CHURCH CLERK TRAINING

2015PRESENTED BY M GWALA

INTRODUCTIONCHURCH CLERK:

IS AN IMPORTANT PERSON IN THE LOCAL CHURCH.

IS A CUSTODIAN OF THE RECORDED TREASURES OF THE LOCAL CHURCH.

THE WHOLE ADMINISTRATION DEPENDS UPON THE CHURCH CLERK PORTFOLIO.

QUALITIES OF A CHURCH CLERKTHE CHURCH CLERK MUST BE:

A RESPONSIBLE PERSON;A SUPPORTER OF THE CHURCH THROUGH

INFLUENCE, PRESENCE IN PROGRAMMES AND FINANCIAL RESOURCES.;

A MEMNBER IN REGULAR STANDING;CREATIVE AND VISIONARY;ORGANISED;DEMONSTRATING CONFIDENTIALITY AT ALL

TIMES

RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CHURCH CLERKTHE CHURCH CLERK IS RESPONSIBLE FOR : 1. UPDATING MEBERSHIP:

MEMBERSHIP AUDIT MEMBERSHIP TRANSFERS STATISTICAL REPORT FORMS

2. TAKING MINUTES: BOARD & BUSINESS AGENDA PREPARATION; AGENDA BELL ACTIONS:

SIMPLE - WITHOUT A PREAMBLE DIFFICULT/COMPLICATED – WITH A PREAMBLE

3. CORRESPONDING WITH MEMBERS/CONFERENCE; REQUESTS DISCIPLINE CHURCH RESOLUTIONS

4. FURNISHING REPORTS PROMPTLY.

MEMBERSHIP LIST UPDATECHUCH MEMBERSHIP MUST BE:

UPDATED AT LEAST ONCE A YEAR;RECORDED ALPHABETICALLY;FILLED IN CORRECTLYQUARTERLY STATISTICAL REPORT WITH

UPDATED MEMBERSHIP TO THE CONFERENCE;

NO TIPPEXING IN OFFICIAL DOCUMENTS.

MEMBERSHIP AUDITTHE LOCAL CHURCH IS EXPECTED TO DO

ITS MEMBERSHIP AUDIT AT THE BEGINNING OF EVERY YEAR.

MEMBERSHIP AUDIT FOLLOWS THE PROCESS BELOW:PASTOR, ELDER AND CHURCH CLERK TO GO

THROUGH THE MEMBERSHIP LIST AND MAKE NECESSARY RECOMMENDATIONS TO CB!

MEMBERSHIP AUDIT CONT’DMEMBERSHIP PROCESS CONTINUED:

THE CHURCH BOARD MEETS TO DISCUSS THE MEMBERSHIP LIST AND ALSO MAKE APPROPRIATE RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE CHURCH!

THE CHURCH DISCUSSES THE MEMBERSHIP LIST AND CONSIDER RECOMMENDATIONS PRESENTED BY THE CHURCH BOARD AND TAKES THE FINAL VOTE ON THE MEMBERSHIP OF THE CHURCH FOR THAT YEAR.

MEMBERSHIP AUDIT CONT’DTHE FOLLOWING AREAS ARE IMPORTANT:

MEMBERS IN REGULAR STANDING: ACTIVE AND INACTIVE (VISITS FROM THE

CHURCH LEADERSHIP)MEMBERS UNDER DISCIPLINE:

CENSURE – STARTING AND ENDING DATES,REMOVAL FROM CHURCH MEMBERSHIP –

STARTING DATEMISSING – WHEREABOUTS NOT KNOW FOR MORE

THAN 2 YEARS

MEMBERSHIP TRANSFERIT IS ALWAYS A CRUCIAL ISSUE.UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE OF POOR

MANAGEMENT OF MEMBERSHIP TRANSFER, THERE ARE MANY DUPLICATE MEMBERSHIPS.Members under censure cannot be transferred

(p. 65).Missing members cannot be transferred.A member removed from membership cannot

be transferred.THE PROCESS TO BE FOLOWED IN

REQUESTING ONE’S MEMBERSHIP IS ON THE NEXT SLIDE:

PROCESS TO BE FOLLOWED IN REQUESTING MEMBERSHIP – Church Manual P. 52-55MEMBER REQUESTING MEMBERSHIP

CHURCH CLERK (A) RECEIVING CHURCH– in consultation with local leadership (and if necessary the local church at the beginning

or at the end)

MEMBERSHIP REQUEST BY THE CLERK TO THE GRANTING CHURCH

PROCESS FOR MEMBERSHIP TRANSFER CONT’D

CHURCH CLERK (B) – in consultation with local leadership

CHURCH BOARD (B)

CHURCH ON SABBATH (1ST AND 2ND READING)

COMMENDATION LETTER

PROCESS FOR MEMBERSHIP TRANSFER CONT’D

CHURCH CLERK (A)

CHURCH ON SABBATH (1ST AND 2ND READING)

LETTER OF ACCEPTANCE (A)

CHURCH CLERK (B)

MMBERSHIP OUT (B)

MEMBERSHIP TRANSFER AND PROFESSION OF FAITH CONT’DSOME CHURCHES IGNORE MEMBERSHIP

REQUESTS AND THAT RESULTS IN A NUMBER OF CHURCHES ACCEPTING MEMBERS THROUGH PROFESSION OF FAITH.THE CHALLENGE IS THAT NO CHURCH SHOULD

ACCEPT MEMBERS THROUGH PROFESSION WITHOUT PRIOR CONSULTATION WITH THE SECRETARIAT!

PROFESSION OF FAITH IS USED AS THE LAST RESORT.

MEMBERS WHO WISH TO BE ACCEPTED THROUGH PROFESSION OF FAITH SHOULD BE TESTED IF THEY STILL SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FUNDAMENTAL BELIEFS.

