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Finance Committee

Finance Committee. Rev. Nate Berneking, Director of Finance and Administration. Who is on Finance?. a representative of the trustees to be selected by the trustees the chairperson of the ministry group on stewardship the lay leader the financial secretary; the treasurer

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Finance Committee

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  1. Finance Committee Rev. Nate Berneking, Director of Finance and Administration

  2. Who is on Finance? • a representative of the trustees to be selected by the trustees • the chairperson of the ministry group on stewardship • the lay leader • the financial secretary; • the treasurer • the church business administrator • and other members to be added as the charge conference may determine ¶ 258.4 • the chairperson • the pastor(s) • a lay member of the annual conference • the chairperson of the church council • the chairperson or representative of the committee on pastor-parish relations

  3. Four Duties of Finance Budgeting and Management Stewardship and Income Reporting and Communication Audit and Internal Controls

  4. Budgeting All financial askings to be included in the annual budget of the local church shall be submitted to the committee on finance. The committee on finance shall compile annually a complete budget for the local church and submit it to the church council for review and adoption. The committee on finance shall be charged with responsibility for developing and implementing plans that will raise sufficient income to meet the budget adopted by the church council. It shall administer the funds received according to instructions from the church council.

  5. Stewardship Where there is no stewardship ministry area, stewardship shall be the responsibility of a subgroup of the committee on finance or shall be assigned to a task group that shall report to the church council. The committee shall carry out the church council's directions in guiding the treasurer(s) and financial secretary.

  6. Keys to Effective Stewardship Have you prayed about it? Does the Leadership Team tithe? Does the pastor tithe? Is the program based on the giver’s need to give or the church’s need to receive? Can you draw a straight line from each line item of your budget to your mission? Do you talk about stewardship all year? Stewardship moments

  7. Reporting and Communication The importance of transparency Reports for Church Council Reporting to the church The committee shall carry out the church council's directions in guiding the treasurer(s) and financial secretary

  8. Reporting and Communication Tax Records Donors who make a contribution of $250 or more must have a “contemporaneous written acknowledgment from the donor organization.” This written document should include the church’s name (perhaps on letterhead) and provide the following data: • The name of the donor. • The date and amount of each contribution of $250 or more during the year. • A statement that no goods or services were provided to the donor in exchange for the contribution. • A description and good faith estimate of the value of any noncash property contributed.

  9. Record Retention • www.gcah.org, under Managing Records of the Annual Conference • This 60 page booklet offers answers to many common questions about which records to keep and for how long.

  10. Record Retention Of particular importance is the retention of insurance policies and related documents. When a lawsuit arises, the effective policy will be the one in effect at the time the claim arose. Do you know where your policy is from 2005? 1985?

  11. Audits and Internal Controls ¶ 258.4 cont’d c) The committee on finance shall establish written financial policies to document the internal controls of the local church. The written financial policies should be reviewed for adequacy and effectiveness annually by the committee on finance and submitted as a report to the charge conference annually.

  12. Internal Controls Minimums Internal policies, at a minimum, might include: • who collects, counts, records, and deposits all monies • who is part of the counting team (not less than two non-family members should count and verify offerings (258.4a) • distribution on contribution records • authorization process for purchases • check signing policy • bank reconciliation • reimbursement policy with documentation • petty cash disbursement/purposes/accounting

  13. Internal Controls Resources We suggest the following resources may be helpful in developing Internal Controls policies: The Vile Practices of Church Leadership 2017-2020 United Methodist Church Financial Records Handbook” Both may be ordered from Cokesbury.

  14. Counting and Separating Duties ¶ 258.4 cont’d Designate at least two persons not of the immediate family residing in the same household to count the offering. They shall work under the supervision of the financial secretary. A record of all funds received shall be given to the financial secretary and treasurer. Funds received shall be deposited promptly in accordance with the procedures established by the committee on finance, preferably by yet another person. The financial secretary shall keep records of the contributions and payments.

