UCAN News Update 17:3

Looking back on the Cutting Edge conference

We had the largest number of delegates ever at our fourth Cutting Edge residential conference in March entitled ‘Open heart ministry’.  Three of them offered to share their experiences.

Jill Govier is the Centre Manager of Tees Valley Community Church in Stockton-on-Tees.

“The thing about open heart surgery is the need for experts, a great team to support and it can get very messy when the operation is being performed!

Well apart from the mess, I know I was blessed by having access to the expertise of Trevor Stammers who gave some useful background and practical information on stress, anxiety, depression and fear.  With the demands of my role as a senior Church Administrator I know this is something we are all subject to at some time, and we need to be responsible employers in looking for signs within our teams and our senior leaders.  His perspective was refreshing and biblically based, and I came away with some insightful tips to ensure the balance in work is realistic.

And the team – what can I say… from the organising team who did such a great job in pulling the event together and hosting the sessions, to all those who contributed (especially Jules Morgan and Pastor John and Pauline Tindall), to the staff at Kings Park conference centre and most of all to who attended and shared their own experiences and expertise through networking at break times – THANK YOU!”

Melvyn Tweed is the Finance and Facilities Administrator at St Paul’s, Leamington Spa.  He writes:

“I loved the conference.  It was very affirming, gave practical ideas and help, and provided a great opportunity to network with a hundred other people in my shoes.  Inspiring worship, excellent venue, good food and great fellowship.  The sessions were relevant, witty and at times raw and challenging.  There was plenty of time for reflection and processing.  This was another splendidly organised event from UCAN, it was fitting that we concluded by commissioning the new UCAN team.  An excellent investment of my time, to come away with a truly healthy heart for serving The Kingdom.”

Caroline Abbott is the Parish Administrator at St Mary the Virgin, Great Dunmow in Essex.

 “This was my first UCAN residential conference and I can only praise the event.  The venue, food and company were all great and the topics and worship at the conference provided me with great food for thought.

The opportunity to network and share experiences with like-minded people was invaluable, and I was able to poach some ideas to take back to the office.  I surprised myself with how much I enjoyed the style of worship.  I come from a fairly traditional background, worshiping in a church with a formal choir and all the trappings that go with that and I always held the view that was the style of worship I preferred.  The joyful singing and passion for worship I experienced at the conference has opened my eyes!

On a personal level, much of what was talked about on the first day was a great source of help and comfort due to family issues I am currently facing, so I came away feeling more able to understand those issues and face them head on.”

The response sheets have all been analysed and the Organising Group will be studying the digest that has been prepared at their next meeting in early June.  Next year’s conference will be a one-day event in London on the theme of volunteers.

Top tips for Church Administrators

Antonia Jackson was Church Administrator at St Nicholas’, Tooting in South London for some years.  She is still much involved in the life of the church more in an operations role.  Here is her considered advice to all who work as their church’s Administrator.

1. Godliness is vital: maintaining a close personal walk with the Lord Jesus is key.
2. Administration is a gift from God (1 Cor 12); it’s really important, even though it's often unseen and rarely upfront.
3. In church life, admin is a means to an end - the spread of the gospel and the expansion of the kingdom.  It's important to maintain that focus.
4. It's a job wherein it's easy to make mistakes that lots of people notice and not be noticed when things go well.  Being aware of that makes it’s easier to take when people ‘notice’! 
5. It's important to have a balanced sense of responsibility - not under-developed ('It's gone wrong? I don't care') or over-developed ('I must do everything, myself, perfectly, even if I’m working 24/7').
6. Ministers aren't given very much training in managing people, so help them to manage you well (suggest an annual review, ask for crits, take crits/suggs well).  I was fortunate to have an awesome boss!
7. There is much to do in church life…don’t be afraid to focus on the admin.  It’s why you’re there.  For an Administrator, caring for people often means caring about the paperwork.
8. Be aware that volunteers are a (delightfully) special breed and will behave in unexpected ways!
9. Be prepared to say ‘No’!  Have your role as fully defined as possible.  People will always try to push the boundaries of what you're there for (I was once asked to do someone's typing for their job).
10. Be prepared to say ‘Yes’!  Willingness to be flexible is crucial. Keep praying!

Resources to help you in your work

There are two types of resources on the website.

1:  Specialist Church Administrator resources

The UCAN resources page has been growing steadily for the past 18 months and now has a wide range of helps for everyone who works in Church Administration.  Log in first as these are ONLY available to UCAN members and those you want to share them with in your church.

The page has three sections:

Members’ questions and responses

If you click on MWR2 you can ask questions and see what responses you receive from other UCAN members.  This is a brilliant way of seeing how others can help you within the network – but do use it too to help other members with your experience and expertise.

Resources from UCAN members

Every two or three weeks we add another item to the growing list.  These are sample statements, policies, documents, ideas that fellow-members are happy to share to save you time and effort in reinventing wheels.  We now have a truly valuable set of items and it grows all the time.

Resources from UCAN sources, events and surveys

The most recent additions here have been notes and slides from the Cutting Edge conference plus recordings of the workshops.  The UCAN recordings (public domain) page has the main conference addresses.  If you could not make it to Northampton this is where you can benefit from all we learnt there.

