ADVISING OPPORTUNITIES
The National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC) offers to member churches a variety of advisory services delivered by skilled and gifted individuals. We also offer additional resources and suggestions on line at the Center for Congregational Leadership. The type of advising, the depth of involvement and the follow-up will vary depending upon the individual circumstances of the requesting church. Advising topics include:
Under these topics, you will find useful information and a variety of resources to guide you. After reviewing these materials, you may decide to engage an advisor to help you take the next steps. Our advisors come from around the country, with a variety of backgrounds (clergy, laity, NACCC staff). In every case, the NACCC works with you to help you find an advisor who can help you address your needs and challenges.
- Finding your next minister
- Celebrating ordinations and installations in the Congregational Way
- Creating a healthy culture for church vitality
- Creating a culture of generosity for year round stewardship
- Charting your course with strategic planning
- Updating your church’s structure and governance
- Reviewing your pastor and other church staff and volunteers
- Managing conflict
Under these topics, you will find useful information and a variety of resources to guide you. After reviewing these materials, you may decide to engage an advisor to help you take the next steps. Our advisors come from around the country, with a variety of backgrounds (clergy, laity, NACCC staff). In every case, the NACCC works with you to help you find an advisor who can help you address your needs and challenges.
Why Choose An Advisor
A church, for a variety of reasons might choose to engage an outside facilitator to meet with its leadership groups and concerned individuals, all with an eye toward guiding the church in good and healthy ways. The NACCC collects resources for churches and can put churches in touch with advisors based on their needs.
Engaging an advisor can help a church:
An advisor will help a church clearly identify issues and dynamics that may keep a church from setting and reaching healthy goals. Just as importantly, an advisor can coach and affirm a congregation in the process of healthy decision making. Engaging an “outside” voice can facilitate dialogue and understanding so church members can work together to promote vital ministries in their communities.
Delivery of advising services varies based on the type of services needed and the circumstances of the request. Services may be delivered by phone, by computer or in person, or a combination of all three. The costs for services also varies based on delivery method and length of involvement in the advising process. In all cases, an advisor will seek out data that represents as accurate and unbiased a picture of the situation as possible, will help you articulate the challenges and pass along recommendations to decision makers in the organization that are fair and represent best practices as we know them.
Engaging an advisor can help a church:
- Ensure good practices of Congregationalism
- Discern vision and purpose
- Chart out next steps
- Understand challenges
- Manage conflict
- Promote healing
An advisor will help a church clearly identify issues and dynamics that may keep a church from setting and reaching healthy goals. Just as importantly, an advisor can coach and affirm a congregation in the process of healthy decision making. Engaging an “outside” voice can facilitate dialogue and understanding so church members can work together to promote vital ministries in their communities.
Delivery of advising services varies based on the type of services needed and the circumstances of the request. Services may be delivered by phone, by computer or in person, or a combination of all three. The costs for services also varies based on delivery method and length of involvement in the advising process. In all cases, an advisor will seek out data that represents as accurate and unbiased a picture of the situation as possible, will help you articulate the challenges and pass along recommendations to decision makers in the organization that are fair and represent best practices as we know them.
What To Expect
If you want to know if your church might benefit from engaging an advisor, your first step is to call the office of the National Association of Congregational Christian Churches (NACCC). A call for information may be initiated by anyone in the church.
After this initial inquiry, if the church wants to engage in the advising process, a call must be initiated by the pastor, moderator or chair of a committee or board. In this phone call, the Executive Director, after hearing your concerns, hopes and goals, will determine what process will best serve your church and will contact an advisor who works in your area of need. The advisor will contact the church directly to move forward with the process. Each advising engagement will be tailored to the specific circumstances of the church. The NACCC serves as a referral agent only and is not responsible for the outcomes of the advising process.
Please Note: For the purposes of the Advising Relationship, the Advisor is considered to be an employee of the church. Termination of the relationship may be made by either party without cause.
In some cases, but not all, a formal agreement will be drafted to promote clarity, trust, and understanding among all parties. The terms of agreement will be worked out directly between an authorized representative of the church and the advisor. Signed by a representative of the Church governing board (moderator, clerk, president, etc.) and with the knowledge of the pastor, it will include, among other things:
The advising process is most successful when the church commits itself to the conversations and work required to create a successful and positive outcome.
CHART OF ADVISING SERVICES
After this initial inquiry, if the church wants to engage in the advising process, a call must be initiated by the pastor, moderator or chair of a committee or board. In this phone call, the Executive Director, after hearing your concerns, hopes and goals, will determine what process will best serve your church and will contact an advisor who works in your area of need. The advisor will contact the church directly to move forward with the process. Each advising engagement will be tailored to the specific circumstances of the church. The NACCC serves as a referral agent only and is not responsible for the outcomes of the advising process.
Please Note: For the purposes of the Advising Relationship, the Advisor is considered to be an employee of the church. Termination of the relationship may be made by either party without cause.
In some cases, but not all, a formal agreement will be drafted to promote clarity, trust, and understanding among all parties. The terms of agreement will be worked out directly between an authorized representative of the church and the advisor. Signed by a representative of the Church governing board (moderator, clerk, president, etc.) and with the knowledge of the pastor, it will include, among other things:
- the scope of the engagement
- the time frame for agreed upon activities and goals
- responsibilities of the church
- how the arrangement will be publicized to the church
- agreed upon fees, if applicable, which may include transportation costs, accommodations, and materials; a stipend to the advisor may be negotiated for longer term advising engagements.
The advising process is most successful when the church commits itself to the conversations and work required to create a successful and positive outcome.
CHART OF ADVISING SERVICES
