregational archives
    This document is a basic introduction to best practices in establishing and maintaining congregational archives. (view/download PDF)
  • What is archival-historical information?
    This includes a brief general checklist of the items that are normally of value to the archivist–historian and researcher. Resources fitting any of these categories should typically be preserved, labeled and filed. (view/download PDF)
  • How should we preserve and maintain official church documents?
    This bulletin presents some guidelines with respect to the preservation, filing and maintenance of such official/legal documents and other materials and resources of vital concern and interest to the local parish. (view/download PDF)
  • How should we protect our records from catastrophe?
    This document covers a few basic steps congregations ought to take in order to preserve records and some suggestions that should be implemented immediately after a catastrophe has struck. (view/download PDF)
  • Compiling a Congregational History
    https://concordiahistoricalinstitute.org/5-compiling-a-congregational-history/

Congregations Preparing to Disband

 

Congregations of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod are the sole owners of their records and the preservation of these records must be addressed properly when a con­gregation closes. Records of disbanded congregations are legal documents and important for recording the life of The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and should be incor­porated into the Synod’s archives. (view/download PDF)