Conference Commission on Archives & History

The Desert Southwest Conference Commission on Archives and History is responsible many Discipline-mandated duties, including: collecting, preserving, and making accessible the historically significant records of the annual conference and its agencies; encouraging and assisting the local churches in preserving their records, compiling their histories, and celebrating their heritage; providing for the permanent safekeeping of the historical records of discontinued churches; and much more.

Helping you Discover, Preserve and Share Church History

Jennifer Barber

Conference Archivist

602.266.6956 ext. 264
Email

What’s in the Conference Archives?

Church Histories
Church Photographs
Conference Journals
Conference Records
District Records
Histories of Methodism
Pastoral Records
Records of Closed Churches
United Methodist Women Archives
and much more!

DSC Book of Resolutions

All resolutions passed by the Desert Southwest Annual Conference are now available in one book.

click here

Resources for Local Churches

Digital Archives

coming soon!

Archives & History Book Catalog

View the catalog of books housed at Archives & History. These include histories of the United Methodist church, local church histories, books written by clergy, biographies of clergy, and much more.

view catalog

Annual Conference Journals

Desert Southwest Conference, United Methodist Church, 1985-

By action of the 1984 Western Jurisdictional Conference, the former Pacific & Southern Conference was split into two new conferences. The Desert Southwest Conference covers Arizona (except parts of Apache and Navajo counties), southern Nevada, and cities in California along the Colorado River. This new conference was formed in January 1985.

2021 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 37th Annual Session
2021 Historical Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference

2020 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 36th Annual Session

2019 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 35th Annual Session

2018 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 34th Annual Session

2017 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 33rd Annual Session

2016 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 32nd Annual Session

2015 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 31st Annual Session, Volume 2
2015 Journal, Volume 1 – Pre-Conference Reports

2014 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 30th Annual Session, Volume 2
2014 Journal, Volume 1 – Reports

2013 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 29th Annual Session, Volume 2
2013 Journal, Volume 1 – Reports

2012 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 28th Annual Session, Volume 2
2012 Journal, Volume 1 – Pre-Conference Reports

2011 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 27th Annual Session

2010 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 26th Annual Session

2009 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 25th Annual Session

2008 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 24th Annual Session

2007 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 23rd Annual Session

2006 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 22nd Annual Session

2005 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 21st Annual Session

2004 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 20th Annual Session

2003 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 19th Annual Session

2002 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 18th Annual Session

2001 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 17th Annual Session

2000 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 16th Annual Session

1999 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 15th Annual Session

1998 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 14th Annual Session

1997 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 13th Annual Session

1996 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 12th Annual Session

1995 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 11th Annual Session

1994 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 10th Annual Session

1993 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 9th Annual Session

1992 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 8th Annual Session

1991 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 7th Annual Session

1990 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 6th Annual Session

1989 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 5th Annual Session

1988 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 4th Annual Session

1987 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 3rd Annual Session

1986 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 2nd Annual Session

1985 Journal of the Desert Southwest Conference, 1st Annual Session

Pacific & Southwest Conference, United Methodist Church, 1977-1984

The Pacific & Southwest Conference was organized in 1977 with the merger of the Southern California-Arizona Conference and the Hawaii Mission Conference.

1984 Journal of the Pacific & Southwest Conference, 134th Annual Session

1983 Journal of the Pacific & Southwest Conference, 133rd Annual Session

1982 Journal of the Pacific & Southwest Conference, 132nd Annual Session

1981 Journal of the Pacific & Southwest Conference, 131st Annual Session
1981 Historical Journal of the Pacific & Southwest Conference

1980 Journal of the Pacific & Southwest Conference, 130th Annual Session – Volume I, Reports
1980 Journal of the Pacific & Southwest Conference, 130th Annual Session – Volume II, Proceedings and Directory

1979 Journal of the Pacific & Southwest Conference, 129th Annual Session – Volume I, Reports
1979 Journal of the Pacific & Southwest Conference, 129th Annual Session – Volume II, Proceedings and Directory

1978 Journal of the Pacific & Southwest Conference, 128th Annual Session – Volume I, Reports
1978 Journal of the Pacific & Southwest Conference, 128th Annual Session – Volume II, Proceedings and Directory

1977 Journal of the Pacific & Southwest Conference, 127th Annual Session – Volume I, Reports
1977 Journal of the Pacific & Southwest Conference, 127th Annual Session – Volume II, Proceedings and Directory

Southern California-Arizona Conference, United Methodist Church, 1968-1976

The United Methodist Church was form in 1968 with the merger of the Methodist Church and Church of the United Brethren. The Southern California-Arizona Conference of the United Methodist Church was made up of the former Conferences: Southern California-Arizona Conference, Methodist Church and California Conference, Church of the Evangelical United Brethren. The latter did not fully merge into the new denomination and conference until 1969.

