Enter a new CIF

Instructions for Entering a Church Information Form (CIF)

Church Leadership Connection (CLC) hopes these instructions will assist you in entering your Church Information Form (CIF) with CLC.  Review all the instructions before you begin.

Before you begin

• Make sure your computer will run the CLC system.  “CLC Minimum Operating System Requirements” can be found at “Printable Forms” on the CLC website. If your computer does not meet these requirements, make the appropriate upgrades to your computer or use a computer that meets the minimum requirements.
• Download blank CIF Forms and Helps.  From the CLC website, download and/or print from “Printable Forms” copies of CIF Part I, CIF Part II, and Yoked Church Information (if needed).  You will also need these Instructions for Entering a Church Information Form, Skills List, and CIF Tips for a specific position type (if needed).  All of these can assist you in preparing to enter your CIF with CLC.   
• The wisdom of a draft CIF.  Completing a draft of your CIF, off-line, gives you the time needed to gather information and compose answers without the CLC system time-out constraints.  It gives you the time needed to edit your answers so they fit within the system’s character limitations. CLC strongly encourages you to answer the more lengthy sections of the CIF, especially the narrative questions, in a word processing document.  The advantages are:
  • it will shorten the time spent in actually entering your CIF, helping you avoid the 25 minute system time out,
  • you will be able to copy sections of your CIF word document and paste them into your on-line CIF,
  • the handy-dandy word processing character count tool can let you know how close you are to the 1500 character limit for each narrative question, and
  • you will have a back-up copy of your CIF just in case information is lost while entering your CIF on-line (it has been known to happen). 
• Obtain a user login and password.
• For church positions.  Obtain your user login and password from the moderator of COM or the Executive/General Presbyter.  Your user login will begin with a letter, followed by two numbers then followed by your five digit PC(USA) church PIN number.  For example: P0150639. 
• For Designated Pastors, New Church Developments or Pastors for a parish. Obtain your user login and password from CLC, 1-888-728-7228, ext. 8550.
• For Governing Body, Seminary and College, or Other Non-Parish Positions.  Obtain your user login and password from CLC, 1-888-728-7228, ext. 8550.

You will need a user login and password to enter your CIF into CLC.  Your password will be a hodge-podge of case-sensitive letters, numbers and symbols.  After logging in, CLC suggests you immediately change your password to one that is more easily remembered.  Go to “Admin” at the top of your screen.  Click on “Change Password” and follow the instructions.  If you forget your login ID or password, call or email CLC.

CLC tips and hints for entering a CIF

• There is a mandated 25 minute system time-out.  After twenty-five (25) minutes of working within the CLC application and never saving, the system will log you out of the application and you may not even know it.  This means that you may lose some of the information you were working on before and after the time-out.  Remember to save, save, save on CLC because every time you save, the 25 minutes clock starts over.  Also having a draft back-up on your personal computer guarantees that your information is not truly lost.
• There are mandated character limits.  The Brief Church Mission Statement and answers to the three (3) narrative questions in Part II, Page 2 of 6 and the Position and Characteristic Descriptions in Part II, Page 4 of 6, are limited to 1500 characters each, including spaces and punctuation.
• Save your CIF early and often.  So as to not lose what you are entering on-line, CLC recommends that you save your CIF at the completion of each screen by clicking on “Save my place and return later” located at the upper left corner of your screen.  This will take you out of the CIF but it will save what you have completed.  To get back to where you left off, click on “Resume” to the right of your CIF number, name and last update.
• CLC can help you.  The knowledgeable personnel at CLC can walk you through most problems.  CLC consultants are available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eastern Time, at 1-888-728-7228, ext. 8550 and will, also, return calls, so leave a message.  Or email at clcstaff@pcusa.org.

Entering CIF, Part I
Part I of the CIF has five (5) steps asking for general information about your church or organization.  If you are prepared and efficient you can move through the five screens quickly and then submit Part I before needing to save.  If, however, you are prone to worry, believing that the system could take your work and never give it back, or prone to wander, leaving your computer to go look up an address, answer the door, or take a phone call, then you may wish to “Save my place and return later” located at the upper left hand portion of your screen, when you have finished each screen.

• Enter the CLC System.
  Go to pcusa.org/clc.  Click on “User Login” and using your user login and password enter the CLC system.

• Entering CIF Part I.
  On the menu bar at the upper part of your screen, go to “CIF” scroll down to “Part I” and go to the right and click on “Update CIF Part I”.

• Step 1 of 5.  General Contact Information of your Church/Organization.
  Update the general contact information requested. 

• Church/Organization ID: Churches use their five digit PC(USA) church PIN number. Other organizations use the five digt ID that you were given from CLC.
• Website Address: Including your website address will allow interested individuals to find out more about your church/organization through your website.

Click on “next” at the bottom.

• Step 2 of 5.  Additional Church Information. 

NOTE: Non-parish positions enter N/A and then may skip this step.

