1. Be clear with yourself about what you think the benefits to you and your colleagues and Diocese might be if you had a clergy association.

2. Start talking to others you think might also be interested. It is helpful to identify those who have been part of associations in other dioceses and to include a variety of positions and styles in your discussions.

3. Get a small steering committee together, perhaps 7 or 10 of the above, depending upon the size of your diocese. Discuss as a group a good time to set a meeting to invite the rest of the clergy and how that invitation should be issued. Some dioceses have found it helpful to piggy-back onto another meeting where many clergy would already be present. Discuss among yourselves what you would hope for as goals for the association.

- provides a good starting place to talk about goals for a diocesan association. It helps to avoid taking stands on controversial issues in the diocese, at least in the beginning, although creating a forum for honest and safe talk about these issues can be an important part of an association's purpose. It is always helpful to think about what issues all clergy in your diocese are dealing with that pertain to clergy and their families or significant others particularly. This helps to build common ground.

4. At your organizational meeting it is helpful to bring in a field secretary or NNECA Board Member to be a consultant. It is even more important that the steering committee be prepared to share why they believe an association is important and why at this time.

5. Do not be discouraged if the attendance is not what you hoped for. For every person attending, you can be sure two or three are wishing they could be there.

6. Keep organizational structure simple - a steering committee with a convener, a secretary, and a treasurer is probably enough to start with.

7. You will want to relate meeting times of the steering committee and the larger membership to the goals of the association.

8. In order to affiliate with NNECA, you will need to collect dues and send the names to the NNECA treasurer. A letter should also be sent to NNECA's President informing him or her of the formation of the association and the intent to be officially welcomed at the next annual NNECA conference. Every member whose dues are paid will receive LEAVEN monthly.

9. Some associations invite their Bishop to be a member and attend meetings. Others find it more helpful not to have the Bishop involved so directly. You know your diocese and Bishop; however, it is a good idea to keep him or her informed of what is going on from the start so that there are no secrets or fears, and that the Bishop can be made aware from the beginning that a healthy clergy union means healthier clergy, which is good for the diocese.

10. Dues to NNECA are $ 65, which provides a subscription to LEAVEN, and the satisfaction of knowing that you are supporting the work of the NNECA Board with the Presiding Bishop, the Ministry Cluster, the Church Deployment Office and the Church Pension Group.

* If your local clergy association has a website, please contact the webmaster so we may include a link to your site here.