Before you start to hunt any new site - take few miniutes - stop - look and think ...
Line up angles of the paths that were walked the most - that's where the most things were lost.
Where did the people park their cars / horse & buggies to walk back and forth to the church ?
Hunt the parking area very thoroughly !
Alot of church's held social events and other outdoor get togethers - look around - is there a larger flat area close to the building ?
Always look under big trees - people are drawn to them !
Were there any other out buildings on the grounds in the past ? Pavillions - Outhouses ? Look for old stone or cement remains and hunt those areas.
Most Important - NEVER hunt over or near graves !
Research is alway a very important - talk to any older people that go to the church - look for photo's and other history of this church at the local library or historical society.
Finding an old photo of this church could show you people at an event on the grounds - where old out buildings once stood, etc.
I recently found an old photo of a high school that I hunt that was built in 1910. I found this photo in a family scrap book that was donated to the local library. When I looked closely at the photo I noticed that there used to be a small buildiing approx. 200 ft. behind the school - near the woods line - thats no longer there. I hunted the area where the old building stood the next time I went to the school.
I found a Mercury Dime, two War Nickle's and three Wheat Cents in less than an hour. I never would have hunted this area unless I had seen the old photo !
HH --- Mark
Even with the two of us, it will take a couple days to be thorough.