2:  General church administration resources

There are over 140 items in the general Resources section of John Truscott’s website with new items added every other month (and which you hear about through the mailing of ‘Resources e-letter’).  These cover a wide range of issues to do with church leadership, management, structures, planning, communication and administration.  Please share these round your churches to the people who can use them – some of them may not be so relevant for your own particular role.  See the introductory page.

Articles

Items of up to 10,000 words helping you think through issues or guiding you through tasks.  There is detailed advice on office work, handling meetings, staff selection, letting rooms, organising a church weekend away, appointing an Operations Manager and much more.

Training Notes

These are no more than 2,000 words so a five minute read.  There are now 100 of these covering a wide range of very practical issues in organising church life.  If you want to see those specially written for Administrators try the Administration index page.

Health-checks

Detailed assessment tools for the health of your church or the effectiveness of a mission agency.

Local Group news

These items are included in each issue to give all groups ideas for their meetings and to encourage others to form new groups.  They are very much appreciated by those who belong to one!

Worcester Group

Alison Moore, from City Church, Worcester, writes:

“The Worcester local group last met on 22nd March, at Lindisfarne House, the home of City Church.  As has become our custom, we met over lunch and enjoyed the opportunity to spend time together and to encourage one another.  The discussion covered a wide range of topics, both local and more general, and this time particularly focused on IT issues, and also how to have a healthy balance between work and home life.

Our next meeting is planned for 21st June and we are expecting two new UCAN members to join us then.  Anyone else in the Worcester area is very welcome to come along too – contact Liz Wilson or Alison Moore for more details.”

Bath Group

Jane Bradby reports:

“We last met on 7th February when the major item under discussion was safeguarding.  We noted in particular that:

• All policies need to be looked at carefully and updated on a regular basis. Churches need a robust policy, both for staff and volunteers, not just on paper but throughout the whole congregation.  For Church of England churches the Safer recruitment practice guidance must now be adhered to, and there are training courses available.
• The local diocesan policy is very demanding, with references needed for every volunteer. They will lay on ‘train the trainer’ courses.”

Quick news, reminders and updates

Third series of Area Training Days launches this month

This week we have the first at Birmingham with Guildford to follow, and then Nottingham in July.  Book on the pdfs on the UCAN events page of the website.  There is still time for Guildford on 17th May and plenty of time for Nottingham.

Mastering Kingdom Administration

Sharon Clark is Operations Manager of New Covenant Church in Milton Keynes where they hold the ‘Spirit led administration’ event most years.  This year there is something a bit different.  She writes:

“Paul Manwaring is running a four-day ‘Mastering Kingdom Administration’ school in Milton Keynes in September.   As I think you know, we have run a one-day Spirit-led Administration workshop each year for the past four years or so.  This year we are excited to offer this longer event to Administrators.

Booking details and more information is here:  https://kingdomadministration.eventbrite.co.uk”

Plans for new-UCAN progress

The Directors of new-UCAN meet on 11th May.  There is already a company and a bank account.  They now turn their attention to employing a half-time staff member to run the day-to-day work of the network.  If you are in any way interested in being informed once details become available, email Jules Morgan on julesmorgan@st-stephens.org.uk.

If you want to hear the presentation at Cutting Edge, go to the UCAN resources page of the website and scroll down to item UR10 where there is an audio recording of this session.  The offering at the final Communion service raised the wonderful total of almost £1,450 for new-UCAN.

The expectation is a handover from John to the new team sometime in the autumn.  This is all being planned very carefully.  More next time.

Welcome to new members

Here are our new joiners for March and April.  A really warm welcome to all.

The lists each time are in order of joining.  If I seem to have missed you out or shown anything that is incorrect, please let me know so I can put it right.  Additions and changes after 30th April will be given in the July 2017 Update.  * indicates there is at least one other UCAN member at this church.

Jessica Lawrence, Parish Administrator at Egloshayle & Breoke Churches, Wadebridge

Sarah Postlewhite, Finance Administrator at CRE8/St Barnabas’. Macclesfield*

Sue MacDonald, Team Administrator at Harborough Anglican Team, Market Harborough

Jenny Duncan, Administrator at Christ Church, Guildford

Beth Howard, Administrator & Building Manager at Gateway Church, Leeds*

Eleanor Wilson, Administrator at All Saints’ w St Philip & James, Fleet*

Rachel McLafferty, Operations Manager at All Saints’, Ecclesall, Sheffield*

Helen Stephens, Vicar’s PA at All Souls’, St Margarets, Twickenham*

Jill Webb, Administration & Communications Assistant at St Edmund’s w St James’, Whalley Range, Manchester

