Mosaic Mennonites

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finances

Important update for Participants in MCUSA’s Corinthian Plan

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by Conrad Martin, Conference Director of Finance

Recently the Corinthian Plan sent out a letter to all participants. Perhaps you, like I, set it aside without reading it. If you did, please read it. The letter has some important information that will affect your church as the employer and you as a participant in the plan.

Here is a brief summary of the topics covered in the letter:

  1. Announcement of a May premium holiday and how that affects both employer and employee.
  2. How changes in working hours may or may not affect your participation in the plan.
  3. Effects of the recent expansion of the Family Medical Leave Act and the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act.
  4. Adjustments to the plan coverage of COVID-19 related items, eg. testing, treatment, telemedicine, etc.

The Corinthian Plan has generously offered a “premium holiday” (one month that churches do not have to pay the plan’s premium for continued coverage). However, the plan is inviting churches who do not need a “Premium Holiday” to pay their premium. These paid “holiday premiums” will be placed in an emergency fund, available to churches suffering from significant financial hardships due to the current situation.

If you did not receive a letter, here is a link to the Corinthian Plan web page for this new COVID-19 information: http://mennoniteusa.org/what-we-do/the-corinthian-plan/.  Please read this information and/or make sure your church staff have read it.

If you have questions, please contact the Corinthian Plan Director Duncan Smith, (316-281-4255) or the East Coast Advocate, James Miller (941-400-9937).

A Note from Conrad Martin, Director of Finance

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Many of us feel incredibly helpless as we watch the news. We want to help. We want to find medical supplies for the health workers who are caring for patients. We know of so many who are unemployed or struggling financially due to COVID-19. There are so many requests these days for financial assistance as charities across the nation face a decline in giving. Where to begin? Should we start with those with which we have a personal connection?  Some of the charities in need are just down the street; our congregations have a personal connection with many of these and have even already supported them financially.

One thing that has become very evident over the past two weeks is that our churches are more than bricks and mortar.  Our churches are people; they are us. As I read and watch what local congregations are doing during this “crisis”, it is apparent that the church staff are putting in overtime to serve isolated congregations. In many churches, staffing is the largest percentage of a church’s budget. Given that staff are working extra hard during this pandemic, we as an isolated community should put in a little extra effort to support our congregations financially, even if we aren’t meeting in a building. Not only will our church staff be supported financially, but the broader ministry of the church will be enabled to continue as many others need the church now, more than ever.

Faith and Financial Recklessness

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by Conrad Martin, Director of Finance

I personally believe that if a church project is of God, the money will be there to make it happen.  Throughout history, God has done miraculous things to further the kingdom, so shouldn’t we believe that will happen in our church projects?  Some have labeled this idea as “taking a leap of faith.”

I’m torn, though, when I read stories of churches that began a project without the money to finish that ended with tragic financial outcomes.  Was the project not of God?  Did those churches not have enough faith?

Some churches begin building projects with donor pledges covering the amount not already raised.  In most cases these pledges are a legally binding contract.  What if the donor loses his or her job?  What if the donor passes away?  Does the church really want to get into a legal battle with a church member?  But what if the church really needs that money to survive?

Karl Vaters of ChristianityToday.com states that “for every church that started a ministry they couldn’t afford and saw the money come in after the fact, there may be 100 churches that went bankrupt and/or closed their doors when the needed money didn’t materialize.”  Wow!  That should give any church leader pause before starting a project.

Christians are called to be good stewards of the resources God has given them.  For me, the key words in that statement are “God has given them.”  Is it possible to be a good steward of something God hasn’t given you?  Vaters goes on to state that “spending money you don’t have isn’t faith, it’s bad stewardship.”

Can we take a cue from Luke 14:28-30 (NIV)?  “Suppose one of you wants to build a tower. Won’t you first sit down and estimate the cost to see if you have enough money to complete it?  For if you lay the foundation and are not able to finish it, everyone who sees it will ridicule you, saying, ‘This person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.’”  Although Jesus was talking about counting the cost of discipleship, this passage also makes sense in counting the cost of starting a new ministry.

