In 1916, Seventh Day Baptists banded together in support of the preservation and promotion of the unique heritage and history of SDBs to create a new organization–the SDB Historical Society.  The organization took on the responsibility of stewarding a collection of irreplaceable artifacts and books, as well as communicating to the broader world about who we are as a people and how God has taken care of us over that period of time.  For a century, that work has continued.

Recent articles in the Sabbath Recorder have begun to highlight individuals who have made important contributions to the Historical Society, both in their devotion and work, and also from their finances.  There are many, many people who are worthy of thanks and recognition!

As part of the celebration of the Society’s 100th anniversary, the Society has created a permanent endowment, the Centennial Fund, so that we can insure that future generations will have the benefit of the resources we have preserved so far, and so that we have the resources necessary to continue to preserve our own stories!

General Conference in 2015 urged local churches to find volunteers who could promote SDB history in their local churches, and we are happy to report that some churches have contacted us with the names of their history volunteers.  But many more churches still need to find their local SDB history advocates!  There are resources available for the promotion of SDB history, as well as the celebration of the Society’s 100th anniversary.  In addition, resources are available for the promotion of the Centennial Fund. Those who have agreed to promote SDB history in their local church should be on the lookout for a packet of information to arrive in the next couple of weeks!

Among the resources available on the Historical Society’s website include:

• A brochure explaining the Centennial Fund and how interested parties can find out more information or make a donation;
• Bulletin inserts celebrating each decade of the Historical Society’s work (being added for the next several weeks);
• A video highlighting the work of the Society and the benefits of history knowledge in the work of our local churches (coming soon!)

Individuals interested in joining the the work of supporting SDB history work are also encouraged to join us.  The Society is in the final stages of merging with the General Conference, but memberships in the Society will be converted to membership groups in the new configuration with the same benefits, so there is no reason to wait…join today!

We appreciate the contributions of Seventh Day Baptists through the centuries to our work–both financially and through living lives worthy of remembering!