Lisa Scott, Church Manager at Burpham Church, Guildford

Sally Williams, Church Administrator/Vicar’s PA at St Mary’s, Radcliffe on Trent

Elizabeth Lees, Development Worker at St Matthew’s, Carver Street, Sheffield

Sarah Smith, Administrative Assistant at Chessington Evangelical*

Salome Noah, Office Manager at Lozells Methodist, Birmingham

Phil Lee, Operations Manager at Open Heaven Church, Loughborough*

Joe Braker, Office & Events Administrator at Holy Trinity, Leicester*

Alex Herrick, Finance Assistant at Holy Trinity, Leicester*

Stephanie Johnson, Ministry Support Manager at Christ Church Fulwood, Sheffield*

Tracey Nash, Administrative Officer at South Street Baptist, Greenwich, London*

Adam Brown, Ministerial Assistant at CLM Church, Coventry

Louise Yusuf, Parish Administrator at St Francis’. Luton

Helen Bennett, Benefice Administrator at St Peter & St Paul’s, Shepton Mallet

Christina Phiri, Administrator at Liberation Church, Newham, London

John Furley, Operations Manager at St Mary’s, Maidenhead*

Margaret Aust, Human Resources Manager at Open Heaven Church, Loughborough*

Dave Wright, Administrator at St Barnabas’, Beckenham

UCAN members transferring to a new church …

Emily Fowler, Communications Administrator at Liphook Church Centre* (from Shottermill)

Peter Troup, Operations Manager at St Barnabas’, Woodside Park, London* (from Everyday Church)

...and those who have taken over from another UCAN member at their church

not always in the same post or with the same responsibilities and some changes may have taken place some time ago but the UCAN transfer has just been effected or there has been a vacancy for some months.

Alice Carr, Parish Administrator at All Saints’, Ilkley (replacing Rachel Boggs)

Claude Lobo, Finance & Operations Manager at Parish of Brentford* (replacing Matt Roy)

Mary Barnes, Administrator at Holy Trinity, Hotwells, Bristol (replacing Helena Whitwell)

Louise Sampaio, Parish Administrator at St Paul’s, Addlestone* (replacing Lisa Tugwell)

Juliet Edwards, Parish Administrator at St Michael’, Mottram in Longdendale (replacing Tony Kershaw)

Ann Banner, Parish Administrator at St Mary’s, Bathwick, Bath (replacing Julia Brownbridge)

Gillian Rutherford, Vicar’s PA at St Mary’s, Longfleet, Poole* (replacing Karin Freshwater)

Chris Porter, Office Administrator at Worcester Baptist (replacing Peter Wood)

Matthew Jones, Operations Team Leader at St Barnabas’, Cambridge (replacing Rachel Cresswell)

Jessica Fellows, Media & Communications Administrator at Holy Trinity, Leicester* (replacing Hannah Lewis)

Andy Wilson, Operations Manager at St Mark’s, Harrogate* (replacing Mike Coles)

Janice Yelland-Sutcliffe, Church Administrator at St Mary’s, Arnold, Nottingham (replacing Victoria Hickman)

Hayley Shah, Parish Administrator at St Nicholas’, Chiswick, London (replacing Ian Stephenson)

Sam Porter, Administrator at Redeemer, Croydon* (replacing William Law)

Julie Fox, Parish Administrator at St Stephen’s, Shottermill, Haslemere (replacing Emily Fowler)

Members who have moved on but where there is now a medium-term vacancy

Diana Hallett, Operations Manager at Kea Church, Truro*

Jenny Hopley, Administrator at Aldridge Parish*

Mark Mulley, Church Administrator at Cambray Baptist, Cheltenham

Members who have moved on from their posts and who are not being replaced or where their successor does not wish to continue the membership

We have lost a total of 110 members in eight years when appointments are not renewed, posts are made redundant, or we are asked to cancel the membership.

Mary Garnet, Administrator at Emmanuel, Leftwich, Northwich

Sarah White, Administration Assistant at St Andrew’s, Chorleywood*

Mark Jeffery, Church Administrator at King’s Church, Catford, London

UCAN News Update 17:2

Area Training Days series 3 currently booking for May

Jules Morgan, Director of Operations and Development at St Stephen’s, Twickenham and one of the UCAN Directors for the new organisation now being set up, writes:

“We decided to focus UCAN’s third series of Area Training Days on the biblical and creative nature of our work.  We could all do with some encouraging teaching in these areas and John will provide that at five venues this year.  We’ve also asked him to be the trainer for this material in other venues next year when he will no longer be running UCAN himself.

Three of the new UCAN Directors will be hosting the May events.

·                Birmingham on Thursday 4th May – come and hear our exciting new plans for UCAN from Julian Mander and receive training input from John to give you fresh insights into the value of your work.

·                St Albans on Tuesday 9th May – I shall be hosting this event and telling you about our future plans with training from John.

·                Guildford on Wednesday 17th May – when Andy Bagwell will be explaining the future and John again providing the training.

There are details and booking forms at http://www.bit.ly/UCANevents.  These will then be followed by Nottingham on Thursday 6th July (details to go on the website in early April) and Belfast, probably in September.

2018’s likely venues include: Edinburgh/Glasgow, Manchester, Bristol/Bath, Kent area, Leeds, Southampton, Plymouth, Hexham, central London.

If you work solo, these days are great encouragements.  If you work in an administrative team, they are great to come to together for a really worthwhile team day out.  We hope to meet you at one!”