1976 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 126th Annual Session

1975 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 125th Annual Session

1974 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 124th Annual Session

1973 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 123rd Annual Session

1972 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 122nd Annual Session

1971 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 121st Annual Session

1970 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 120th Annual Session

1969 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 119th Annual Session
1969 Journal of the California Conference, 107th Annual Session

1968 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 118th Annual Session
1968 Journal of the California Conference, 106th Annual Session

California Conference, Church of the Evangelical United Brethren, 1950-1968

Southern California-Arizona Conference, Methodist Church, 1939-1967

In 1939 the Methodist Episcopal Church; Methodist Episcopal Church, South; and Methodist Protestant Church merged to form the Methodist Church. The Southern California-Arizona Conference of the Methodist Church includes the former Conferences: Arizona Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, South; Pacific Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, South; and Southern California Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church.

1967 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 117th Annual Session

1966 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 116th Annual Session

1965 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 115th Annual Session

1964 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 114th Annual Session

1963 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 113th Annual Session

1962 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 112th Annual Session

1961 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 11th Annual Session
1961 Historical Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference

1960 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 110th Annual Session

1959 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 109th Annual Session

1958 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 108th Annual Session

1957 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 107th Annual Session

1956 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 106th Annual Session

1955 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 105th Annual Session

1954 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 104th Annual Session

1953 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 103rd Annual Session

1952 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 102nd Annual Session

1951 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 101st Annual Session

1950 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 100th Annual Session

1949 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 99th Annual Session

1948 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 98th* Annual Session
(*numbering now from start of Pacific Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, South)

1947 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 9th Annual Session

1946 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 8th Annual Session

1945 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 7th Annual Session

1944 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 6th Annual Session

1943 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 5th Annual Session

1942 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 4th Annual Session

1941 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 3rd Annual Session

1940 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 2nd Annual Session

1939 Journal of the Southern California-Arizona Conference, 1st Annual Session

Arizona Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1922-1938

The Arizona Conference was formed in 1922 with all of the Arizona churches of the former Los Angeles Conference.

1938 Arizona Conference, 17th Annual Session

1937 Arizona Conference, 16th Annual Session

1936 Arizona Conference, 15th Annual Session

1935 Arizona Conference, 14th Annual Session

1934 Arizona Conference, 13th Annual Session

1933 Arizona Conference, 12th Annual Session

1932 Arizona Conference, 11th Annual Session

1931 Arizona Conference, 10th Annual Session

1930 Arizona Conference, 9th Annual Session

1929 Arizona Conference, 8th Annual Session

1928 Arizona Conference, 7th Annual Session

1927 Arizona Conference, 6th Annual Session

1926 Arizona Conference, 5th Annual Session

1925 Arizona Conference, 4th Annual Session

1924 Arizona Conference, 3rd Annual Session

1923 Arizona Conference, 2nd Annual Session

1922 Arizona Conference, 1st Annual Session

Southern California Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, 1920-1938

The Southern California Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church was organized in 1876. In 1920 the Arizona Mission was discontinued and its churches moved under the Southern California Conference.

1938 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 63rd Annual Session

1937 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 62nd Annual Session

1936 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 61st Annual Session

1935 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 60th Annual Session

1934 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 58th Annual Session

1933 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 58th Annual Session

1932 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 57th Annual Session

1931 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 56th Annual Session

1930 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 55th Annual Session

1929 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 54th Annual Session

1928 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 53rd Annual Session

1927 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 52nd Annual Session

1926 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 51st Annual Session

1925 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 50th Annual Session

1924 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 49th Annual Session

1923 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 48th Annual Session

1922 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 47th Annual Session

1921 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 46th Annual Session

1920 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 45th Annual Session

1919 Journal of the Southern California Conference, 44h Annual Session

Arizona Mission, Methodist Episcopal Church, 1881-1919

The Arizona Mission was started in 1870, with the first Annual Conference being held in 1881. No Conferences were held in 1882 (no Bishop was able to travel to Arizona) and 1918 (the state was under quarintine due to the Influenza epidemic).

