Entries in the four sections are arranged alphabetically. The first section is agency records. There are thirteen general church agencies in the United Methodist Church as well as numerous other sub-units, and the material generated by these bodies constitutes the largest segment of the holdings. Eight of these general church agencies and seven smaller church affiliated units are included in the agency records section of this guide. Most entries in this section contain an agency function note which describes the duties, responsibilities, and activities of the agency.
Some entries contain an agency history note which outlines the history of an agency.
Agency records, however, present only part of the history that is United Methodism. It is the next three sections, personal papers, reference collections, and oral histories collections, which personalize the individual's experience in and with the church. Although this portion of the holdings is smaller in size than agency records, its value is in the stories and insights it reveals. These sections document the lives, experiences, and motivations of United Methodists involved in church work. In addition, the personal paper collections segment of the holdings complements the extensive agency records.