DIOCESE OF QU'APPELLE
The 73rd Synod of the Diocese of Qu'Appelle
Reports
Archivist and Registrar
Since the last meeting of Synod, most of my time has been spent on answering reference enquiries and acquiring documents and records for long-term preservation. Because of the time-sensitivity and the nature of the requests involved, top priority had to be given by the Archivist to answering enquiries from clergy and laity from parishes, the Synod Office staff and members of the general public. Most of the enquiries related to requests for records of Baptisms, Confirmations, Marriages, and Burials, local and family histories, genealogy, dedication and consecration of churches, and biographies of clergy and lay workers. Occasionally more complex and time-consuming enquiries presented themselves such as tracing the lineage of native catechist Charles Pratt, heritage designation for St. John, Marieton, and more recently for CBC Winnipeg, the closure of prairie churches. In making information available, issues of copyright, access and privacy, more so now than in the past, have had to be considered by the Archivist.
The acquisition of papers and records relating to the development of the Diocese and its parishes has also been given a high priority. Large amounts of records from parishes and the Synod Office have found their way to the Archives in the past two years. Of particular significance to the historian are the extensive records of Eric Bays, Bishop of Qu'Appelle from 1986 to 1996. While the records of Bishop Bays have been mostly arranged and described, other records had to be set aside for processing at a later date.
As Registrar, work is almost complete on guidelines for the handling and archiving of records created and maintained by parishes. Once approved, these guidelines will be distributed to parish administrators as well as being posted on the diocesan website. Changes to the existing Archives webpage are being drafted and, following consultation with the Reverend Cheryl Johnson of the Website Task Force, will be added. Not only will the webpage be more informative, but it will be more responsive to the needs of users interested in information and records management.
Having taken early retirement from my paid position as Provincial Archivist in the Spring of 2006, it is my hope that I will have more time to spend on the Archives of the Diocese and the Archives of the Ecclesiastical Province of Rupert's Land. Of interest, this past fall the Diocese of Qu'Appelle hosted a meeting of archivists from the ecclesiastical provinces of Rupert's Land and British Columbia in Regina. I am presently working from my home and arrange to meet researchers by appointment at the Saskatchewan Archives. The records are housed under a written agreement between the Synod and the Saskatchewan Archives Board at the Archives, 3303 Hillsdale Street, Regina. Until more suitable arrangements can be established, I can be reached by e-mail at the following address:
tm.powell@sasktel.net, or through the Synod Office.