1919 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 37th Annual Session

1918 – no annual meeting held

1917 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 36th Annual Session

1916 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 35th Annual Session

1915 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 34th Annual Session

1914 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 33rd Annual Session

1913 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 32nd Annual Session

1912 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 31st Annual Session

1911 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 30th Annual Session

1910 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 29th Annual Session

1909 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 28th Annual Session

1908 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 27th Annual Session

1907 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 26th Annual Session

1906 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 25th Annual Session

1905 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 24th Annual Session

1904 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 23rd Annual Session

1903 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 22nd Annual Session

1902 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 21st Annual Session

1901 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 20th Annual Session

1900 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 19th Annual Session

1899 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 18th Annual Session

1898 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 17th Annual Session

1897 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 16th Annual Session

1896 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 15th Annual Session

1895 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 14th Annual Session

1894 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 13th Annual Session

1893 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 12th Annual Session

1892 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 11th Annual Session

1891 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 10th Annual Session

1890 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 9th Annual Session

1889 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 8th Annual Session

1888 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 7th Annual Session

1887 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 6th Annual Session

1886 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 5th Annual Session

1885 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 4th Annual Session

1884 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 3rd Annual Session

1883 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 2nd Annual Session

1882 – no annual meeting held

1881 Journal of the Arizona Mission, 1st Annual Session (1931 reprint)

Los Angeles Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, South, 1870-1921

The Los Angeles Conference was formed in 1870. During the first Annual Conference a missionary was selected for Arizona; he left for the territory immediately following conference. In 1921 the Los Angeles Conference was disolved – the Calfornia churches joined the Pacific Conference and the Arizona churches formed a new Arizona Conference.

1921 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 52nd Annual Session

1913 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 44th Annual Session

1911 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 42nd Annual Session

1910 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 41st Annual Session

1905 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 36th Annual Session

1899 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 30th Annual Session

1898 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 29th Annual Session

1896 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 27th Annual Session

1889 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 20th Annual Session

1888 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 19th Annual Session

1887 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 18th Annual Session

1886 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 17th Annual Session

1885 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 16th Annual Session

1884 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 15th Annual Session

1883 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 14th Annual Session

1882 Journal of the Los Angeles Conference, 13th Annual Session

Records from Churches

Records of Active Churches

The churches below includes just some of the materials held in the Conference Archives and is an incomplete list.

Central United Methodist Church (Phoenix, Arizona)

Christ Community United Methodist Church (Avondale, Arizona)

Community United Methodist Church (Williams, Arizona)

El Mesias United Methodist Church (Nogales, Arizona)

First United Methodist Church (Bisbee, Arizona)

First United Methodist Church (Henderson, Nevada)

Journey United Methodist Church (Las Vegas, Nevada)

New Hope/Nueva Experanza United Methodist Church (Tucson, Arizona)

Primera Iglesia Metodista Unida (Phoenix, Arizona)

St. Paul’s United Methodist Church (Globe, Arizona)

Santa Clara United Methodist Church (Tucson, Arizona)

Records of Closed Churches

Below is a list of churches that have closed and whose records are located at the Conference Archives. This is an incomplete listing. The Book of Discipline mandates that these records:

Disposition of Property of a Closed Local Church– All the deeds, records, and other official and legal papers, including the contents of the cornerstone, of a closed local church shall be collected by the district superintendent and shall be deposited for permanent safekeeping with the annual conference commission on archives and history. (Book of Discipline ¶2549.4)

Records of a church that has merged are organized under the new church name. See tab above for Records of Active Churches.

Ash Fork Community Methodist Church (Ash Fork, Arizona), 1924-1968

Bethel United Methodist Church (Phoenix, Arizona), 1885-2001

Blythe Community United Methodist Church (Blythe, California), 1908-2015

El Buen Pastor United Methodist Fellowship (Tucson, Arizona), 1992-1999

Capitol-St. Paul’s United Methodist Church (Phoenix, Arizona), 1924-1979

Celebration! United Methodist Church (Henderson, Nevada), 1997-2006

Claypool United Methodist Church (Claypool, Arizona), 1920-2015

Clifton Methodist Episcopal Church, South (Clifton, Arizona), 1921-1930

El Divino Redentor Igelsia Methodista Unida (Flagstaff, Arizona), 1922-2004

Don Luis Methodist Episcopal Church (Bisbee, Arizona), 1906-1912

Faith United Methodist Church (Tucson, Arizona), 1987-1993