wfn.org | Conference Focuses on Church Administrative Issues

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14-August-1996 
 
 
 
96289   Conference Focuses on Church Administrative Issues 
 
                         by Steve Moulton 
      Associate for Administration, Office of Communication 
 
Breckenridge, Colo.--In the midst of the beautiful Rocky Mountains, more 
than 500 church business administrators from across the country gathered 
July 12-16 for the 40th annual conference of the National Association of 
Church Business Administrators (NACBA). 
 
     Presbyterian administrators also gathered for the annual conference of 
the Presbyterian Church Business Administrators Association (PCBAA), which 
was held for the first time in conjunction with the NACBA meeting. 
 
     The purpose of the annual gatherings is to facilitate members' 
spiritual growth; promote the sharing of resources; develop members' 
technical skills and their knowledge of polity, theology, and church 
history; update members about the status of relevant denominational matters 
affecting church administrator positions and responsibilities; and 
facilitate members' sharing of concerns and networking.  
 
     Workshops included staffing issues, stress reduction, getting the most 
out of volunteer ministry, financial concerns, updates on tax issues 
affecting the church, public and media relations, and new postal 
regulations. Perhaps the two areas that drew the most interest, however, 
involved an update on legal issues facing the church and the use of 
electronic (Internet) media in churchwide communication. 
 
     NACBA includes members from more than 32 denominations. 
 
     The benefit of PCBAA to the Presbyterian Church, according to its 
president, Steve Sexton, is "the communication of issues within the church 
and from society which affects the ministry of the local congregation. The 
people attending the conference can better understand issues and will 
discover that there are many other administrators wrestling with the same 
problems."    
 
     Sexton is manager of Central Receiving in the office of Corporate and 
Administrative Services (CAS), General Assembly Council, in Louisville, Ky. 
 
     "While many Presbyterian churches cannot afford to hire business 
administrators, PCBAA can assist smaller congregations in many ways," 
Sexton added.  "Many pastors serving a local church have to take on the 
role of  church business administrator.' Whether scheduling is the issue, 
or energy savings or litigation, every congregation has church 
administration issues." 
 
     PCBAA offers a certification plan through Union Theological Seminary. 
Membership in the organization allows the member to use the library of 
certification projects on file at the seminary. These cover most aspects of 
church administration. Contributing membership is available to individuals 
who are not full-time administrators or to congregations that do not have a 
business administrator.  PCBAA is also available on PresbyNet ("PCBAA"), 
and is a public meeting for anyone seeking assistance with church 
administration issues. 
 
     Next year PCBAA will meet in St. Louis, July 19-21, followed by the 
NACBA Conference, July 21-24. 

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