Author Archives: jwwimberly

About jwwimberly

I am a Presbyterian pastor who recently retired after thirty years of serving a congregation in the Foggy Bottom neighborhood of Washington, D.C. I am currently a Field Consultant for the Alban Institute as well as author of books dealing with management issues in congregations. I am a devoted potter, throwing pots on the wheel and teaching the wheel when my schedule allows. Finally, I consider Mexico my second homeland since we have a home in San Miguel de Allende, GTO, Mexico.

Staff and Governing Boards

In my work as an Alban consultant, the relationship between a congregation’s staff and its governing board is a frequent friction point I encounter. Staff members complain about the board micromanaging their work. The board feels as though staff doesn’t … Continue reading

Posted in congregation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

What is Transparency?

As a pastor and leader in other organizations, I have heard the following complaint too many times to count: “You all need to be more transparent.” For example, a congregation I served created an endowment. It wasn’t long before some … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Reviewing Performance

  How many heads of staff have dreaded a performance review meeting with an individual staff member who is underperforming?  How many staff members have felt unfairly labeled as an “underperformer” when, they believe, the performance problem is elsewhere?  I … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Leaders and Managers Part III

I continue my discussion of leaders and managers on the Congregational Resource Guide website.  I welcome your reactions/responses! http://www.congregationalresources.org/blogs/manager-or-leader-part-iii

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Leaders & Managers Pt 2

Here is a link to another post on leaders and managers.   Probing this distinction helps us understand what hat we are wearing (manager or leader) and when we need to wear it.  Wearing the wrong hat at the wrong time … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Leaders and Managers

I am writing a series of posts on CRG about the differences between leaders and managers.  They are two very different mindsets.  Oftentimes, both exist within us.  However, understanding when we need to think as a leader and when we … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Trash and the Environment

In my latest post on the CRG website, I discuss a number of options congregations can use to dispose of trash in environmentally sound ways.  It is a big deal—this trash stuff.  Planet Earth is being overwhelmed by it.  As … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Greening our Congregations

In my latest post on Congregational Resource Guide, I discuss some ideas about greening our congregations.  This is not only a moral imperative to protect the plant.  It is also a congregational growth strategy since many people today will not … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Security Systems

I am currently writing posts on various issues related to buildings for the blog at Congregational Resource Guide.  My current post is on security systems: https://mail.westernpresbyterian.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.congregationalresources.org/blogs/safe-sacred-places-building-security-systems   I invite you to follow the link.  In my experience, building security is not … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment

Motivation Part 2

In Daniel Pink’s best selling book Drive, he describes three things required to motivate today’s employees.  My guess is that they are equally valid for the volunteers who work so hard in our congregations.  They are autonomy, mastery and purpose. … Continue reading

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments