An opportunity for parish administrators, to meet virtually and share their challenges and knowledge.
Our first Parish Administrators Network meeting took place in June 2023, with our next meeting planned for Monday 2 October at 12pm. Anyone with an Admin role (staff or volunteer) within our churches, parishes and benefices are welcomed to this opportunity to connect and speak with each other, to share ideas, experiences and advice, and to find ways to help and support each other. There may be people in the role in other parishes with the skills to help you solve your challenges, as well as you having the skills to help someone else.
The upcoming meeting will focus on communication and preparing for Christmas, and we would really value your input.
At our last meeting, we had fruitful discussions, including maintaining work/life balance - i.e. how to enjoy the Sunday service worship without getting overwhelmed by admin questions. Comparing roles and tasks helped give clarity on roles, and reassurance for people new to the role that they were covering all the bases. We also identified areas with additional training needs for the role, and discussed how to access training.
The pros and cons of the various software packages available for use were discussed, including Church Suite, i know church, Hubb Church and Church box to name a few. We also discussed UCAN - the UK Church Administrators Network - and the benefits of being part of a local group network. UCAN Local Groups are open to UCAN members and non-members and to administrators from all Christian denominations, UCAN currently have a Cambridge area group with 18 members who meet 3 times a year.
We look forward to meeting many of you on Zoom on 2 October, as we share ideas for Christmas planning and look at some of the resources available to help you in your role. You can Book Online for this opportunity via our Training Portal.