Every church has one or more church secretaries or clerks to look after the administrative activities. In large churches, these clerks usually have an assistant.
Church clerks manage and maintain the records of church documents, reports, and meetings. They also compose announcements for Sabbath and other occasions. Since the church’s annual and quarterly financial statements are to be legally produced in public, the church clerks need to ensure that the reports are correct and well-published for the general public and church members.
Here is the detailed description of the skills, tasks, and income prospects of church clerks:
Church Clerk Skills & Other Criteria
The exact selection criteria of clerks vary from church to church. However, most churches appoint the clerk from amongst the church members who are held in high regard.
Clerks are required to be detail-oriented and possess a good knowledge of bookkeeping. Their record management duties call for legible handwriting, effective time management skills, and efficient and accurate note-making abilities. Further, the clerks must be acquainted with the congregation. Churches usually give equal importance to a skilled candidate as well as an experienced clerk.
Church Clerk Job Responsibilities
- Communication Activities
Church clerks handle all sorts of communication, including taking phone calls, sending emails and thank you notes, distributing mails, etc. They also manage public relations activities and record the crucial milestones of church members, Iike, communions, weddings, funerals, bar mitzvahs, etc.
The church clerks also need to update and post important information concerning new events, announcements, and meetings. This information is generally posted on the church’s bulletin boards, directory, and memos. The church members often look up to these records to see the upcoming event or latest church news.
- Documents’ Maintenance
Church clerks take care of all kinds of records such as transference and dismissal documents, balance sheets, disbursements, sign-up papers, baptism certificates, receipts, committees’ lists, vouchers, and related forms. Some of the clerks are assigned the office housekeeping services and decoration and supplies for celebrations.
The church administrators or pastors may also ask the clerks to pay bills, maintain tax files, schedule service calls, and carry out other essential tasks.
Church Clerk Salary Prospects
As per CareerBuilder, church clerks’ national annual average income was estimated at $32,540 as of July 2014. The employment scope of church clerks depends upon the growth and development of churches. As per the Large Church Salary and Benefits Report 2010 released by the Leadership Network, the churches with above 10,000 members thrived from 2009 to 2010. Further, the report also says that 80% of the churches with 2000-2999 members and 74% of the churches with 1000-1999 members displayed similar growth at the same time.