What I learned in ten years as a Church Administrator….

Sarah Burdett has just moved to a new post from being the Church Administration Manager at Holy Apostles’ Church in Cheltenham.   We asked her to share her experience.

“None of this is rocket science but I did find that some of it can get lost in the busyness of work. 

·                Embrace your gifting - Administration is a spiritual gift and you are called to exercise all your gifts in whatever circumstances you find yourself.  So remember administrative skills are a gift from God which is valued by him.

·                Give a positive impression - As an Administrator you may be the only contact that someone has with your church.  Always try to be warm, welcoming and as helpful as possible.  You never know where it might lead.

·                Know your colleagues - Whatever size church you work in, you will work with others, whether paid staff teams or unpaid volunteers.  Recognising differences (and similarities) with individuals helps to understand how they work and, hopefully, how you can work effectively together.

·                Find other Administrators – Church administration can be a lonely job.  Try to meet up locally with other Administrators, if only for coffee.  Also use the UCAN website to ask questions of other Church Administrators.  There is a wealth of experience and knowledge out there.

 ·                Know your limits - Many Administrators end up doing lots of small jobs which they may or may not be qualified for.  Where possible engage others from the congregation who have experience in these areas – or, when necessary, pay for professional expertise.

·                Realise your impact - Not everyone is gifted as an Administrator and not everyone realises the impact of a good Administrator (sometimes even ourselves!).  However, in using your gifts effectively, you can become an enabler, assisting and releasing others to exercise and develop their ministries and gifts; through which God can work bringing more people into his kingdom.”

A great sense of accomplishment

Leisa Young, Circuit Administrator for the Preston Ribble Methodist Circuit in Lancashire, has just completed the UCAN / St John’s Nottingham distance learning course, ‘The work of a Church Administrator’.  We asked her to tell us about the module.

“It had been almost two decades since I had taken on any kind of academic endeavour – as such, it was not without trepidation and a slightly shaky start that I began ‘The work of a Church Administrator’ distance learning course through St. John’s College, Nottingham.

My fears were quickly diminished when I received the coursework, which was easily broken up in to ten manageable units with clear guidelines.  The first of many emails and phone calls from my wonderful course tutor (UCAN member Simon Jones) also put my mind at ease, that the course could be completed at my own pace and that I would have support whenever I needed it.

As a Methodist Circuit Administrator I had some concerns that the course might not quite fit my needs but to my delight I discovered that it was adaptable to my denomination and a slightly different office environment and therefore entirely relevant to my role.

The coursework was challenging and practical.  Everything I studied proved a helpful reflection on how I manage things both in the office and theologically.  The three marked assignments in particular required a good deal of personal reflection and I found that I spent at least twice as long as the recommended amount of time on each of them.

The course has encouraged further learning, improved my work environment and communication channels, helped me make some valuable ecumenical contacts and completing it has given me a great sense of accomplishment.”  

For details of what the course involves and how to apply, see https://www.john-truscott.co.uk/Administrators/UCAN-distance-learning.

Local Group news

These items are included in each issue to give all groups ideas for their meetings and to encourage others to form new groups.  They are very much appreciated by those who belong to one!

Greater Manchester Group

Fran Townsend, Church Administrator at Elmwood Church, Salford, writes:

“Every term our group meets at a different member’s church so we can share hosting responsibilities, and see and learn from other churches’ ways of operating.

We recently met at the LifeCentre, the relatively new home of LifeChurch Manchester, south of the city.  We had several new attendees though some regulars couldn’t make this one - an inevitable consequence of covering such a large area.

We had two very useful presentations by Andy and David from LifeChurch; one on safety and another on how they use the church management system, ChurchApp, to facilitate the integration of new people arriving at their church. 

Both presentations were based on methods created by the church to meet their needs, so we knew they were practical tools we could use too.  They also generated a number of questions and gave us inspiration for addressing and developing better ways of working in our own contexts.

We always share documentation on Dropbox. So a wider audience can benefit from the presentation on safety.”

BH Postcode Group

Gillian Mannouch, Senior Administrator at St John’s, Wimborne, sent us this contribution from their meeting this week:

“Twelve of us met at Poulner Baptist Chapel in Ringwood and we covered a wide range of issues sharing what our churches currently do on each.  These included

·                Easter leaflets and booklets – with the idea of being able to put in combined orders

·                Use of Facebook and Mail Chimp for churches that use social media and email information to members

·                Producing printed reports for annual meetings

·                Giving and stewardship reviews – plus fund raising ideas

·                Use of Alpha, Discipleship Explored and other home-produced courses.

We had a visit from a photocopying firm to demonstrate what they could provide for churches, with specific advice on the production of banners.  We found time for an opening Bible verse and for prayer.  We meet again in July when we move round to another church venue.”

We have several members in the process of getting new local groups off the ground.  If this includes you, do get in touch to see how we can help and support you.  Local Groups are the main bottom-up part of UCAN and we long to see the number grow and the groups flourish.

