Berry, Alban Personnel Handbook for Congregations

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Erwin Berry, The Alban Personnel Handbook for Congregations. Alban Institute, 1999.

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LifeandLeadership.com Summary

Berry is a retired human resources professional and college professor who uses his expertise to help churches establish effective personnel policies and procedures. His chief suggestion is that a congregation should create a continuously updated personnel manual, and he provides guidance through every step of this process. Since churches most often hand this responsibility over to ministers, who are probably not well-equipped for the role, this guide helps them to engage personnel issues without having to invent policies as they go along.

The first part of the book is divided into seven chapters, arranged progressively to help in each stage of the process: assessing the current situation, church organization, job structure, employee search and training, setting staff goals, evaluation and compensation, assessing morale, and managing the personnel system. Of special value is the attempt to ground each policy in sound theology and ethics, and to address each subject through the lens of pastoral sensitivity.

The second part is a collection of appendices (also available on an accompanying CD) on most conceivable issues including developing and articulating employment policy, employee classification, employee orientation, fair treatment, employee discipline, leaves of absence, salary and performance evaluation, and working conditions. It also provides “boiler-plate” forms for job description, employment application, employment references, employment offer, performance evaluation, exit interview, etc. Also included is a template for a comprehensive employee handbook.

This is not a book on strategic church staff development, i.e. which staff positions are needed next for optimum congregational effectiveness. Other volumes are more helpful on that subject. But once the decision has been made to search and hire, Berry is a helpful resource.

For additional information on this volume, including reviews, click the bookstore links. Be sure to peruse the complete annotated resource lists on Personnel and Minister Evaluation and Ministry Teams, and consult the sections on conducting evaluations/assessments in the General Manuals on Church Administration. It may also help to browse the entire list of Ministry Resource Guides for suggestions on over 100 areas of practical ministry.

From the Publisher

Today’s congregational leaders increasingly serve as human resource managers for ordained and non-ordained persons. This new handbook provides practical and proven strategies for managing church staff, and addresses the particular ethical issues that faith communities need to consider to serve as effective stewards of those whom they employ. Invaluable features include guidelines and forms for conducting hiring interviews and performance evaluations; providing benefits; dealing with disciplinary and discrimination issues; and developing personnel policies. A CD-ROM of all personnel forms is included.

About the Author

Erwin Berry is founder of Organization Development Strategies, a human resources consulting firm in Roseland, Virginia. He is a retired Senior Vice President of Human Resources and Organizational Development for Marriott Corporation and Hardee’s Food Systems, former Chairman-Professor of the Hotel and Food Service Management Program at North Carolina Wesleyan College, and a Deacon and Elder at First Presbyterian Church, Waynesboro, Virginia.

***For additional information on this resource, including reviews, click the bookstore links. Check the reference at page top or the links below for resource guides on related topics.***

Other Ministry Resource Guides on Church Administration:

See Resources on Over 100 Areas of Ministry Leadership:

Ministry Resource Guides Index

Church Administration, Minister Evaluation, Ministry Team, Team Leadership