A connect card turned in on Sunday.
A reminder of why we do it.
Month: January 2018
Get To
I’ve heard the term, “it’s not just another Sunday.” If you serve in guest services, you know what I’m talking about. It’s somebody’s first Sunday. It’s somebody’s first time walking into the doors of the church. Your church.
We don’t have to go to church on Sunday. We get to go to church on Sunday. Get to.
If you get the insanely awesome privilege of working at the church during the week, that statement can apply to any day. It’s not just another Monday. It’s not just another Tuesday. It’s not just another Wednesday.
The first visit extends beyond the “goodbye.” It extends into the week. It extends into those Monday morning meetings. It extends into the follow up with guests. It extends into updating the database profile. A person moves from ‘visitor’ or ‘guest’ to ‘member.’ The ‘baptism date’ now has data where once there was a blank field. And you get to see that.
You’ve got field-level tickets.
Tim Keller wrote: our daily work can be a calling only if it is reconceived as God’s assignment to serve others.
Today we get to serve people.
Get to.
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What Is This?
Have you ever played one of those “what is this close up” games? You know, you think it’s a sunflower and it turns out to be a bumblebee?
I’ve had that same experience with church management software. This week, I was examining CCB Process Queues. I love them. When used appropriately, they can streamline a lot of processes and centralize some communication.
So I looked closely at each queue and each process. And they each looked great.
And then I stepped back and took the 30,000-foot view (by the way, I’ve been made aware that I just used one of the most annoying business phrases).
And I saw a few things: they weren’t working the way I thought they were and the people receiving the alerts weren’t seeing the same things I was seeing.
It’s not a secret that CCB ranks pretty high up on my list of top Church Management Software programs. I also realize that most [normal] people don’t quite love this as much as I do.
It’s my goal to help people understand the why and the what before introducing the how.
So, I called my doctor and asked for prescription anti-anxiety medication, considered moving to a tropical island, offered to suspend the process queues for awhile and try [revert back to] something different [and familiar].
I think I saw the person on the other side of the desk let out a sigh of relief.
I also signed away my weekend, but who are we kidding? This is CCB. When people [at work] ask what I do for fun I tell them that this is what I do for fun. Sometimes I forget I’m working. When I do remember that I’m working, I’m grateful I get paid to do this.
I’m not killing off process queues. I still love them. I still understand their value. There’s definitely a goal to begin using them again – soon.
In the close up view, I saw my computer and my processes.
Taking a step back, I saw the people.
Sometimes it’s in the best interest of the people to let go of a process in order to make progress.
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Everything Communicates
If you read this blog with any regularity, you’ll learn that while I love church management software, I know it’s just a tool in the overall communications of the church. I also use it as a primary tool for tracking guest services and assimilation. I think the right software can – and should – be the center of church communications.
You’ll also learn that I believe everything we do communicates. Everything communicates something in some way.
Which led me this week to an often overlooked setting by many churches when it comes to their church management software: custom wording in your financial settings.
What wording is going on your end-of-year giving statements? Is it ‘stock wording’ that came with the software? Is there anything at all? Does it reflect the culture of your church?
If you don’t know where this setting is, check under the financial settings of your software and make it yours.
Everything communicates!
MarcyCarrico.com 