  15. Audits ¶ 258.4 cont’d The committee shall make provision for an annual audit of the financial statements of the local church and all its organizations and accounts… A local church audit is defined as an independent evaluation of the financial reports and records and the internal controls of the local church by a qualified person or persons…

  16. Audits • The audit may include: • 1) a review of the cash and investment reconciliations • 2) interviews with the treasurer, financial secretary, pastor(s), finance committee chair, business manager, those who count offerings, church secretary, etc., with inquiries regarding compliance with existing written financial policies • 3) a review of journal entries and authorized check signers for each account • 4) other procedures requested by the committee on finance.

  17. The Local Church Audit Guide www.gcfa.org/audit

  18. Audit Form moumethodist.org/forms/ Search “Audit” The committee shall make a full and complete report to the annual charge conference.

  19. Audits The audit shall be performed by an audit committee composed of persons unrelated to the persons involved in the processes or by an independent certified public accountant (CPA), accounting firm, or equivalent.

  20. Additional Considerations ¶ 258.4 cont’d Contributions designated for specific causes and objects shall be promptly forwarded according to the intent of the donor and shall not be used for any other purpose. (11) After the budget of the local church has been approved, additional appropriations or changes in the budget must be approved by the church council. The committee shall prepare annually a report to the church council of all designated funds that separate from the current expense budget. (11). See Judicial Council Decision 976.

  21. Financial Secretary Oversees counting Receives funds Keeps donor records

  22. Treasurer Keeps records Prepares reports Disburses funds

  23. Tax Resources • www.gcfa.org • Departments & Services • Legal services • www.churchlawtodaystore.com • Church & Clergy Tax Guide

  24. The Pastoral Support Form (PSF) The Pastoral Support Form: an official agreement between the church and the pastor. Information reported on this form is used for several purposes: Setting pastoral compensation for the charge. Reporting compensation to the General Board of Pension (CONFERENCE) Reporting compensation to the Internal Revenue Service (LOCAL CHURCH) Reporting compensation to the Appointive Cabinet

  25. How are Apportionments figured? Everybody asks, so here it is…

  26. The Apportionment Formula Apportionments are based solely on expenses reported on Table II of the year end statistical reports, lines 39 through 47 minus 57A. Note that 47A is OUR designation, not GCFA’s. These lines represent the operating expenses of the church and exclude expenses related to capital improvements, building programs, and preschool programs.

  27. Figuring Apportionments Average Qualified Expenses Find Conference Total Expense Determine the Decimal Multiply by the Budget Consider the 30% Limit

  28. 1. Average Qualified Expenses To calculate a church’s 2018 apportionments we average their qualified expenses from the 2014, 2015 & 2016 year end statistics for each church.

  29. 1. Average Qualified Expenses

  30. 2. Find Conference Total Expenses We total all of these expenses for every church across the conference.

  31. 2. Find Conference Total Expenses

  32. 3. Determine the Decimal Whatever portion of the total your church represents is your “decimal” or the percentage of the apportionments total for which your church is responsible.

  33. 3. Determine the Decimal

  34. 4. Multiply by the Budget Your decimal is then multiplied by the approved budget and we get your apportionment.

  35. 5. Apply the 30% limit There is one exception, no church’s apportionments may increase or decrease by more than 30% in any given year. OK one more. New Church Starts are given a “multiplier” and phased in at 25% of their total, each year after they charter. After 4 years, they pay 100%.

  36. Figuring Apportionments Average Qualified Expenses Find Conference Total Expense Determine the Decimal Multiply by the Budget Consider the 30% Limit

  37. So, Why did ours change? • Local Church Spending relating to the Conference Total • The Conference Total spending has been increasing between 2% and 3% per year. • The Conference Budget (has been reduced 18% in last 12 years, but has increased occasionally) • Closed Churches • Please note that the three year averaging of expenses will reduce the impact of any one year’s variance.

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