 If you have indicated a desire to be part of a Local Group in your area but have heard nothing more this will be because no one was prepared to start a group, or someone hoped to do so but found they had no time.  Please get in touch with John if you would be interested in getting a new group off the ground, perhaps working with someone else.

Quick news, reminders and updates

Cutting Edge conference completely full!

The biannual residential conference at King’s Park, Northampton from 20th to 22ndMarch is completely full with a waiting list.  We have never had so many booking for this event and will report on it in the next issue of Update.

New Risk Toolkit, and other new items on the UCAN resources page

New items on the UCAN resources page of the website include:

·                MR31: Running a church pre-school

·                MR32: Organising music events at church

·                MR33: Fire and safety PowerPoint presentation

·                UR8: A new complete and updated version of the Risk Toolkit.

The Risk Toolkit was written by Daryl Martin for UCAN’s 2016 Cutting Edgeconference.  It has been available to all UCAN members since then and costs £20 for the pdf.  After a number of updates, a new version has now been produced and we have put this on the UCAN resources page.

If you were at the 2016 conference or have purchased a copy since, please download the new version or print it out free of charge.  If you have not had the earlier version, you are asked to send £20 in payment.  Half goes to the author and half to UCAN.

The Administrators’ version of Daryl’s Risk Toolkit is only available to UCAN members and for use in their churches.

Help with mortgages for churches

Simon Shefford is an independent mortgage broker with 28 years’ experience.  He helps churches and Christian charities obtain competitive mortgages and insurance for church buildings.

If you are looking for help in these areas see http:///www.churchmortgages.co.uk andhttp://www.cpmc.org.uk.

Plans for new-UCAN progress

There are six Directors for the new UCAN organisation being set up to take the network forward after John hands it over later this year.  Four are current UCAN members: Andy Bagwell, Joyce Gledhill, Julian Mander and Jules Morgan.  Two are former UCAN members now involved in charitable and church consultancy work and leadership: Kevin Lawrence and Colin Rye.

They are meeting regularly (next on 9th March and 11th May) to plan the running of new-UCAN and will be making presentations on the final morning of Cutting Edge in March and at the three Area Training Days in May.

They would value your prayers as they consider transfer plans, the effective use of website and IT in running UCAN, and future staffing.

John will then be able to focus all his energies back again on his core work of consultancy, training and writing.

Welcome to new members

Here are our new joiners for January and February.  A really warm welcome to all.

The lists each time are in order of joining.  If I seem to have missed you out or shown anything that is incorrect, please let me know so I can put it right.  Additions and changes after 28th February will be given in the May 2017 Update.  * indicates there is at least one other UCAN member at this church.

Welcome to new UCAN members for January and February

Sarah Gosling, Parish Administrator at St James’, Rowledge, Farnham

Christine Hobson, Administrative Assistant at Gateway Church, York*

Debbie Beville, Circuit Administrator at Staffordshire Moorlands Methodist Circuit, Stoke-on-Trent

Sue Humphries, Church Administrator at Holy Trinity, Takeley & All Saints’, Little Canfield, near Bishop’s Stortford

Angharad Broughton, Administrator at St John’s, Hinckley

Janet Nicholson, PA to Vicar at St John’s, Great Horton, Bradford

Kate Slater, Church Administrator at Moortown Baptist, Leeds

Linda Buesnel, Administrator at St John’s, Long Eaton

Samm Richards, Benefice Administrator at St John the Baptist, Pilton, near Shepton Mallet

Judith Jones, Church Administrator at St Sebastian’s, Great Gonerby, Grantham

Graham Ball, Church Centre Manager at Guildford Baptist*

Jana Phillips, Parish Administrator at St Nicolas’, Guildford*

Elizabeth Gaulton, Parish Administrator at B&A Church, Bristol

Sarah Bradley, Church Administrator at Portswood Church, Southampton

Alison Stuttard, Parish Co-ordinator at Mid-Wyedean Churches, Coleford

Carolyn Ford, Parish Administrator at Christ Church, Crookham, Fleet

Tassy Russell, Parish Manager at St Peter’s, Acton Green, London

...and those who have taken over from another UCAN member at their church

not always in the same post or with the same responsibilities and some changes may have taken place some time ago but the UCAN transfer has just been effected or there has been a vacancy for some months.

Sarah Eason, Circuit Administrator at Northampton Methodist Circuit (replacing Ann Atkin)

Lynne Lee-Diep, Parish Administrator at St Peter’s, Stevenage (replacing Barbara Blackwell)

Wendy Neary, Centre Operations Manager at Gateway Church, York* (replacing Caleb Ellwood)

Amy Wright, Church Administration Manager at Holy Apostles’, Cheltenham (replacing Sarah Burdett)

Becki Whitlock, Parish Administrator at St James’ Church Centre, Woodley, Reading (replacing Janice Parker)

Katie Urban, Operations Manager at St Michael the Archangel, Warfield, Bracknell (replacing Lucy Vitale)

Rebecca Willows, Parish Administrator at St Alban’s,  Hindhead (replacing Kay Young)

Patricia Rogers, Church Administrator at the Gospel Centre, London (replacing Sandra Berry)

