Records of the Church of the Ascension, Cranston, R.I. (Mss. Gr. 216)

Series 1. Subject Files, 1887-1990
8 boxes
(4 linear feet)

The records contained in this series document the administrative activities of the Church of the Ascension. Topics include the Acolyte Guild, the Altar Guild, the construction and renovation of the church, parish anniversaries and celebrations, the consecration of the church, the dedication service for the church, the Episcopal Charities Fund, Episcopal Church Women, the Men's Club, the Parish Corporation, the Parish Guild, the Women's Auxiliary, and the financial status of the parish.

Records represented include annual reports of the parish, the parish newsletter entitled the Ascension Messenger, brochures, programs for various parish anniversaries and celebrations, blueprints and bids for the construction and renovation of the church, and minutes of meetings of such parish organizations as the Altar Guild, the Parish Corporation, the Episcopal Church Women, the Men's Club, the Parish Guild, and the Women's Auxiliary.

Arrangement: The records in this series are arranged alphabetically by subject or type of record and chronologically within folders.

Series 2. Vestry, 1885-1988
2 boxes
(1 linear foot)

The vestry is a group of individuals elected by the members of the parish to manage the daily operation of the parish. The vestry is responsible for the administrative and financial operations of the parish, including the election of a rector, the hiring of employees, the management of real and personal property owned by the parish, and the management of the finances of the parish.

The records in this series document the activities of the vestry of the Church of the Ascension and include the by-laws of the vestry and the minutes of the meetings of the vestry. Also included are the minutes of the annual meeting of the Parish Corporation through 1971 and copies of monthly treasurer's reports beginning in 1972. The minutes are in bound volumes from 1885 to 1958 and in loose sheets from 1959 forward.

Arrangement: The records in this series are arranged alphabetically by type of record and chronologically within folders.

Series 3. Registers, 1910-1990
2 boxes
(1 linear foot)

The Registers Series contains bound Registers of Church Services for the years 1933 to 1990 and Parish Registers of Baptisms, Burials, Confirmations, and Marriages for the years 1910 to 1950.

The Registers of Church Services include the date, time, type of service, number of attendees, and the name of the celebrant for each service held in the parish. The volumes are arranged by the date of the service.

The Parish Registers are divided into sections by the type of service performed, i.e., baptisms, burials, confirmations, and marriages. The amount and type of information recorded varies with the type of service. For baptisms it includes the date of the service, the name and date of the person baptized, the name of his/her parents and the name of the officiating clergyman. The marriage records include the date of the ceremony, the names, ages, and residence(s) of the betrothed, the names of their parents, and the name of the presiding clergyman. Confirmation records include the dates and names of those confirmed and the name of the bishop performing the ceremony. The burial records include the name of the deceased, the date of death, the cause of death, the age at death, the date of the funeral, and the name of the presiding clergyman. Each section of the Parish Register is arranged by the date of the service.

Arrangement: The registers are arranged alphabetically by type of register and chronologically by inclusive dates of each register.

Series 4. Scrapbooks, 1935-1967
11 boxes
(5.5 linear feet)

This series includes scrapbooks which contain photographs, programs, newspaper clippings, brochures, and other ephemera related to the history and development of the Church of the Ascension. The scrapbooks were apparently compiled by a variety of parish employees over the years.

Arrangement: The scrapbooks are arranged chronologically, but there is no topical order within the scrapbooks.

Series 5. Memorabilia (1940-1980)
1 boxes
(1 linear foot)

The Memorabilia Series contains articles and artifacts relating to the Church of the Ascension. Included are church calendars, plaques, trophies, youth basketball uniforms, centennial tee shirts, engravings, printers' blocks for illustrations on church publications, and a paper weight.

Arrangement: There is no particular arrangement within this series.