Let me re-examine my first statement: if the project is of God, the money will be there to make it happen.  Yes, the order is correct in this sequence: “the money will be there” comes first.  “To make it happen” comes second.

I’m not arguing against congregations taking out a mortgage on their church properties; some would label buying a church building as investing rather than spending.  Counting the cost does mean discerning questions like these (and others) ahead of time:

  • Have the church leaders counted the cost before taking that leap of faith?
  • What is the percentage of the mortgage to the value of the property? Is it a sound financial move?
  • Did you seek wisdom and advice from others outside your congregation?
  • What is the plan should the funds needed for completing the project dry up or funds in-hand not be enough to make the next payment?
  • Have you put too heavy of a financial burden on your own members?
  • As a last resort, can the congregational survive losing its building?

Keys for Good Financial Communication to Congregations

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by Conrad Martin, Director of Finance

For some, trying to understand a financial report may be difficult or confusing.  Let’s face it, not everyone has that gift.  But congregations need to know the financial position of their church in order to make wise decisions.  So what are some ways church treasurers can improve the communication of financial reports to their congregations?

  1. Make it relevant.

Who will be reading the financial report?  Do they understand financial lingo?  Do you perhaps need to train your readers on what is important on a financial report?  Do they prefer financial reports in spreadsheet form or by a narrative?  It will be helpful to ask the reader what financial information they need to do their job.

Any good accounting program should have the capability to produce a variety of reporting formats.  Giving the church council a 10-page, detailed financial report will probably not be of interest to them, so determine what information you can put into a one-page summary report that will give them what they need.  The finance committee, on the other hand, may want more detail.  If you need to provide a financial report for the general congregation, understand that many of them will not understand a finance report in spreadsheet form, so think about how you can convey the finances of the church in a narrative form.

  1. Make it accurate.

Mistakes do happen, even for a good treasurer; yet if a pattern of needing to correct financial reports develops, you could lose the trust of those needing your financial information for making decisions. Your credibility is on the line every time you present a financial report.

Always double check your work, to ensure that the correct amount has been recorded to the correct account.  Look for expense accounts that are significantly off budget (whether high or low), ensure that they are actually correct and be prepared to explain why they are not on budget.  There may be an easy explanation and having that ready helps build confidence in your reports.  Always remember that your church council may be using your financial report to help determine the direction of the ministry.  That’s why accuracy is so important.

  1. Make it timely.

When financial information is received late, it may be useless to the reader, or even as detrimental as incorrect information.  Determining why a report is not timely will go a long way in correcting that.  What is causing the delay?

Are you waiting for financial statements from banks or investment companies at the end of the month?  A conversation with them about changing the reporting dates may give you statements sooner.  Reconcile these statements with your records as soon as you receive them, so that you have time to make any needed corrections before your reports are due.  Are you waiting for church staff to turn in their expense reimbursement claim forms at the end of the month?  You may need to turn to a higher authority for that one.  Try to be up-to-date as much as possible with your recordings before you go on vacation, so you don’t have so much catch-up to do when you return.  Are you overworked, have a conversation with your church leaders about the expectations for time to be spent on the financial reporting.

Keeping good financial records and communicating them well allows your ministries to run smoothly.

These keys were expanded on and drawn from the article “Three Keys for Communicating Financial Information” by Vonna Laue in ChurchFinanceToday. Volume 26. Number 10. October 2018

How to Be a Financially Stable Church

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By Conrad Martin, Director of Finance

 

In Church life, the focus is on ministry and often reviewing finances is not a high priority, putting many churches in financial distress, according to Art Rainer.  Churches worry about how they will pay staff and other bills and still be able to do ministry.  Some don’t even know how they got into such a position.

