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My Perspective on Collaborative Leadership

9/22/2017

 

The Rev. Erin Hougland, Pathways to Vitality Deacon
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At Good Samaritan Episcopal Church we have started to discern the future of our little church plant. To practice discernment together, we are having what we call “Cottage Conversations”. These conversations are taking place during September and as each group gathers we are asking them to explore the big question of “Why do we exist?” within the context of Good Samaritan’s core values.
 
These core values were determined by a group of 15 lay leaders and Good Samaritan’s staff. This was a collaborative process of transparency and openness. After the Core Values were determined, the group brought them back to the wider congregation to discuss. The following are what the Good Samaritan community has determined to be its Core Values.


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A Message from Rev. Erin Hougland

7/4/2017

 

Rev. Erin Hougland, Pathways Resident Deacon ​

​Here we are, in the first month of the launch of the Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis’ Pathways to Vitality Pilot Parishes Program! Shew...yes, it’s a mouth full! I’ve been as busy as my job assignment sounds. Many of you want to know and have been asking, “So, what exactly are you going to be doing Erin?” Good question everyone! In all honesty, it is actually the question we have all been holding: What exactly is this work going to look like?
 
As I have been moving through these few weeks and having conversations with the Pathways Steering Committee, Pathways leadership and the rectors of the Pilot Parishes program, I have come to some initial ideas about the work that I will be doing. 
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What every pastor ought to know about money

6/28/2017

 
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Here are five important things about money every pastor ought to know. Any one of them can be difficult to learn depending on your background, life experience and aptitude. This is not a 5 quick tips article. However, over time (in some cases, years) and with practice you'll be better able to lead in stewardship and overall church financial matters.


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The Tarantula in my Checkbook

5/22/2017

 
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When I was around twelve or thirteen years old, I was taking a walk with friends through the California desert when I came across a tarantula. Fortunately, I was walking with a biologist, the father of one of my friends in the group, and he proceeded to tell us all about the life and times of a typical California tarantula. Until then, I just thought they were super sized spiders, and stars of some of my favorite old black and white horror movies. But I learned all sorts of things about them, the primary one being that they are basically harmless to humans. So we spent probably an hour watching this spider and its six inch leg span go about its business across the desert landscape, without fear and instead with a sense of curiosity and wonder.

Learning about finances can take a similar journey. If we allow ourselves to be informed by helpful teachers, we can learn the many ways finances can be seen and managed in healthy ways, without fear of ourselves being bitten or poisoned by money and its manifestations. We can start to live with a greater sense of curiosity and even wonder when we begin to see how money is part of our spiritual lives, one of many resources we can offer to God in order to open ourselves more fully to God’s grace and to change the world for the better. 
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So while balancing a checkbook and other financial tasks can feel like opening a box of spiders, doing them well and with proper knowledge frees us to better understand how our lives function, how day to day living happens through our finances. And then, we are freed by this understanding to better be able to share with others what God has given us, so that they too may be freed to love God and our neighbor all the more deeply.

The Rev. Canon Bruce W. Gray
Canon to the Ordinary
Episcopal Diocese of Indianapolis

Taxability and Gifts

4/3/2017

 

Pop quiz time!
An affluent member of your congregation is touched by the hardships of a family in your community and wants to use her financial resources to assist the family. The most tax-savvy way for your compassionate congregant to help is to: 

​A.) Offer the family free counseling services. She can deduct the price of the fees from her tax return.
​B.) Write the family a big check and make it payable to the head of household.
​C.) Write a check payable to your church and specify that the funds assist the family in need.
​D.) Pray that the family will get a really big tax refund from the IRS.


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Compound Interest – the 8th Wonder of the World

2/16/2017

 
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​Most people remember Albert Einstein for his expertise in the laws of physics and his theory of special relativity. But it turns out Einstein was also a genius when it comes to articulating rather mundane money matters. The white-haired wizard stated, “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it. He who doesn’t, pays it.”


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Clergy Compensation – Transparency and Stewardship

1/25/2017

 
Whether you call it accountability, or transparency, the sharing of parish financial information—including clergy compensation—is an integral component of modeling stewardship in a congregation. A cleric’s compensation is comprised of elements beyond monetary payment and can be described as a compensation package. What makes up the package?

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4 TIPS TO MAXIMIZE YOUR TAX SAVINGS 

12/20/2016

 
The year is ending, and tax time is near. Clergy taxes can be especially complicated by a dual tax status which designates ministers as both employees and self-employed. We recommend that you find a tax professional with experience in ministerial taxes to help you navigate your 1040, but you don’t have to be an accountant to benefit from these 4 tips to maximize your tax savings.

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A Primer on Your Credit Report vs. Your Credit Score

10/5/2016

 

Are your credit report and your credit score “one and the same?” Many people use the terms interchangeably, but they are two distinct metrics financial institutions consider to evaluate your creditworthiness. Following are some common questions about credit reports and scores.

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God's Covenant for Healthy Living Together

9/7/2016

 
God established a covenant with us to give us guidelines for healthy living and relationships. 
When being presented to a Bishop for ordination, the question is asked if the manner of life of the person being presented is "suitable to the exercise of this ministry." As clergy, we are to be models of a God-centered life to the people and the communities we serve.

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