Form 2
TO DO LIST:
1. Lay Leadership Committee (Nominations). As pastor, you chair this committee. Nominate those persons who will serve as church officials and Chairpersons and/or members of the various committees for 2011. As Chair of the Lay Leadership Committee, you: a) call the meeting by notifying each member, b) assure that a Vice-Chair and Secretary are elected, c) assure that each nominee is contacted and agrees to serve if elected, d) compile a list of the nominees to be elected and duplicate this list for approval by the church council and distribution at the Charge Conference.
2. Staff/Pastor Parish Relations Committee: You should arrange a date with the chairperson and call a S/PPRC meeting. The committee will need to discuss the salary and benefits to be received by the pastor for the calendar year 2011, forward its recommendation to the Committee on Finance, and be prepared to present the proposed salary to the Church Council. These recommendations should then be placed on the 2011 Pastor’s Support Worksheet (PSW). Read the PSW directions carefully and when you have worked out the details of how you will receive the compensation, obtain the proper signatures.
3. Church Council/Board: You should work with the chair and call a meeting or conduct a retreat to determine the ministry goals for 2011. These goals would be for both administration and program and should contain some projected budgetary requirements to present to the Committee on Finance. This group should meet again prior to charge conference to review at least nominations and pastoral salaries for preliminary approval.
4. Trustees: Schedule a review of the needs of the property for major maintenance or scheduled maintenance projects. The financial requirements will be reported to the Finance Committee and, as approved, listed in the budget. Review the valuation of all properties and update the Trustees form to reflect the same; review the insurance for all buildings owned by the church for adequate coverage; make sure that the liability insurance is adequate. The Trustees or Parsonage Committee should schedule a time to review the parsonage and determine any needs to be addressed and or budgeted.
5. Committee on Finance: Meet to review all the budget requests and produce a recommended budget for 2011. In addition to the above costs for personnel, program, and property, you will need to place in the budget the apportionments for the Maryville District Fund and the Holston Conference Fair Share. Don’t forget any special projects and the cost of office supplies, postage, permits, utilities, insurance, etc. The Finance Committee typically leads in the planning of a promotion of giving effort in the congregation to underwrite the financial requirements. Multiple stewardship programs are available from Cokesbury to help the congregation grow in their understanding of giving as an expression of their Christian discipleship. The Holston Conference Foundation also has many excellent stewardship resources at www.generosity.holston.org.
6. Pastor’s Report: Use this report to reflect on your ministry during the past year. Consider the Church’s mission statement to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world and our conference commitment to Offer Them Christ through every aspect of our congregational life. As you answer question A. on the report, use these questions to help you reflect: How are you spending your time? What do you want to share about the life of the congregation? What would be helpful for me to know and for you to say to your congregation at this time? How would you describe the spiritual state of the church, its morale, participation in worship, prayer and Bible studies, and outreach ministries? Highlight the goals and activities that have filled your time during the past months. What have been your priorities in ministry during this past year? What are the greatest strengths that your church brings to its ministries and life together? Project goals for your work for the coming year. Duplicate your report to distribute at the Charge Conference.
7. Prepare the other materials that are in this packet. The forms will be on our district website as soon as possible, which you may pull up and fill out and then print, but we will need hard/paper copies for the conference itself.
Do not use forms from previous years.
· Ensure that each form has the Name of the Charge, the pastor, the date, etc. filled in properly.
· Secure the signatures of each required person on each form prior to submitting them to the district office.
· Duplicate the agenda, your own listing of all your church officers presented for nomination, a summary sheet of the pastor’s compensation (lines 1-9 of the Pastor Support Worksheet) as well as any cash amount provided in lieu of a parsonage and the housing allowance resolution amount (form 17) (see the example included), and the written reflection you prepare as part of the Report from the Pastor.
· Prepare three files: one for you, one for the Charge Conference Secretary, and one for me. (Place each one in a separate file folder.)
· Make sure all three copies are in the district office (217 S. Rankin Road, Alcoa) no less than ten (10) days prior to the scheduled meeting date.
· If you have other questions, do not hesitate to call either Cheryl Thompson or me at 865-982-1427 or email Cheryl at or me at
8. As you or your lay representative share about your ministries, please keep in mind our commitment to Offer Them Christ and the ways this has been reflected in your ministries with children, youth, adults, the local community, and the world.
General Comments
Charge or Church Conference - If you desire for all members present to be able to vote, please make arrangements for your charge conference to be held as a church conference by putting this request in writing to the district office at least 14 days ahead of time.
