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The ministry of memory should never be overlooked; it defines the church?s past and casts a vision for its future.

That was the message of the Rev. Robert J. Williams, general secretary of the Commission on Archives and History, speaking at the annual meeting of the Baltimore-Washington Conference Historical Society and Commission on History in May.

He applauded those present for their valuable work in preserving the history of the cradle of Methodism and the site of the beginning of the Central Jurisdiction and the dissolution of the racially segregated Washington Conference.

Baltimore is rich in history, said Williams, who praised the members for their efforts to maintain the conference?s archives and museum, not merely for preservation?s sake, but as a living testament to teach and inspire today?s church.

'The community of faith stands with one foot rooted in a historic tradition from which it draws its identity as God?s covenant people. Its other foot is firmly planted in a future, God?s future, toward which it lives in anticipation of the fulfillment of God?s desire for love, justice, and wholeness,' Williams said, quoting the Rev. Bruce Birch on the ministry of memory.

He encouraged everyone present to avoid the pitfalls of allowing the church to become a fossilized witness to the past, or a chameleon that changes to suit the world in which it finds itself.

Williams also cautioned the audience to pay close attention to who?s voice is being left out of today?s church and tomorrow?s history.

Citing instances of the church?s historic stance on slavery and its reluctance to seat women as full members of General Conference, and the way these instances have been portrayed in church history, Williams concluded that history is more than 'good documentation.' It should be 'transformative of the individual and the world,' he said.

At the meeting, the Rev. Tom Connor, the group?s president, announced a new venture for the museum.

Earlier this year, the Board of Archives and History turned down an offer to move many of its archives to Wesley Theological Seminary, which is building a new library on its Washington, D.C., campus.

The group?s examination of whether or not to accept the offer brought about a reassessment of conditions of the archives at Lovely Lane UMC, where space is limited.

Arrangements have been made with the church to expand the archival space and to set up meeting and display space in the Asbury room and in three alcoves off of the chapel. The group also hopes to produce an introductory video to be shown to museum viewers about Methodist history in this region.

Last year, reported Director of Archives and History Jim Reaves, Lovely Lane fielded 500 phone and e-mail inquiries, hosted 100 on-site researchers and gave tours to more than 1,000 visitors. The Web site www.lovelylanemuseum.com, received more than 50,000 hits.

Of special note last year, Reaves said, was the quilt show, which featured 42 quilts, including four Baltimore album quilts and the Mayflower quilt, said to be the oldest quilt in the United States.

The historical society is looking forward to participating in the international celebration of the three-hundreth birthday of Charles Wesley, which will be held at the 4-H building and other locations in Washington, D.C., July 20-22, 2007.

Several volunteers were also honored for their work. Jane Thursby was given special recognition for the approximately 1,000 hours she gave to helping create the quilt show.

Those interested in joining the historical society can visit http://www.lovelylanemuseum.com/Membership.htm or call (410) 889-4458.

History lesson

While at Lovely Lane UMC, the Rev. Robert Williams shared two historic anecdotes.

Peter Cartwright, the preeminent frontier Methodist revivalist, was asked by a pompous questioner, 'How is it that you have no doctors of divinity in your denomination?' Cartwright replied: 'Our divinity is not sick and don?t need doctoring.'

And, When John Wesley, Methodism?s founder was riding on horseback one day to preach, he met a snobbish county magistrate mounted on a stately charger who, looking with scorn upon the little apostle of Methodism, exclaimed in a rough tone of voice, 'I shall not give the road to a fool.' Wesley very calmly reined his horse to the left and quietly replied, 'But I will.'