Episcopal Church Foundation Vestry Papers - for leading congregations

Editor's Note: ECF Vital Practices welcomes Jeremiah Sierra who will share his thoughts, experiences, and recommendations related to our churches from his vantage point as a parish administrator.

It’s a funny thing when someone asks you not to attend his church, but it happens often to parish administrators and church secretaries, and it’s usually for the best. I’m an Episcopalian, and I’ve been a receptionist and a parish administrator. At each interview the rector has recommended that I worship elsewhere. When I did go to the occasional service or event, a parishioner would inevitably tell me about a typo in last week’s service leaflet or ask a question about their pledge. If I had been a member, worship and community and work would have all blended unpleasantly together.

As is true for any other non-profit or business, however, employees need to feel invested in their work to be effective. If the administrative staff doesn’t participate in the communal life of the church, how can it feel motivated and engaged in the work?

There are as many scenarios as there are churches, of course. Some churches may be able to pay a competitive salary, though this is rare. For some administrators it’s just a day job, but those people will move on soon, when a higher paying job comes along. Some see administration as their lifelong vocation, and may need very little motivation or oversight. Some churches haven’t reached the size to really need a full time administrative staff. In most cases, however, the administrative staff needs to be connected to the work of the church to be effective, and there are a variety of ways church leaders can make that happen.

VALUING THE ADMINISTRATOR: 

Administrators work for the church, but they aren’t doing what is traditionally understood to be “the work of the church.” In reality the administrator is an integral part of the organization. The administrator knows how to work with the staff and knows their quirks. He or she is aware of the fire alarm that occasionally goes off for no reason or the garden gate that sticks, and is the face of the church to visitors, vendors, and people who drop in off the street. The parish administrator can ensure that the rest of the staff don’t have to worry about the small things like folding bulletins or ordering office supplies, and focus on the liturgy and life of the church. If everyone remembers that the administrator is important to the ministry of the church, and treats him or her accordingly, the job will inevitably be more fulfilling.

THE WHOLE PERSON: 

Church leaders should keep in mind that the secretary or parish administrator or receptionist is has his or her own goals, interests, and spiritual biography. An administrator, like anyone else, needs to feel valued as an employee and as a person. Some administrators may want to be left alone, of course, but for some the front office of a small church can be a lonely place if no one makes an effort to stop in during the week. The church can minister to its staff, just as the staff minister to the congregation.

KNOWING THE COMMUNITY: 

The church administrator should be familiar with all aspects of the church. The ministry staff should introduce this person to the leaders in the church, preferably in person. Administrators perform best when they are aware of the events and changes that are happening in the church. If the receptionist, for example, learns of a special service at the last minute, or of a staff change when the new staff member shows up one day, he or she won’t be able to make preparations, and may feel disconnected and unappreciated.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES: 

Church leaders should also have a good sense of what the administrator’s strengths and weaknesses are. Sometimes these skills can be utilized, even if they aren’t in the job description. At a recent administrative job, when the choir director realized I had some design skills, I ended up creating signs for multiple events. This wasn’t part of the job description, but since I had the time, it was a fun challenge, and a chance to deepen my skills and further serve the church. Conversely, you may find that your administrator needs additional bookkeeping training to keep up with the growth of the community. If leaders are aware of what tasks the administrators enjoy, and in what areas they may need some help or extra training, everyone’s job will be easier, and the church will run more efficiently.

VISION: 

Most importantly, the administrator should know the vision of the church, and how he or she fits into that vision. Does the church want to grow, to focus on its music program, to increase its program, or deepen the experience of its members? The administrator may not be directly involved in achieving these goals, but without him or her, the staff will be too worried about paying the bills and answering the phones to get much done. The best administrators will feel like an important part of the church, even if they aren’t there every Sunday.

BELOW ARE ADDITIONAL suggestions of ways to make the administrative staff an integral part of the community: 

• Invite them to occasional events
• Give them regular updates
• Take them out to lunch on a regular basis
• Ask them what they need to do their job well
• Make sure they meet all the vestry members and church leaders
• Remember their birthday

The administrative staff is central to the daily ministry of the church. This is easy to forget - many church leaders are volunteers, and everyone is busy – but if the administrative staff feel like an integral part of the ministry, they are less likely to end up feeling alienated and unempowered, and thus more likely to further the mission and ministry of the church.