By ​Jerry Keucher

Vestries are the fiduciaries of the parish corporation. Whatever word we use — fiduciaries, stewards, trustees — we mean the ones responsible for the good management of something that doesn’t belong to them. The parish has been put into the hands of the current vestry, and the current vestry is responsible for it. Vestries discharge their fiduciary responsibilities by trying to make sure that they hand on to their successors a parish that is stronger and more viable than it was when they took office. 
The financial well-being of the parish is one of the most important fiduciary responsibilities of the vestry. No vestry can fulfill its responsibility in this area without regular monthly financial reports. The report the vestry should receive every month is a statement of income and expenses-- that is, what money came in from what source, and what it was spent on. 
Many vestry members do not have a financial background and may feel intimidated by a discussion of numbers. If that describes you, this article is intended to give you a basic grasp of the concepts, which are not difficult. If you find the financial reports you receive at vestry meetings mystifying, it might be because the reports are not organized and presented in a way that facilitates understanding. The purpose of the accompanying spreadsheet is to give your Treasurer a format for a financial report that is easily understood. In addition, you may wish to view the ECF webinar entitled “Fearless Finances” held on October 2016 that discussed the topic of this article. 

The word “stewardship” has become associated almost entirely with money and fundraising in church culture. Unfortunately, we have burdened this word with money-talk and we have become so routine in doing this that we even have a set time in the calendar year when we say the word “stewardship”. Usually, it happens in the fall. Growing up, I remember my dad always preparing sermons on stewardship in the month of September. September would roll around and my dad would be grumpy. “I don’t like writing sermons in September. I hate asking people for money,” he would say.

By the Rev. Allen D. Rutherford, Chair
Congregational and Community Life Committee of the Diocese of Indianapolis
​
Extensive research has documented that Episcopalians would much rather talk about sex than have a transparent and informed conversation about clergy compensation within their congregations! The following series of questions is designed to facilitate and demystify how clergy are compensated.
 
Many of these questions and much of this information were born out of a conversation Allen had with his vestry following the 2016 Spring Clergy Conference and the launch of the Pathways to Vitality Initiative. It was his effort to create a healthy dialogue — and it worked!

By ​Erin Weber-Johnson
​
1.) Treat fundraising as a means to an end instead of a ministry
“Imagine the ministry we can do once we’ve received these funds!” exclaimed an excited fundraising volunteer a couple months ago. YES! I love dreaming of what is possible together and keeping a parish’s collective eyes on a common goal. And yet, when we fixate on the goal alone, we are tempted to miss an important point: the process of fundraising is itself a powerful and life-giving ministry.

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.

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.

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.

​

​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.”