FamilySearch Wiki:WikiProject World Survey Church Records Part 1

Project Leader
Becca Curtis

Purpose
The purpose of this project is to add content to every country Church Records page. Each Church Records page will have information on every major Christian denomination in the country. Such information will include: how to find the records, historical background, and information recorded in the records.

Instructions
Go to the Task List and choose a country to work on. Click on the "Sandbox" next to the country. This is where all the content will be added. Once a country is finished, I will move over the content from the sandbox to the actual Church Records page.

Step 1: How to Find the Records
The first step in research is figuring out how to find the records/where the records are located.

This heading will include information concerning: To find this information, go to these websites:
 * Where the physical records are kept (such as in national archives or individual parishes)
 * How they can be accessed (such as the contact information)
 * Any other information or resources the patron may need to locate the records.

FamilySearch Historical Records
 Go to FamilySearch Historical Records. Underneath "Research by Location" click on the African continent and then choose the country you are working on.
 * World Survey Church Records 1.png

Look at all the online collections to see if there are any church records.
 * World Survey Church Records 2.png

If there are church record collections, add them as a bullet point underneath the "Online Resources and Websites" subheading for the correct denomination.
 * Template for adding the collection:

*YEAR-YEAR: [URL Collection name] at [URL General website name] – index/images
 * For example (would go under Catholic Records heading):
 * 1787-1957: Cape Verde, Catholic Church Records, 1787-1957 at FamilySearch – index and images



FamilySearch Catalog
 Go to FamilySearch Catalog. In the Place search box start typing the name of the country and choose it from the dropdown.
 * World Survey Church Records 3.png

Click Search.</li>
 * World Survey Church Records 4.png

Click on the "COUNTRY-Church records" subheading and see if there are any online church records.</li>
 * World Survey Church Records 11.png
 * World Survey Church Records 12.png

Click on each record collection to determine if the images are online (there will be a camera in the "Format" column).</li>
 * Page with look like:
 * World Survey Church Records 8.png
 * Look for the camera:
 * World Survey Church Records 10.png

If there are church record collections, add them as a bullet point underneath the "Online Resources and Websites" subheading for the correct denomination.</li>
 * Template for adding the collection:

*YEAR-YEAR: [URL Collection name] at [URL General website name] – index/images
 * For example (would go under Dutch Reformed Records heading):
 * 1918-1958: Parish registers, 1918-1958 on the FamilySearch Catalog – images

To determine which church these records belong to, look at the "Notes" section on the page.</li>
 * World Survey Church Records 13.png

After looking at all of the collections underneath "Church records", click on "Places within COUNTY" located near the top of the page. Click on each listed place and look underneath their "Church records" heading for more online collections. Add church record collections where applicable.</li>
 * World Survey Church Records 14.png
 * World Survey Church Records 15.png

</ol>

If More Than 5 Collections for a Church
Sometimes there are 10 or 15 collections in the FamilySearch Catalog for a specific religion. If this is the case, instead of listing all 10, add this line under the "Online Resources and Websites" heading:


 * More CHURCH records are available on the FamilySearch Catalog. Search for places within COUNTRY.


 * Change CHURCH to the correct denomination and change COUNTRY to the country you are working on.

Ancestry
 Go to www.search.ancestry.com/Places.</li> Go to the box on the right side of the page that says "Select another state or region". </li> Choose the region (in the dropdown) where the country you are working on is located. </li> Look in the Select dropdown menu to see if the country you are working on is there. </li> If the country is not there:</li>  Exit out of Ancestry.</li> </ol> If the country is there:</li>  Select it.</li> <li>On this country page, look under the "COUNTRY Birth, Marriage & Death" heading and click "View all" </li> <li>Look at all of the collections underneath "Unique to COUNTRY" and add all of the church record collections as a bullet point underneath the "Online Resources and Websites" subheading for the correct denomination. </li>
 * Template for adding the collection:

*YEAR-YEAR: [URL Collection name] at [URL General website name] – index/images
 * For example (would go under Dutch Reformed Records heading):
 * 1660-1970: South Africa, Dutch Reformed Church Registers, 1660-1970 at Ancestry – index and images ($)

</ol> </ol>

Wikipedia

 * 1) Go to Wikipedia.
 * 2) Search for the country in the search bar.
 * 3) Go to the "Religion" heading on the page.
 * 4) Go to the "Religion in COUNTRY" page OR go to the "Christianity in COUNTRY" page if one exists (sometimes pages exist for a specific Christian church in that country).
 * 5) Look for information on where records are located/stored.
 * 6) Add any relevant information under the "How to Find the Records" heading.
 * 7) Cite the information.
 * Example of a citation:

Google

 * 1) Go to Google.
 * 2) Search for that church in the country.
 * 3) Look for official church websites.
 * 4) On the website, see if information about archives or records.
 * 5) Add any relevant information under the "How to Find the Records" heading.
 * 6) Cite the information.

Step 2: Historical Background
The next step in research is figuring out the history of the church in the country.

This heading will include information concerning: To find this information, go to:
 * History of the church in the country (including the efforts of missionaries)
 * Record keeping practices of the church

Wikipedia

 * 1) Go to Wikipedia.
 * 2) Search for the country in the search bar.
 * 3) Go to the "Religion" heading on the page.
 * 4) Go to the "Religion in COUNTRY" page OR go to the "Christianity in COUNTRY" page if one exists (sometimes pages exist for a specific Christian church in that country).
 * 5) Look for information on the history of that church/denomination in the country.
 * 6) Add any relevant information under the "Historical Background" heading.
 * 7) Cite the information.

Tip: Sometimes it is easier to use Google to find the right Wikipedia article. Tip: For African countries, also try to find Wikipedia articles about the religion in AFRICA (and not just the country). Sometimes more historical background can be found in these articles.

Google

 * 1) Go to Google.
 * 2) Search for that church in the country.
 * 3) Look for official church websites.
 * 4) On the website, see if there is any information on the history of the church.
 * 5) Add any relevant information under the "Historical Background" heading.
 * 6) Cite the information.

Step 3: Information Recorded in the Records
The final step in research is figuring out the information recorded in the records.

Under this heading: '''Only add information under this heading if it is easy to find. Do not search for this.'''
 * Add each record type kept by the church (usually baptism, marriage, burial, and sometimes membership records)
 * Bold the record type
 * List in bullet points the information found in each record type

The location of this information depends on where the collection is found:

FamilySearch Historical Records
<ol> <li>Click on the collection and then click on the "Learn more" button near the top of the page. </li> <li>Scroll down to the section that lists what can be found in the records. </li> <li>Add this information underneath the "Information Recorded in the Records" heading.</li> </ol>

FamilySearch Catalog
<ol> <li>Click on the collection and look underneath the "Notes" section. This section usually describes the information found in the records. </li> <li>Add this information underneath the "Information Recorded in the Records" heading.</li> </ol>

Ancestry
<ol> <li>Scroll down to the "About" section. </li> <li>If there is information about what is found in the records, add it underneath the "Information Recorded in the Records" heading.</li> </ol>

Other Websites
<ol> <li>If records were found elsewhere, go to that website.</li> <li>If it is easy to see what information is found in these records, add it underneath the "Information Recorded in the Records" heading.</li> </ol>

Step 4: If Only Historical Background is Found
If historical background is the only thing found about a denomination (no records or how to find the records could be found), this denomination will be added under the "Other Denominations" heading.

<ol> <li> Add the denomination as === DENOMINATION Records === underneath the Other Denominations heading.</li>
 * For example:

== Other Denominations == === Roman Catholic Records === <li>Delete the other church heading and its subheadings.</li> == Roman Catholic Records == === How to Find the Records === ==== Online Resources and Websites ==== === Historical Background === === Information Recorded in the Records === <li>Add the historical background previously researched (especially when the church began in the country) underneath the "DENOMINATION Records" heading .</li> <li>Cite the information.</li> <li>At the end of the historical background, add this sentence:</li> For more information, see [URL Wiki article title].
 * For example:

For more information, see Christianity in Angola. </ol>

Examples

 * Angola Church Records
 * Cape Verde Church Records
 * Kenya Church Records
 * South Africa Church Records
 * Zambia Church Records