Elizabeth Harris, Conferencing & Events Administrator at ChristChurch, Woking* (replacing Esther Harrison)

Helena Tarrant, Church Co-ordinator at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London* (replacing Elinor Newman)

Andy Neale, Parish Administrator at Parish of High Ongar (replacing Lynne Neale)

Fiona Hedges, Director of Ministry at All Saints’, Crowborough (replacing Andrew Drummond-Smith)

Karen Moore, Operations Director at Everyday Church, Wimbledon, London* (replacing Peter Troup)

Sarah Godwin, Office Administrator at Hereford Baptist (replacing Maggie Johnson)

Jane Foster, Church Secretary at St Clement’s, Poole* (replacing Tom Reiblein)

Annette Ross, Church Administrator at Christ Church, Virginia Water* (replacing Lesley Dumbleton)

Gaynor Robertson, Parish Administrator at St Luke’s, Great Crosby (replacing Shirley Wallin)

Members who have moved on from their posts and who are not being replaced

We have lost a total of 107 members in seven and a half years when appointments are not renewed, posts are made redundant, or we are asked to cancel the membership.

Helen Walter, Church Administrator at St Mark’s, Wyke, Normandy

Jenny Rote, Church Office Manager at Highfields Church, Cardiff

Deaths

Angela Anderson, PA to the Vicar at St Martin-in-the-Fields, London has, sadly, died.

UCAN News Update 17:1

Welcome to the first of our 2017 issues of this bimonthly email keeping you in touch with UCAN news.  You also receive automatic notifications of news items from the ‘UCAN News’ page of the website (unless you have turned this setting off on your computer).  These go out every two or so weeks at 10.00 am. on Mondays.

We launch Area Training Days series 3

We have now completed two series of Area Training Days during the periods 2011-13 (series 1 in ten venues around the UK) and 2014-16 (series 2 in 14 venues).  This coming May we launch series 3.  The first events will be held at:

Birmingham – Thursday 4th May

St Albans – Tuesday 9th May

Guildford – Wednesday 17th May

These will then be followed by:

Nottingham – Thursday 6th July and other venues in 2017 and 2018.

The theme of this third series will be Administration: biblical and creative.  We are taking a good look at the biblical basis for the work we do with the aim of informing and encouraging everyone engaged in this specialised ministry.

Details will go on the website in late January when booking opens, and members working close to these venues will receive personal invitations early in February.

Here are some comments from the response forms at the final series 2 Area Training Day at Hexham in Northumberland in November.

Input well structured, informative and inspiring … Very thought-provoking … Now see (our work) fully as ministry … Had my eyes opened as to what the role involves … Great group work considering the Bible passages … Really good to share conflicts, issues and delights we all experience.

Book the May/July dates now if you are within reach of these four venues.  Further details to follow.

What you wanted to know about church management systems …

… but were too afraid to ask?

Our latest resource, just added to the UCAN resources page of the website, will help you choose the right church management system software if you are thinking of moving this way.  Julian Mander, Director of Operations at Riverside Church, Birmingham gives good advice.  Here is how the article begins.

“This is a quick and precise guide to help you choose the best direction for implementing a church management system (CMS).

We make the assumption that you can see good reason(s) why…

·         you need to use technology to help you to manage the existing workload, or

·         you need to move ‘up a gear’ in the way you are currently working.

The feature-sets of internet-based CMSs are changing all the time, and we're watching a bit of a race where those players who got in early have achieved a critical mass that has made them pretty much untouchable to others who are late to the party.  For those of us in the UK, we highly recommend only considering solutions that have started in the UK and reflect our culture, as opposed to systems from America or Europe which will always jar in their terminology or approach.

1.       If you've not looked at what other churches like yours are using, or haven't looked at some of the solutions on the market for a couple of years, make this your first priority.  (A list of items is then provided in the website article.)

2.       Any solution you are looking for should be internet-based, NOT desktop-based………..”

To read the whole article click here and log in.  Scroll down to UR9 on the UCAN resources pages of the website.

My key tips for senior Administrators

In the last issue Sue Bremner shared her top tips for working as a Church Administrator.  This time Robert Newhouse, recently retired from his post at Ashtead, addresses senior Administrators.

“Life as a Senior Administrator is a smoother journey if you remember the following four points.

·         Use your gifts for ministry

You are on the staff team because you are blessed with the gift of administration.  You should not necessarily expect others on the staff, including the Senior Minister, to be similarly gifted.  Church administration is primarily your responsibility not theirs.

·         Encourage the staff to work as a team

The staff team works best if there is unity, with all members pointing in the same direction and committed to using their gifts not only in their own areas of responsibility but also for the benefit of the whole team.  Try not to work only in silos.

·         Don’t try to do it all yourself

As a senior Administrator you certainly cannot do everything yourself.  You will have to delegate.  You may have a few employees working for you but, very fortunately, every church member is a potential volunteer who could help you.  The trick, of course, is to find those with a passion for what needs doing and so will just get on and do it with minimal guidance.  This is easier said than done but somewhere in your church God will have placed the people you need.

