Presbyterian Church Archives Research Centre Mission Statement

Purpose :

The mission of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa NZ Archives Research Centre is to serve the broader mission of the Church by providing access to its taonga that supports individual ministry, community life, and the corporate vitality of the national Church. Through preservation of heritage documents the Archives safeguards the memories, sustains the culture and preserves the history that tells of the witness of its faith communities. This shall be pursued through the exercise of two primary functions.

Function 1:

The Archives Office undertakes to preserve and make available documentary evidence of the continuing life, work and mission of the PCANZ. This function is supported by :

• setting standards for archival procedures of acquisition, appraisal, arrangement and description, storage, and retrieval systems.
• ensuring provision of proper facilities, environment and resources to preserve the archival material in its care for as long as possible.
• supporting the understanding of all inquirers who seek to access the past, whether to inform an institutional perspective, to seek an individual appreciation, or to promote the historical, social, and cultural role located in Presbyterian tradition.

Function 2:

The Archives Office advocates proper management and control of the Church's administrative records to ensure the fulfillment of legal and fiscal requirements; the fulfillment of Church polity as outlined in the Book of Order , and long-term security of the archives collections. This function is supported by :

• promoting efficient management and care of active records both paper and electronic by identifying records of enduring value for permanent retention (appraisal).
• providing assistance in records management systems to parishes, presbyteries and the General Assembly administrative team.
• integrating risk preparedness and management to improve response in the event of disaster.
• creating an awareness and appreciation of the contextual heritage of the Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand among the Church's membership and its employees .

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