Preserving the church’s story in Malaysia and Singapore

On 13–14 August 2026, I visited Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to lead a workshop focused on caring for church records and archives. Participants from churches and theological institutions across the Federation of Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Malaysia and Singapore (FELCMS) attended.

Over two days, participants were introduced to both theoretical and practical aspects of archival work. The trip and workshop were supported by LCA International Mission and attended by 16 participants from throughout Malaysia and Singapore, representing a range of Lutheran churches and organisations.

The workshop was a chance for participants to meet one another and share where they were on their archiving journey. Some had already been appointed as archivists for their church or organisation and were looking to further their understanding from a professional archival viewpoint. Others had not yet begun the archival journey but felt a responsibility or calling towards the historical material sitting in the back room of the office – a common and overwhelming situation.

The morning of day one consisted of sessions on the roles and lifecycles of records in general, as well as the intellectual and physical roles of the archive and the archivist. After lunch, the afternoon sessions focused on the more technical theories and practices of acquisition, appraisal, arrangement and description. Although these ideas can seem daunting at first, group activities and robust discussions linked theory and practice, making the concepts applicable to real-life situations.

After a good rest, day two of the archival workshop consisted of sessions on physical preservation of records and the resources that might be needed and available for this work. The next session focused on responsible and ethical access to records, as well as the importance of having a trauma-informed approach not only to access but also to archiving as a whole.

Finally, the group discussed advocacy and how to speak to others in their organisations about the importance of records from cultural, historical and governance viewpoints.

While two days were not nearly enough to teach all the skills of a professional archivist, the workshop was an excellent opportunity to build participants’ confidence not only in preserving our heritage in more professional manners, but also in connecting with others in similar situations and sharing knowledge.

The cohort was wonderfully engaged and worked well together. In the future, they will work towards a strong archival presence in Malaysian and Singaporean Lutheran churches and organisations. I will continue to mentor this group and provide advice in the future.

Angela Schilling is a collections archivist at Lutheran Archives.