·         Don’t re-invent the wheel

Pretty much every process, procedure and system has already been developed by someone else.  The UCAN website contains a huge amount of invaluable information as do your fellow Administrators who have already been in post for some time.  The Advice for the Voluntary Sector http://www.afvs.org.uk organisation is also a mine of useful information.  If new in post, make sure that your predecessor hands everything over to you and keep a channel of communication open with him or her for as long as you need it.”

Local Group news

These items are included in each issue to give all groups ideas for their meetings and to encourage others to form new groups.  They are very much appreciated by those who belong to one!

Farnborough Group

Chantelle Gardner writes:

“The Farnborough Area Local Group met on Monday 5th December at Christ Church,Crookham.

We had a variety of topics to talk about including Church Management Systems (a recurring feature!) as one member was interested in the rota aspect of these in particular, PAT testing (who to do, how much to pay), Christmas card/leaflet content and printing, photocopier removal and Administrator contracts.

Following the meeting we have set up a Google drive to share documents, starting with our Christmas leaflets, as those of us at the meeting were surprised by the variety in approach of the churches represented and thought it might give us ideas for future years.

We’d love to increase our membership so if anyone is in reasonable travelling distance of our group we would love to hear from them, even if they don’t think they would normally be able to make our meetings (once a term, 12.30-2.30pm).  Just five of us made it to this meeting yet it was still a valuable, encouraging and worthwhile time.”

 Lancashire Methodist Group

Lei Young sent us this contribution:

“Seven of nine of The Lancashire Methodist Administrators met with the Chair of District on 6th December at the District Manse. We used the time to catch up with one another before Christmas and to speak with the Chair of District directly about the resources we feel should be available to us as Lay Employees of the Methodist Church.

I am now in touch with the right person and we will all be included in gatherings and retreats appropriate to us in the future.  We are still self-funded as there was no time to discuss this but it will be addressed in the near future.  We ended our meeting by sharing Communion together and will convene again on 21st February where a speaker will join us to lead and explore our spiritual development.”

M11 group

Caroline Abbott explains the value of a rural group:

“We find our area group invaluable as, despite what people might think, this part of Essex is very rural and can be quite remote!  There are quite a few miles between one Administrator and the next and the difference between the town churches in the area and what they do, and those of us out in the country is quite marked.

Each church has its own challenges and we find it very helpful to get together and talk about these as it puts our own in perspective.   An example of the differences is that in my benefice (one small country town and one tiny village) we have several weddings a year as there are lots of wedding venues and pretty country churches, so much of my time is spent dealing with wedding couples and their weddings.  Whereas, in the two larger towns our group represents, their church administration is run very much on a business basis as the church buildings are very much in demand.

We have all been able to help each other out when one of us is dealing with an unusual event in our church which is the norm for another church in our area.”

Woking group

Caroline Bowen is just getting the group going:

“After a very slow start, the Woking UCAN Local Group is up and running!  We have a membership of 17 with 14 of us also on our own Facebook group to encourage conversation and support.  I’m planning to organise an inaugural get-together in the New Year – to meet, to chat, to share ideas – and probably to eat!”

We have several members in the process of getting new local groups off the ground.  If this includes you, do get in touch to see how we can help and support you.  Local Groups are the main bottom-up part of UCAN and I long to see the number grow and the groups flourish.

If you have indicated a desire to be part of a Local Group in your area but have heard nothing more this will be because no one was prepared to start a group, or someone hoped to do so but found they had no time.  Please get in touch with me if you would be interested in getting a new group off the ground, perhaps working with someone else.

Quick news, reminders and updates

Christian Resources Exhibition now assured for the future

Good news on Christian Resources Exhibition which came out after my piece in the last UCAN News Update.  Stephen Goddard and Gospatric Home have rescued CRE and will now be running it under new management. 

The main exhibition returns to Sandown Park from 17th to 19th October 2017 instead of the normal May dates and will run for three days rather than four.

Administrator vacancies

I am happy to advertise Church Administrator (or closely related) posts without charge for UCAN members.  I usually do so via the News page of the website (so it gets into the fortnightly auto-emails you get from the site on some Mondays) and I often tweet them on the UCAN feed too.

There have been several posts advertised in this way over the past few months.  Email me if you want something listed there.

Cutting Edge bookings

We already have as many bookings for the Cutting Edge conference in March as we did at the equivalent conference two years ago.  We’ve been given more rooms so can take more.  But the number of places is not unlimited so get a booking in quickly if you are intending to come.

Open Heart Ministry – for senior-manager Church Administrators and other UCAN members.

20th to 22nd March 2017 with Trevor Stammers, Jez Barnes, Jules Morgan, John and Pauline Tindall.

Details on the UCAN events page of the website.

Don’t delay until you find we are full – get a booking in now!

New items on the UCAN resources page

New items on the UCAN resources page of the website include:

·         Dealing with walk-in visitors

·         Free resources for communications

·         Fire safety emergency plan

·         Choosing a church management system (see preview above).

New resources are added every fortnight or so.  I am always looking out for sample documents that would give other UCAN members a great start for preparing theirs.  Please get in touch if you have items you could share.

