by Jessica Gentile, Social Media Intern

The Burke Theological Library at Columbia University is pleased to announce the completed processing of the archives of the Council of Churches of the City of New York (CCCNY), Department of Church Planning and Research. CCCNY is the oldest ecumenical council in the United States and has records dating back to 1895. The purpose of the Department of Church Planning and Research of CCCNY, and its predecessor organization, the Pathfinding Service, was to encourage the development of church outreach in order to best address the social and economic needs of the community. The archives contain many reports, studies and census materials that span most of the twentieth century and provide valuable insight on the cultural and religious makeup of not only New York City, but the greater state of New York.

These 53 cubic feet of historic records are now finally available to researchers, and can be requested through the finding aid and request form on The Burke Library website. Be sure to check them out.