The Methodist Historical Society is grateful to the Connexion and to its members for continued support during the past year.
The Archives and Reading Room has been visited regularly by those in pursuit of family history and academic research alike. Currently, approximately eighty five percent of the Methodist Church in Ireland records are held in the MHSI archives, and this material is being catalogued and indexed by the team of volunteers. Any non-current registers still being held in local custody are being sought to add to the collection. Two new volunteers have been added to the team and they are currently making a listing of all three-dimensional objects which has been added to the online library on the website. They have also begun adding to the existing catalogue of all volumes held in the library. The Society’s website continues to attract a high level of traffic. Listings of MCI records and digitised Methodist journals from 1895–2015 are easily accessible without a paywall despite a considerable annual cost to the Society.
The archives and reading room are open two mornings a week and at other time by arrangement. Volunteers are available to assist researchers and those interested in family history in accessing the information they require. Specialised talks can be given to small groups wishing to explore a particular aspect of Methodism. There is a constant stream of enquiries via the website, and again our volunteers make sure that material is made available.
MHSI continues to promote an understanding and appreciation of Irish Methodism and Wesleyan theology through its journal, the MHSI Bulletin, and through lectures and pilgrimages to local circuits.
The Society endeavours to serve the Connexion by maintaining and making available our Methodist heritage. To help us achieve this, we are grateful for the prayerful and financial support of our members and circuits.