There are some common themes for these churches, all of which are preventable. Based on the signs of a financially deteriorating congregation, here are some things a church can do to work at financial stability:

  1. Preach and teach stewardship. This may be avoided if the pastor is afraid they would be considered a church leader that abuses their platform for personal financial gain.  Maybe the church leaders are afraid of reducing attendance.  Whatever the reason it to avoid it, congregations need to be preaching and teaching on financial stewardship.
  2. Be mindful of how much debt the church is taking on. Many in financial distress overextended themselves.  Some built too much or too quickly.  Often a huge chunk of the tithes and offerings were sucked away by the debt payment.
  3. Be transparent with finances. When transparency is lacking, skepticism can grow about the finances being used properly, leading to a decline in giving.
  4. Focus your dollars to reach and minister to the community. Churches found to be in financial distress focused the majority of their funds on themselves and internal needs.  Little money went toward outside efforts.
  5. Embrace multiple options for giving. Online giving and other nontraditional methods of giving (in-kind donations, stocks and mutual funds, etc.), allow for a broader participation, especially from younger generations.
  6. Regularly evaluate how funds are spent. To be a good steward of the money the church receives, it is important to evaluate how that money is being used and ensure there is no significant waste, preventing forward movement in the budget.
  7. Take wise steps of financial faith. Church budgets should be based on reasonable mathematical projections, not just on staff/congregational wants.  While God provides for the work of the Kingdom, throughout scripture God also instructed his children to be wise stewards.
  8. Be mindful of relying on a few big givers. When these givers either die or leave the church, the church’s financial viability is then left in jeopardy.

It’s sad to see a church in financial disarray.  It’s also sad to see the staff struggle with cash flow and making budgets.  Perhaps it is worse to see the ministry struggle, especially, when you know it could have been prevented.

Did You Know: Taxable Income

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by Conrad Martin, Director of Finance

As tax season is upon us, it is important to be aware of two things a church does that may affect the taxable income for congregational employees/pastors — one taxable and one a pre-tax deduction.

  1.  Love Gifts/ Offerings

Some churches give their pastor(s) a “love gift” or “love offering” in special appreciation for the many things they do for their congregation.  These gifts come from either the pastor’s employing church or from individual members of the church.  Sometimes these gifts come from a special offering taken by the congregation for their pastor.  Sometimes an individual member will feel the need to show their appreciation personally in a financial way, sometimes even unbeknownst to the congregation.  In almost every case, the IRS will view “love gifts” as compensation for services rendered and therefore taxable.  If coming from the church as the employer, the church needs to either include the love gift in the calculation of the W-2 or issue a 1099-MISC to the pastor.  If coming from an individual, the pastor needs to include the gift in their taxable income.  If you need further clarification, consult your tax accountant.

  1. Section 125 Flex Plan

If your congregation offers a medical insurance plan to their employees and also charges them a portion of the cost for the premium, those employee premium costs may be deductible from the employees’ taxable income.  If your congregation offers as part of their medical insurance plan a Health Savings Account (HSA), the employees may contribute personally into their HSA through payroll deductions and those payroll deductions may be deductible from the employees’ taxable income.  The key is, the church needs to have a Section 125 Flexible Benefits Plan documented.  Sometimes this is called a Cafeteria Plan.  Whatever it is called, it must be documented.  There are many companies that can write such a plan for your church, one of which is Everence.  Contact your local Everence Stewardship Consultant for more information.

Any time you have questions about your church finances, contact Conrad Martin at the conference office and he will help direct you to the answer.

Did You Know … About the New Labor Law for Overtime?

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UPDATE: November 29, 2016

A federal judge in Texas issued an injunction last week blocking the December 1 implementation of a new salary threshold that would have made millions of more workers, including nonministerial church employees who meet certain criteria, eligible for overtime pay.

The injunction puts the threshold change on hold until its legality can be determined by the judge. Some speculate the new threshold likely won’t survive, but the outcome remains uncertain. The current threshold for the “white-collar exemption” of $455 per week, or $23,660 per year, remains in effect in the meantime.

wall_clockThere is a new law regarding overtime pay which will take effect December 1, 2016.  Are you aware of how it affects your congregation?  Here is the latest information we have on that new ruling.

