Our congregation has grown in many ways, but we have struggled with some aspects of that growth. We have realized we need someone to look at the larger picture and help us manage our future as well as someone to manage the office and support staff: two part time (at least for now) positions rather than one (nearly) full time position.

Over the past years there has been a lot of discussion at board meetings and other meetings about becoming a programmatic congregation and about policy- based governance. We have developed a long- term strategic plan and teams have developed policies, but we need someone on the staff who understands how these policies fit together and can decrease the time board and minister spend on relatively minor decisions.

Of course, creating policies shouldn’t take away from face to face human interaction. These interactions result in more fulfilling outcomes for our congregation and create deeper bonds among its members. Volunteers will still be essential to keep the congregation flourishing, but some volunteer tasks should become less stressful.

How was it decided to hire a CA?

When Samantha Scales informed the board in November of 2018 that she would be leaving, she detailed the problems she faced with her role and offered recommendations to the board on how to move forward. Having the opportunity to create a new position, the Committee on Human Resources (CHR) worked with Rev. Rick to find out what he really needed from staff and how to ensure that we weren’t just following our mission but also were creating a viable future for our congregation. Detailing the needs of our congregation, the needs of the minister and our goals for the future all factored in to creating the position description for the Congregation Administrator. The existing position of Office Assistant (OA) will remain.

What will the CA do?

First, the CA isn’t going to magically fix all the problems. We also aren’t going to see a reduced need for volunteers. The idea is that while the work of the volunteers will still be very much the same it will happen with less stress and conflict. The CA will be responsible for the Long Term Strategic Plan and help teams follow through on their goals, including our long range financial plans. Thus, the CA will take on the administration of our future and not just oversee the office operations. The OA will continue to handle office operations.

What if I have more questions?

You can email Craig Rowland of the Committee on Human Resources (once referred to as the Personnel Committee) at chr@uusalem.org with any questions.