There are so many opportunities to create scrapbooks for all congregations. Through the years, as my own children have gone through the religious school program, had their confirmations etc, weve been asked to help put together albums to give to various people.

Scrapbooks can be given to clergy to celebrate their first year there. We are actually about to celebrate our clergys fifteenth year with us and we are planning a large dinner event. A scrapbook is being made of the past fifteen years.

We have also given scrapbooks to religious school teachers who have retired or moved away. Taking several photos of each class, each year, helps create these wonderful memories.

We have a preschool on site and recently one of the classes made a small album for the clergys birthday.

Just last night was this years confirmation and we viewed a slide show of the photos of the kids growing up. These photos of course could also be put into a scrapbook and presented as a gift.

Many congregations have either a youth director or a youth pastor. What a wonderful gift to make them either an album of the current year, or to make them an album of the kids as they grow up.

Very often, as congregations grow, either new buildings are constructed, or additional rooms are added to existing buildings. Its fun to have a scrapbook of the history of the congregation. This scrapbook could include photos of the building, photos of all clergy, religious school teachers, youth advisors and members of the volunteer board. We actually have a wall, listing the past presidents of our congregation. I would love to see photos too as some of the past presidents are no longer with us and I never knew them. They are a part of our history though and it would be wonderful if we had the photo memories.

I have attended many events, not only at my own congregation but at other congregations as well. Ive attended pot luck dinners, picnics, carnivals and holiday events. All of these events are wonderful opportunities to take what I call people pictures. Take lots of shots of those who attend these events. These photos can be used in scrapbooks, on websites and in monthly bulletins.

I really believe that every Church and Temple should have a historian who continues to preserve the memories of the congregation during their year of service.