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Take the Snail out of Church Mail
Tips for handling incoming and outgoing messages
by Mark Rowh | posted 1/01/1998
 1 of 3
For the early church, getting a letter was a big deal. A missive from the
apostle Paul, or anyone else for that matter, was a rarity.
Today things are different. Most churches rely on mail for a major part of
their communication, from taking care of utility bills to keeping in touch
with members. Effective mail handling is thus essential for keeping the lines
of communication open.
"Mail is very important in the operations of our church," says Inelda Hefferlin,
secretary at Collegedale Seventh-day Adventist Church, near Chattanooga,
Tennessee. "We spend about $500 on it per month. The biggest job is the mailing
of our weekly newsletter, which averages 1,500 per week."
Mail volume varies widely, depending on the number of church staff, the size
of a congregation, and the degree to which pastors and staff use large-scale
mailings, such as newsletters. But with a modest investment in some new
equipment, any church can improve mail processing.
To be sure, much of the mailing equipment that's advertised today is designed
to help businesses handle huge volumes of letters or parcels. But less complex
hardware is available for processing smaller batches of mail. Some megachurches
may benefit from full-fledged mail equipment, but smaller churches can follow
the lead of small business staffers, who are expected to perform a wide range
of tasks. With recent improvements in technology, a variety of automated
features can help even the smallest church staff handle its mail more
effectively.
Incoming Mail
Mail efficiency starts the minute packages and letters enter the office.
If all incoming mail is piled on a secretary's desk or pastor's in-basket,
important items may be overlooked. A better approach would be to give each
staff member a box or folder into which mail is placed. That's the strategy
of First Presbyterian Church, Concord, California, which has two ministers
and a youth minister. The secretary places each person's mail in a labeled
box, and staff members are responsible for checking their boxes regularly.
In addition, here are some products that can help with incoming mail:
Electric mail openers. If clerical staff must open mail before passing it
on, electric mail openers can speed up the process. These devices range from
hand-held, battery-powered machines to tabletop models. In any case, they
can help zip through the day's mail. Mail openers are sold at office supply
stores.
Sorting tables or stations are another help. One model consists of a
wheelchair-accessible table with a front-loading canvas trough. The station
includes several shelves and storage bins, providing a space-saving way to
sort and distribute mail. Other models are designed so they can be connected
to other furniture or include additional equipment. Sorting tables can be
purchased from W.A. Charnstrom Company (800-655-9733), Salisbury Industries
(800-323-3003), or SAFCO (Grant Enterprises) (800-338-5370).
Automated systems. For very large churches or churches heavily involved in
direct mail campaigns, automated systems may be the way to go. Automated
mail systems sort mail by size, type, or internal destination. Some use bar
codes, which make rapid mail sorting a snap. Automatic mail sorters can be
purchased from GBI Data and Sorting Systems (954-920-0225).
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