Do you ever wonder what we do at the Presbyterian Heritage Center, while temporarily closed to the public due to the covid-19 virus threat?
On Sunday night we held a Zoom cast of a presentation & hymn sing on “C.S. Lewis & Hymns” by Austin Theological Seminary Professor & Musician Eric Wall. Eric played in the middle of our exhibit –behind the wardrobe door. It was well received, so much so that we will be posting his presentation on our YouTube channel before the end of July.
In other actions over the past two weeks, we have:
- Created an online Virtual July Fourth experience – editing 2019 Montreat July 4th Parade video; filming and digitizing of the Tarnished Brass band; assembling a July 4th historical photo album.
- Worked on several new exhibits which will open over the next 30 to 75 days –Centennial of Women’s Suffrage in the U. S. & Presbyterian Involvement; Cultures & Conflict: Native Americans & Presbyterian Missions.
- Digitally converted and uploaded videos of
- 2006 Montreat Adult Summer Programs with Andy Andrews and his experience on D-Day, along with a panel that included History Professor Dr. Bill Forstchen.
- 2011 Montreat Madness Musical of “Windows on the Women.”
- Assisted authors with historic illustrations and pictures for an upcoming history of “The Presbyterian Experience” in America, to be published by Eerdmans Publishing.
- Converted rare, if not unique, audio magnetic tapes into modern digital computer files. We’ve preserved the 1953 Montreat Madness Musical and Rev. Henry Ward Dubose pioneering sermons on WSB Radio in 1945 at the beginning of “The Protestant Radio Hour.”
- Researched and indexed Civil War letters in our collections, plus others.
- Received and processed artifacts and archival donations, such as:
- 1964 lobbying correspondence to and from U.S. Congressional leaders & the Rev. Randy Taylor (future moderator) for the 1964 Civil Rights Act.
- Circa 1900 steamer trunk of Della Price McGoogan, who used this trunk while attending Montreat conferences in 1903, 1909, 1913, etc.
- Rev. Pat McClurg’s plaques, photos and documents from her General Assembly Mission Board experience and her leadership as the first female clergywoman to be President, National Council of Churches.
We also are collecting photos, sermons and ephemera made while churches deal with the covid-19 pandemic.
We want you to know that the Presbyterian Heritage Center never closes, because we are always working behind-the-scenes. We just are temporarily closed to the public under North Carolina Executive Orders for the present. And we look forward to seeing you in person some day.
Today’s post was written by PHC Executive Director, Ron Vinson.
Art, Facts, and Artifacts 