1. I started our checking account in QuickBooks with the first statement of 2020 which ran 01/01/2020 through 01/31/2020.  This church used a different accounting software prior to starting with QB in January of 2020 and had never [yes, never!] reconciled a bank statement.  (One of the problems in having volunteers do the bookkeeping.)  I entered everything on that January 2020 statement and reconciled to it.
2. Then I started on our credit card account in QB.  Unlike our checking statements which are based on calendar months, our credit card statements run from about the 10th or 11th of each month to the 10th/11th/12th of the next month.  So, when I started with our January credit card statement in QB it ran from 12/11/2019 to 01/10/2020.  I had to enter the 12/19/2019 payment of $1,731.07 along with the charges that occurred in the latter part of December 2019 in order to balance the January credit card statement.
3. So, I did not have a 2019 checking statement entered (nor reconciled) in QB in January of 2020 that would have included that $1731.07 check to the credit card company.  That check has been appearing on all subsequent checking statements as outstanding ever since. 
4. So, yes, that 2019 $1731.07 is not reconciled in the checking because there is no statement to reconcile it to.   Going back in time is no help as the checking statements and the credit card statements have "overlapped" as far back as we have records.

I hope this answers all questions and clears up any confusion.  You see, there really wasn't negligence in not reconciling a transaction.  I just knew of no way to do it.  January 2020 was my first time setting up checking and credit card accounts in QuickBooks.

If only there was some way to either 1.) remove the $1731.07 payment without throwing off the reconciliation of the credit card account or 2.) enter a transaction on the checking side without throwing off the checking reconciliation.  I'm at a loss here as to what to do.  

Thanks,

Lisa