JANUARY 2024 Accessing and Using
the Handbook Tis hiring document is in its final stages of publication. After copyediting is completed, the document will be sent to select people for their feedback in case any details need to be changed or other situations encountered in the hiring process should be addressed. Once all commentary is received and the Handbook is completed, it will be posted on the NPM website in an electronic format. Some of the benefits of posting this document electronically are that it can more easily be updated than a print version, the reader will be able to click directly on links, and more online employment resources can be added as they become available. If a hard copy of the resource is desired, parish staff members may print it out for themselves; the document will be about forty-five pages, so printing will be feasible. Pastors, rectors, and search committees will be able to access the Handbook in the public area of the NPM website without having to be a member of NPM. An important underlying purpose of this guide is to educate clergy and lay people about the many responsibilities that comprise a Director of Music Ministries position and the qualities of an effective Director of Music Ministries. Tis knowledge will enable them to select the best person for their particular position and also ask of that person a fair workload while providing them just compensation.
A Pastoral Musician’s
Employment Resource In the future, the Director of Music Ministries Forum will also be revising “A Pastoral Musician’s Employment Resource.” Tis is a comprehensive employment guide directed to those who are, or aspire to be, a Director of Music Ministries. It is a rich source of information on the process of applying for a position, from creating a résumé to interviewing for a position and auditioning. In addition, the NPM Employment Resource assists applicants with understanding a position description and with how to negotiate the terms of a position description and a salary offer. Employment terms such as contract, letter of appointment, and exempt/non- exempt status are explained. Tere is also insightful
guidance for professional and personal growth through continuing education, membership in professional organizations, and reading of periodicals. Te resource explains benefits such as health insurance, disability insurance, life insurance, and tuition assistance. It also discusses the different types of retirement saving plans. Once completed, the NPM Employment Resource will be available on the member area of the NPM website as a benefit of membership. Tis document should be available in the next year or two.
Both resources—“Hiring a Director of Music: A Handbook and Guide” for the search committee and “A Pastoral Musician’s Employment Resource” for the Director of Music Ministries—are a collaborative effort combining the work of past NPM members and new information from current members. If you have expertise on an employment topic, such as health insurance, negotiating salaries, retirement savings plans, or human resource-related issues, and would like to write an article on it or assist in reviewing either of these two NPM documents, contact Dr. Henry Bauer at
dmmforum@npm.org.
Henry Bauer, DMA, is the Director Music Ministries at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Lourdes in Spokane, Washington. He serves as the chair of the Director of Music Ministries Forum.
David Mathers has been engaged in full-time music ministry for over twenty-five years. He is currently Director of Music Ministries at St. Bernadette Church in Springfield, Virginia. He is also a past chapter director of the NPM Arlington Chapter.
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