Non-credentialed employees: All employees (see exceptions below) who work over 40 hours a week are to be paid overtime.  Previously, this did not include executive, administrative or professional persons paid by a salary and those who were making over a certain threshold.  The new ruling now includes all of these categories and significantly raises the threshold to $47,476, including bonuses and commissions.  What this means is that every employee paid less than $47,476, regardless of whether they are hourly or salaried, are eligible for overtime.

Congregations have three options with regard to this law:

  1. Limit non-credentialed employees’ hours to 40 hours per week.
  2. Increase their employees’ pay to the $47,476/year threshold, to be exempt from paying overtime.
  3. Pay employees time and half for hours worked in excess of 40 hours per week. For those who are salaried, the employer needs to calculate what the hourly rate would be.

Special Notes: All employees (salaried or hourly) who are paid less than the threshold should be required by their employer to track their time, to be able to verify the number of hours worked over 40 per week.  Church employees cannot get around this ruling by volunteering some of their time, unless they are volunteering for duties that are not part of their regular job.  Some employers offer their employees time-off in a later pay period as compensation for the hours worked over 40 per week.  This is not allowed by the new law.  Any time worked over 40 hours per week, must be paid in that pay period as overtime.

Ministerial Exemption: If you have credentialed persons employed at your church, this new ruling does not affect them.  Credentialed persons include pastors, ministers, chaplains, LEADership ministers, etc.; anyone who has received their credentialing from Franconia Conference is included in this category.  They are covered under what is called the Ministerial Exemption and are, therefore, not subject to Federal Labor regulations.  This will continue to be the case until the government changes the ministerial exemption clause.  Employees who are not credentialed do not qualify for the ministerial exemption.

BREAKING NEWS: This is a constantly changing issue.  The most recent information indicates that two separate lawsuits have been brought against the US Department of Labor, challenging this ruling.  While it is unlikely that these lawsuits will change the ruling, they may delay its effective date.  We will try to keep you informed as new information becomes available.

If you have questions concerning this ruling or other congregational financial matters, feel free to contact the Franconia Conference Director of Finance, Conrad Martin, at ccmartin@mosaicmennonites.org.

The How of Giving

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by Conrad Martin

gift-1278395_640The subject of giving comes up many times in the scriptures, but do you know how we are supposed to give?  Here are just a few of the scriptures on how we are to give:

Cheerfully – 2 Corinthians 9:7
Each of you must give as you have made up your mind, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.

Expectantly – Luke 6:38
Give, and you will receive. Your gift will return to you in full—pressed down, shaken together to make room for more, running over, and poured into your lap. The amount you give will determine the amount you get back.

Extravagantly – Mark 12:41-44
 Sitting across from the offering box, he was observing how the crowd tossed money in for the collection. Many of the rich were making large contributions. One poor widow came up and put in two small coins—a measly two cents. Jesus called his disciples over and said, “The truth is that this poor widow gave more to the collection than all the others put together. All the others gave what they’ll never miss; she gave extravagantly what she couldn’t afford—she gave her all.”

Freely – Proverbs 11:24
One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.

Honorably – Psalms 112:9
They give freely to the poor.  The things they do are right and will continue forever.  They will be given great honor.

Joyfully – 2 Corinthians 8:2
They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.

Proportionately – Deuteronomy 16:17
All must give as they are able, according to the blessings given to them by the Lord your God.

Regularly – 1 Corinthians 16:2
On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once.

Reverently – Matthew 2:11
On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Secretly – Matthew 6:3-4
But when you give to someone in need, don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.  Give your gifts in private, and your Father, who sees everything, will reward you.

Willingly – 2 Corinthians 8:12
If a man is ready and willing to give, he should give of what he has, not of what he does not have.

And finally…

Eternally – Matthew 6:19-20
Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal.