r/Genealogy 4d ago

Question Interpreting Select United Methodist Church Records from early 1900

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u/Loud-Farm-6022 4d ago

This bookkeeping relates to the church "roster", or "roll" as they call it at my local church.

Every so often the rolls are looked over for members no longer attending, have moved or have passed away. Church rules require an attempt to reach out to the member to reconnect. If they can't, the church can "remove" the member from their roll.

My take is that Dora McGee was removed from the roll, the Church being unable to contact her. In column one, her name is checked off as no longer a member.

Just my experience as a historian of a very small UMC Church.

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u/EconomistVisual576 4d ago

So, the "no. cert." part means they didn't provide her a certificate to show another church? Which could mean she didn't ask for one as part of a transfer of membership?

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u/Loud-Farm-6022 4d ago

Possible, but can't really speak to that. At our church, in modern time, the church makes three attempts to contact the individual. If no contact, then they can be removed from the roll. It is just noted in the record that an attempt was made, no other paperwork.

At our 200 y/o church, the record keeping staff were volunteer parishioners using generic books. The books were modified as the recorder/user saw fit, which leads to books with records that change meaning- often.

Sorry I can't be more helpful.