• Church Size. On the pull down menu select the appropriate number of church members.
• Average Worship Attendance. Enter your average worship attendance for all regular worship services.  Do not include special or one-time services.
• Church School Attendance. Enter the number of people (children through adults) who attend church school.
• Curriculum.  List (within 150 characters, including spaces and punctuation) the curriculum most commonly used in church school.
• Seminary Debt Assistance Program.  If your church has fewer than 150 members AND a budget less than $250,000 check the box “Certified as eligible for participation in the Seminary Debt Assistance Program.”  See the Board of Pensions Web site for more information.

Click on “next” at the bottom.

• Step 3 of 5.  Racial Ethnic Composition of Church/Organization. 

Using whole numbers that add up to 100% enter the racial ethnic composition of your church or organization.
Click on “next” at the bottom.

• Step 4 of 5.  Presbytery and Community Type. 
• Presbytery. On the pull down menu, select the Presbytery where your church or organization is located.
• Community Type. On the pull down menu, select the community type where your church or organization is located.

Click on “next” at the bottom.

• Step 5 of 5.  Clerk of Session/Contact Person Information. 
  • For church positions.  Enter the contact information for your Clerk of Session.
  • For Designated Pastors, New Church Developments or Pastors for a parish. Enter the presbytery contact person.
  • For Governing Body, Seminary and College, or Other Non-Parish Positions.  Enter the contact information for a person CLC can contact.  This may be the secretary of the search committee, the Synod Executive, or your Human Resources person.

Click on “Submit Completed Church!” at the bottom.

• Position ID and Corrections.  At this point you will receive a message from CLC with your position ID (example: 10001.aa or 10001.ab if you have 2 positions listed, even if one is inactive or has been deleted previously).
  The system may also ask for corrections to your CIF.  Simply go to the screen where the correction needs to me made, make the correction and click, again, “Submit Completed Church!”

Entering CIF, Part II
Part II of the CIF has six (6) pages asking for more in-depth information about your church or organization, including answers to narrative questions.  Answering the narrative questions, on-line, has been where users have been known to lose their work, mostly due to the system’s 25 minutes mandated time-out.  CLC strongly urges you to answer the questions in CIF, Part II off-line, in a word processing document, where the information can be saved and then copied and pasted into the on-line form.  NOTE:  Responses to each narrative question are limited to no more than 1500 characters, including spaces and punctuation.  Clicking on “Save my place and return later” at the completion of pages (2 through 5) is also strongly recommended.

• Enter the CLC System. If you are not already in the CLC system, go to pcusa.org/clc.  Click on “User Login”.  Enter your Username ID and Password.

• Entering CIF Part II. On the menu bar at the upper part of your screen, go to “CIF” to “Part II” and click on “Create CIF Part II”. 

• Step 1 of 6. Position Type and Requirements.
• Position Type.  On the pull down menu, click on the position type you are seeking. 
• Employment Status.  Click “Full-time” for a full-time position or “Part-time” for a part-time position.  Ignore the “Open to both” button.
• Experience Desired.  On the pull down menu, click on the minimum number of years of experience you are willing to consider.  Your CIF will be matched with all persons who have this level of experience and above.  If you are open to all levels of experience click on “First Ordained Call”. 
• Language Requirements.  Click on the language(s) in which the person who fills this position needs to be fluent.
• Deadline date.  CLC does not recommend entering a deadline date unless you believe it to be absolutely necessary. If enter a deadline date know that the CLC system will purge your CIF from the system when the deadline arrives.  This will mean that you will need to re-enter your CIF if you wish to continue your search beyond the deadline date.

When this step is completed click on “next” at the bottom.

• Page 2 of 6. Mission Statement and Narrative Questions. 

NOTE: Non-parish positions answer the mission statement question and then may, if they choose, skip the rest of the questions.

Answers to these questions are limited to 1500 characters each, including spaces and punctuation. This is a great place to copy the answers from your draft CIF and paste it in the space provided.

Click on “Save my place and return later”.

To get back to where you left off, click on “Resume” to the right of your PIF number, name and last update.  Click “next” at the bottom of Step 2.

• Page 3 of 6.  References.

List up to three persons who know your congregation or organization well.  Include the contact information requested and their relationship to your congregation or organization.  Make sure these folks know they are listed and that they have a copy of your CIF.   They will be receiving inquiries from individuals asking about you.

Click on “Save my place and return later”.  To get back to where you left off, click on “Resume” to the right of your PIF number, name and last update.  Click “next” at the bottom of Step 3.

