In a Flood, Secure your Life Vest

Pitts Theology Library and the disaffiliation of 327 churches from the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church

Abstract

This paper is partially adapted from a panel discussion delivered at the VRA Annual Conference in 2024, “In a Flood, Build an Ar(k)ive: A Collaborative Approach to the Unexpected,” presented by Elizabeth Miller, Brinna Michael, Emily Corbin, Ann McShane, and Spencer Roberts. As the archival repository of the North Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church, Pitts Theology Library experienced a dramatic increase in accessions beginning in 2023 due to disaffiliation. To manage the “flood,” staff at Pitts worked together to create a project structure and new workflows around these acquisitions. Since October 2024, the project has undergone changes to both its staffing and scope. To capture the content of our earlier presentation while also providing a meaningful update to it, this paper includes a brief history of United Methodism, a brief history of the recent disaffiliation event within the United Methodist Church; the workflows devised and undertaken by Pitts Theology Library in response to disaffiliation, and the revisions to those workflows in response to changes in staffing during 2024.