Copies for Distribution - While you do not have to copy every document, please make sure that you have a copy of the following for distribution in this order:
1) The agenda
2) A complete listing of the officers to be elected for each church
3) A listing of the items included in the pastor’s compensation (lines 1-9 on the Pastor’s Support Worksheet). Also list any cash housing allowance provided in lieu of a parsonage and the amount designated as Housing Allowance by Resolution (form 17) (see example provided in this packet)
4) The pastor’s report (specifically the narrative provided in question A) to give a written summary of your reflections on the ministry of the year just completed and to come.
These can be followed by any items that you feel would be beneficial for the congregation which might include reports from other staff members, mission reports, parsonage and trustees reports.
Notes on Particular Forms for Completion
*****Please make sure that you have the current year’s forms, available in hard copy or on the district website.
2011 Equitable Compensation Amounts for Minimum Salary – There is no change in the minimum salary levels for 2011. This does not restrict any congregation from giving an increase in the pastor’s compensation. Line 4 of the Pastor Support Worksheet must be equal to or greater than the minimum salary amount for the pastor’s conference relationship. These amounts are listed on the back of the PSW.
2011 Application for Funding for Equitable Compensation – Please remember that the anticipated agreement is for the local church or charge to assume the amount being supplemented through Equitable Compensation over a four-year period.
Charge Conference Recommendations – Please provide the names of those persons being recommended for the first time or having their recommendation renewed for candidacy for ordained ministry and lay speaker. Also include those who are being recommended for church related occupations so that their names can be forwarded to the appropriate agencies.
Accountable Expense Reimbursement Policy – The amount set needs to reflect only the amount for travel and other professional expense reimbursement as listed on the pastor support worksheet.
Pastor-Parish Relations Committee Form – There is one committee for the charge made up of representatives from each congregation. The total number of charge representatives should meet the requirements for the committee (5-9 members, plus lay leader(s), and lay member to annual conference).
Pastor Support Worksheet – Please make your church budget as close in format to this as possible. Verify your figures in comparison with your budget to make sure they are in agreement. Please follow the instructions on the back of the form as you complete it. The compensation actually comes as a recommendation from the church council so please make sure they have approved the compensation amounts prior to charge conference.
Officer, Leaders Report, (Form 12)—Please list as many e-mail addresses as possible for your church officers. This is very important for quick and cost-saving communication from the District and Conference offices.
Additional Forms Included for Your Information
Sample Premium Reduction Form – This is provided as a model for setting up a salary reduction agreement for insurance premiums. The preferable route is to make this arrangement through AFLAC. Holston Conference has made arrangements with AFLAC to serve as our administrator for these kinds of arrangements. The AFLAC representative will contact you each fall to schedule an appointment. While you are under no obligation to purchase any of the AFLAC products or services, it is advised for your income tax benefit that you meet with them to make sure you have taken full advantage of the salary reduction arrangements that they administer.
Blue Cross-Blue Shield Premium Rates and Coverage – For your personal and church budgeting purposes and reference. Any change in election of coverage must be reported to Kathy Parker’s office by November 1 to take effect January 1, 2011. Otherwise, the assumption is that you are remaining at your current level of coverage.
Examples of Proper/Improper Reimbursement Items – Included as a guide for your maintaining and filing of reimbursable professional expense items.
Minister’s Checklist of Housing Expenditures – Included to help you maintain accurate records of expenditures related to housing that are used to justify the amount set in the Housing Allowance Resolution. You must have evidence to justify the amount excluded from gross income through your housing allowance resolution when filing income tax documentation.
Sample Pastoral Compensation Reporting Sheet to Prepare for Charge Conference – To facilitate our time at the conference and help us have uniform information shared with each charge, there is a sample format provided for the pastoral compensation package as it needs to be shared with each charge.
SAMPLE Reporting Sheet to the Charge Conference for Pastoral Compensation
Church 1 Church 2 Church 3
Pastor’s Cash Salary (PSW line 1)
Equitable Compensation Funds from the conference (PSW line 2)
Pastor’s Portion of Insurance if provided by church (PSW line 3a)
All other cash benefits provided
Total (PSW line 4, Must be equal to or greater than the minimum salary amount for the clergy’s conference relationship)
Reimbursable Items
Continuing Ed (PSW line 5)
Annual Conference (PSW line 6)
Other Vouchered Travel and Professional Expenditures (PSW line 7)
TOTAL (PSW line 9)
Cash Housing Allowance Provided in lieu of parsonage (PSW line 11)
Housing Allowance Resolution Amount (form 17) (total should reflect the sum of any cash housing allowance provided plus any amount set for personal expenditures)
For this information to be properly before us, please have each church’s portion approved by each church council prior to the charge conference.
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