Membership of Church Administrator Network grows
More than 1,000 people employed by local churches in the UK now belong to the UK Church Administrator Network (UCAN)
In its five year life the network has grown steadily and passed the 1,000 mark in August. 170 of its members are classified as ‘senior managers’ with job titles such as Church Business Manager or Operations Director, but most members work part-time as Parish Administrators and Church Office staff in churches of all denominations.
UCAN’s aims include to enable Administrators to network with each other, to co-ordinate specialist events, to increase professionalism, to provide an advice service and to help people know they are not alone in this vital but often understated ministry.
'UCAN has confirmed in my own mind the huge strategic importance of operational management and administration in church life,' said Joyce Gledhill, Operations Manager of
Gold Hill Baptist Church, Chalfont St Peter (Bucks) and Chair of UCAN’s Oversight Group. 'I would be much less confident and well-equipped in my role were it not for UCAN.'
Mark Rance is Head of Operations at St Michael le Belfrey in York. In his reaction to reaching the 1,000 membership mark he said, 'UCAN is a vital tool in my professional toolbox. In a world of policies and best practice it is great to have a professional body to lean on. Their resource materials provide me with a wealth of hands-on information.'
Recent developments include the launch of a specialist distance learning module in association with St John’s College, Nottingham and the establishment of a series of local groups around the UK.
UCAN also offers a wide range of specialist online resources, a regular programme of Area Training Days, ‘Cutting Edge’ national conferences for senior managers, and a monthly e-mailing to all its members. This autumn’s event programme includes a practical IT training conference in Leeds and five Area Training Days at Ware, Coventry, Woking, Nottingham and Belfast.
UCAN is run by church consultant John Truscott and is based within a dedicated area of his own website at
https://www.churchadministrators.net/ where Church Administrators who are not already members can find full information and join online.
Baptist Times, 28/08/2014