AGENDA PREPARATIONTHE AGENDA MUST BE PREPARED BY BOTH THE

PASTOR/ELDER AND THE CHURCH CLERK.THE AGENDA MUST FOLLOW THE AGENDA BELL

FORMAT.(EASY ITEMS, DIFFICULT ITEMS AND WIND UP WITH EASY ITEMS)

THE AGENDA PREPARED FOR THE CHAIRPERSON SHOULD INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING:AGENDA ITEMS;TIME;DETAILS OF EACH RESOLUTION TO BE TAKEN.

THE QUORUM MUST BE REACHED (50%+1) AND THE RIGHT PERSON MUST BE IN THE CHAIR DETERMINED BY THE ISSUES AT HAND.

THE AGENDA IS A PROPOSAL UNTIL ITS VOTED IN THE MEETING.

SAMPLE OF AGENDA1. WELCOME2. ROLL CALL

1. MEMBERS PRESENT2. APOLOGIES

3. DEVOTION1. EPHAPHRAS MINISTRY

4. CC MISSION AND VISION STATEMENTS5. MINUTES OF THE PREVIOUS MEETING

1. MATTERS ARISING FROM THE PREVIOUS MINUTES

6. ITEM 17. ITEM 2

MINUTE TAKING IN MEETINGSWHAT IS A MEETING?

A MEETING IS A GETTING TOGETHER OF TWO OR MORE PEOPLE, ACTING IN UNISON, TO DISCUSS MATTERS OF MUTUAL INTEREST AND TO DECIDE UPON THEM.

A PROPER NOTICE MUST BE SENT OUT TO ALL THE MEMBERS NOTIFYING THEM ABOUT: A MEETING, DATE, TIME AND VENUE.

MINUTE TAKING IN MEETINGS CONT’DTHE NOTICE MUST BE SERVED THROUGH:

EMAIL,CHURCH ANNOUNCEMENT,CHURCH BULLETIN OR CHURCH PROGRAMME SHEET

THE NOTICE OF THE MEETING MUST INCLUDE THE AGENDA.

MINUTES ARE DECISIONS TAKEN NOT DISCUSSIONS IN THE MEETING.

MINUTES ARE WRITTEN IN THE 3RD PERSON.WE DO NOT WRITE A PROPOSER AND A SECONDER IN

THE CHURCH MINUTESCHURCH CLERK KEEPS MINUTES/FILES ALL THE

MINUTES OF THE BOARD, BUSINESS MEETING AND SUB-COMMITTEES.

SAMPLE OF A MEETING NOTICE --------------Seventh-day Adventist Church

Postal Address Residential Address Phone Date

To all the board/church business members Notice is hereby given that church board/ business meeting of ______ SDA Church will be held on Monday, 3 March 2001 at 9h00 in the church hall to discuss matters a per agenda subjoined. By order of the chairperson, Signature of the clerk Church Clerk Agenda 1. ……………………… 2. ………………………

SAMPLE OF THE MINUTESCB13-01 CMS WORKSHOPVOTED TO REQUEST THAT ALL CHURCH CLERKS THROUGHT THE CONFERENCE ATTEND THE CMS WORKSHOP ARRANGED BY THE CONFERENCE.Or CB14-51 CHURCH DEPARTMENTAL TRAININGWHEREAS THE CHURCH SUFFERED IN THE PAST, AND WHEREAS CHURCH OFFICERS WERE ELECTED AND NOT TRAINED FOR ANY OFFICE;VOTED TO REQUEST THE CONFERENCE TO CONDUCT TRAINING SEMINARS FOR ALL THE DEPARTMENTS.

CORRESPONDENCECHURCH CLERK:

AN OFFICIAL MOUTHPIECE OF THE CHURCH.LIAISE WITH THE CONFERENCE REGULARLY.FILES ALL CORRESPONDENCE.RESPONSIVENESS:

72 HRS – ACKNOWLEDGEMENT 14 WORKING DAYS RESPONSE

INVOLVED IN NURTURING MEMBERS: PREPARE A CARD FOR A MEMBER’S

BIRTHDAY/ANNIVERSARY/ACHIEVEMENT, PREPARE A CARD FOR A MEMBER’S BEREAVEMENT,

SICKNESS, ETC WRITE A NOTE IF A MEMBER MISSED THE CHURCH FOR

MORE THAN TWO TIMES.

REPORTING REPORTING IS AN INTEGRAL PART OF THE WORK OF A

CHURCH CLERK.THE CHURCH CLERK SUBMITS STATISTICAL REPORTS

BEFORE THE 10 DAY OF EVERY FIRST MONTH OF THE NEW QUARTER.

QUARTERLY THE CHURCH CLERK GIVES A FULL REPORT OF MEBERSHIP WITH GRAPHS TO THE LOCAL CHURCH INDICATING:GROWTH ORDECLINE

MEMBERSHIP COMPARISION FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS TO ESTABLISH GROWTH PATTERNS AND EFFECTIVENESS OF EVANGELISM STRATEGETIES IN THE CHURCH.

CONCLUSIONTHE WORK OF A CHURCH CLERK IS

NOBLE.IT NEEDS CONTINUITY, DEPENDABILITY

AND DILLIGENCE.THE CHURCH CLERK IS FAITHFUL IN

SMALL THINGS AND S/HE WILL BE REWARDED BY GREAT THINGS.

GOD BLESS

RESOURCES FOR CHURCH CLERKSCHURCH MANUALCHURCH RECORD BOOKCOMMENDATION LETTER BOOKLETACCEPTANCE LETTER BOOKLETBOOK ON RULES AND PROCEDURES