Here are two emails recently received from UCAN members:

“You have just made our day…. The information of free resources for communications is wonderful…. You have saved us a lot of research time so thank you very much indeed.  It makes me delighted to have found the network.”

 “I wanted to let you know how useful we have found MR19 - Appraisal Procedure.  We have used it this year and found it to be a really good way of doing appraisals, so are extremely grateful to whoever provided it.

 We've been doing staff reviews for a few years now, but it's good to try different ways of doing things and this has been very helpful.”

Welcome to new members

Here are our new joiners for November and December.  A really warm welcome to all.

The lists each time are in order of joining.  If I seem to have missed you out or shown anything that is incorrect, please let me know so I can put it right.  Additions and changes after 31st December will be given in the March 2017 Update.  * indicates there is at least one other UCAN member at this church.

Welcome to new UCAN members for November and December

Val Simkins, Development Worker at Beakon Mission Partnership, Doncaster

Michele Hackney, Church Administrator & Safeguarding Administrator at Frimley Baptist

William Law, Administrator at Redeemer Croydon*

Matt Bailey, Head of Operations at Duke Street Church, Richmond upon Thames*

Catherine Gray, Communications Administrator at Woodlands, Bristol*

Susanna Dawson, PA to Senior Leader at Hexham Community Church

Penny Baxter, Parish Secretary at Wimborne Minister St Cuthberga

Sarah Sanger, Administrative Assistant at St Giles’, Copmanthorpe, York

Ian Taylor, Operations Director at St Michael’s, Stoke Gifford, Bristol*

Rachel Parsons, Church Administrator at St Peter’s, Oadby

Donna-Jo Lukac, Centre Manager / Church Administrator at Old Roan Baptist, Aintree, Liverpool

Gwen Wilkinson, Parish Administrator at St Editha Parish, Tamworth

Shirley Davey, Benefice Administrator at All Saints’, Moulton, near Spalding

Karen Smyth, Administrator at Cringleford Hub Breakfast Church, Norwich

Stephanie Phipps, Church Administrator at Kirkliston Community Church, near Edinburgh

Faith Aldridge, Administrator at Trafalgar Road Baptist, Horsham

Ruth Tricker, Administrator at Eden Baptist, Cambridge

Peter Rignall, Operations Manager at St Mary Redcliffe, Bristol*

...and those who have taken over from another UCAN member at their church

not always in the same post or with the same responsibilities and some changes may have taken place some time ago but the UCAN transfer has just been effected or there has been a vacancy for some months.

Sara Wild, Administrator at St Mary’s, Cogges, Witney* (replacing Mo McKay)

Faye Denker,  Administrative Assistant at Holy Trinity & Trendlewood, Nailsea* (replacing Ruth Jolly)

Chris Hogg, Church Administrator at St John the Baptist, Knutsford (replacing Helen Kimber)

Mark & Jane Wilkinson, Operations Managers at St Nic’s, Nottingham (replacing David Duncan)

Douglas McGinn, Director of Operations at Lansdowne Church, Bournemouth* (replacing Natania Warner)

Nicola Worthington, Parish Administrator at Ulverston Parish (replacing Susan Rigg)

Jennie Cox, Administrator at St Nicholas’, Earley, Reading (replacing Wendy Neale)

Angie Coutts, Church Manager at St Mary Magdalene, Stoke Bishop, Bristol (replacing Gill Richards)

Jane Ashdown, Operations Director at Christchurch, Woking* (replacing Rachael Purvis)

Natasha Williams, Church Administrator at Trinity Methodist, Leighton Buzzard (replacing Debbie Melvin)

Samarah Musumeci, Operations, Worship & Communications Manager at Holy Trinity Swiss Cottage, London* (replacing Trish Riley)

Kellie Jarrett, Church Administrator/Operations Manager at St Mark’s, Kensal Rise, London (replacing a temporary vacancy)

Katie Holloway, Administrator at Christ Church, Haywards Heath (replacing Wendy Sands)

Gary Oaten, Community Resources and Communications Co-ordinator at All Saints’, Weston, Bath (replacing Ann Banner)

Justine Keel, Church Administrator at Buckhurst Hill Baptist(replacing Melanie Hicks)

Members who have moved on from their posts and who are not being replaced

We have lost a total of 105 members in seven and a half years when appointments are not renewed, posts are made redundant, or we are asked to cancel the membership.

Pauline Baguley, Office Manager at St Thomas’, Blackpool

Wendy Bruce, Administrator at Guildford Diocese

Dave Wright, Parish Administrator at St Mary-le-Strand, London

Christine Illingworth, Administrator at St Matthew’s, Hayfield, Buxton

Shelley Tuohy, PA to Vicar at Christchurch, Woking*

Membership cancellations

Valerie Hind, Parish Administrator at St Cuthbert’s, Rye Park, Hoddesdon

Gary Pattimore, Administrator at Emmanuel Christian Centre, Walthamstow, London* (retirement)

Those who have moved post

Helena Whitwell from Holy Trinity, Hotwells, Bristol to Christ Church, Clifton, Bristol*