• Page 4 of 6.  Position Information.
• Positions Description.  Enter the Position Description, including major responsibilities, for which this person will be responsible. This is a great place to copy the answers from your draft CIF and paste it in the space provided.  (1500 character limit, including spaces and punctuation)
• Description of Characteristics and Qualifications.  Describe the characteristics and qualifications needed in a person who would fill this position. You may also wish to include information about the leadership style you are seeking in this individual.  This is a great place to copy the answers from your draft CIF and paste it in the space provided.  (1500 character limit, including spaces and punctuation)
• Skill Choice.  You may mark up to ten (10) skills that you are seeking in this individual.  A more detailed description of these skills can be found in the Skills List you downloaded in preparation for completing a CIF.
• Salary and Housing. 

Salary.  Enter the minimum and maximum effective salary for this position.  Effective salary includes salary and housing allowance/manse value combined (for pastoral positions).  The minimum salary will be displayed on your PIF.  The maximum salary is not displayed but is used for matching purposes only.  Do not write “Negotiable”. 

Housing for Pastoral Positions.

• If you have a manse that is part of the call, click on “Manse.”
• If a housing allowance is part of the call click on “Housing Allowance”. 
• If you have a manse, but are willing to consider a housing allowance in lieu of manse use, click on “Open to Either.”
• Do not enter any amount in “Housing Allowance Amount”.

Housing for Non-Pastoral Positions.  Click on “N/A” if this is a non-pastoral position.

• Geographic Choices. 
  • If you are willing to consider individuals from anywhere in the United States, click “Suggest my name anywhere in the USA”. 
  • If you want to limit your search to individuals from specific states, click on “Only suggest my name in the specified areas checked below” and then check on the states from which you are willing to receive PIFs.
    Click on “Save my place and return later”.  To get back to where you left off, click on “Resume” to the right of your PIF number, name and last update.  Click “next” at the bottom of Step 4.
• Step 5 of 6. Equal Employment Opportunity.

All CIFs must answer both questions in the affirmative for the CIF to be included in the CLC system.  Although the statement refers to instructions from the Committee on Ministry (COM), the statements are intended to indicate willingness to comply with PC(USA) Equal Employment Opportunity policies. 

Click on “Save my place and return later”.  To get back to where you left off, click on “Resume” to the right of your PIF number, name and last update.  Click “next” at the bottom of Step 5.

• Step 6 of 6. PNC/Search Committee Chairperson.

Enter the contact information for the chair of the Pastor Nominating Committee or Search Committee.

Click on “Submit Completed CIF!” 

• Corrections. 

The system may ask for corrections to your CIF, Part II.  Simply go to the screen where the correction needs to me made, make the correction and click, again, “Submit Completed CIF!” 

• Success.

The system will let you know that your CIF, part II, has been successfully saved.  If you have not already done so, please make note of the entire CIF# (for example 01234.aa).  You will need this CIF number, to look at your CIF, view all referred PIFs, and to make changes to Part II of your CIF.

After your CIF has been submitted

• Approval.

Before your CIF can be circulated, it must be approved to by your Clerk of Session and the Committee on Ministry (COM) moderator.  You can contact them directly and ask them to approve to your CIF on-line.  A CLC system generated email will also be sent to them asking for approval.  You can follow up with them to see that approval has been completed.

• Saving a Copy of Your CIF.

You may wish to save a copy of your completed copy of your CIF to your own computer. 

• Login to the CLC website.
• Under “CIF” click on “View CIF Query”.
• Enter your CIF # (i.e. 01234.aa) and click “Submit”.  Your CIF will be displayed.
• Highlight the entire CIF.
• Go to edit and copy, then minimize the screen.
• Open a blank word document.
• Paste the copy of your CIF into the word document.
• Save to your computer.  You can now print and/or email copies of your CIF as need.

• CLC Matching.

Once your CIF has been approved to it will be in the CLC system and available for matching with Personal Information Forms (PIF) in CLC.  When matched, a list of the referred PIFs will be sent to the chair of the PNC or search committee, the presbytery EP/GP, and/or the Committee on Ministry (COM) moderator

• View Referred PIFs

Using your login and password, you are able to enter CLC to view the PIFs that have been matched to your CIF.  On the “Reports” menu, pull down and click on “View Referred PIFs”.  Any matching and referrals to your CIF will be listed.  You can view a referred PIF by clicking on the PIF number.

• Update Your CIF.

If you wish to make changes to your CIF, enter CLC using your user name and password, and under “CIF” choose Part I or Part II and click on “Update CIF Part I” or “Update CIF Part II”.  If you have 2 or more positions when you go to update CIF Part II there will be a pull down box, and make sure you update only the correct CIF Part II.  Make changes and then click on “Submit Completed PIF!”  Certain corrections, noted with a red asterisk, will make it necessary to have your CIF re-attested to before it can be re-circulated.

• Notification of a Call.

When a call has been extended and accepted for your CIF position, please notify CLC by entering the CLC system, going to “Admin” scrolling down to “Pending/Fill” and clicking on “Report a New Call Pending”.  Fill in the requested information.

Items marked with are in Adobe Acrobat PDF format. For best results, right-click the link (or click and hold for Macintosh), select "save target as" and save the document to your desktop for viewing and printing.