MINISTRY BUDGET TOOLS

Annual Conference has approved some new tools for calculating pastors’ salaries and benefits. It doesn’t change most of the fundamental elements of the scale but rather is designed to help congregation determine what percentage of time they can afford while compensating pastors fairly. The biggest changes will be felt by congregations served by long-time pastors without a Master of Divinity degree, where the denomination has attempted to give more credit for hands-on experience. Congregations might have to seek to catch up gradually in those cases.

It also encourages congregations to think about ministry priorities, including which ones the pastor should be primarily responsible for and which ones congregation members might do. Those resources have been made available online at https://www.brethren.org/news/2022/office-of-ministry-launches-new-webpage-with-compensation-resources/.

A training session on the tools was offered at district conference. For additional questions, contact the district office or the denominational Office of Ministry at officeofministry@brethren.org  Members of PCBAC include Deb Oskin, chair, Bob McMinn, Art Fourman, Angela Finet, and Andy Hamilton, representative of the Council of District Executives. Donna March (Highland Avenue) has also been trained as a resource on this new tool.