You'll enjoy this email more if you download pictures. To do that, right-click here.

~ Addressing Congregational Finance and Administration ~
In This Issue
Quick Links
Peter K 5 Minutes to Fitness
Audit Guidelines
 
Deadlines & Dates
Now
Mandatory ACA Notices

October 31 - November 21
Open Enrollment

November 15
Mission Share Pledges Due

December 7
Planned Giving Luncheon

March 15
Vital Congregations Day


Join Our Mailing List
Stay Connected

Facebook   Twitter   LinkedIn   Pinterest
November 2013
 
Julie Young
 
I imagine that all of you are now grappling with your budgets as I am. I know that some of you are also still finishing up your audits from last year. It is easy to feel drained by the administrative details of running a church. If you ever feel that way, I offer you the following passage from Russell Crabtree's book, A Fly in the Ointment, for encouragement:
 
"The spiritual gift of administration is often the stepchild of the church, but what the gift of preaching may build and what the gift of healing may remedy can be largely undone by slipshod administration. People mentally equate administration with bureaucracy; they imagine inaccessible people sitting behind desks buried in policies and procedures. In reality, the gift of administration provides the organizational blueprint for the Body of Christ, specifies how all the parts are arranged, and serves as the ligaments that hold all the parts together so that the Body can function without fear that a hand might fall off when the arm is called into action. . . . The gift of administration gives members of the Body the practical tools to do the work of ministry."

And so I thank those of you who devote yourselves to effective finance and administration. Great work! 
 
Respectfully,
Canon Julie Young
Canon for Finance and Administration and Diocesan Treasurer
jyoung@edsd.org
   
Mission Share Pledges Due Nov. 15
Thank you to the congregations who have already submitted mission share pledge forms for 2014. Special thanks to those of you who have pledged more than 10%: St. Alban's, El Cajon; St. John's, Fallbrook; St. Luke's, North Park; and Grace, San Marcos. The diocese has committed to increase its giving to The Episcopal Church by 10% every year until it reaches the target giving percent. Out of a spirit of faithful giving, this is the first line item in our budget each year. I ask that you do the same with the diocese. Together we are greater than the sum of our parts.

 

 
CA Employment Law Compliance
All workplaces are required to display California and Federal employment law postings. Since laws change frequently, it is necessary to change postings each year. The California Chamber of Commerce publishes an all-in-one poster that is a convenient way to assure compliance with the law. Posters available here. The Diocese of San Diego is a member of the California Chamber of Commerce so preferred rates are available if you order in our name.
Unemployment & Disability Insurance
The diocese and its congregations, as religious organizations, are exempt from providing employees with unemployment or disability insurance. Historically most have chosen not to do so. There are reasons of fairness and risk management as an employer to offer these benefits. The personnel committee has researched alternative unemployment and disability programs. They concluded that the simplest and most cost-effective programs are the state unemployment (SUI) and disability insurance (SDI) programs. Accordingly, the personnel committee crafted a resolution that was passed by Executive Council requiring the Office of the Bishop and all missions, and recommending that parishes, offer unemployment and state disability insurance to their employees. The Office of the Bishop has implemented these insurances this year. I encourage you to consider the same beginning in January 2014. The cost is reasonable and it provides an important safety net for our employees. We have created a step-by-step instruction to apply for the insurance programs. It is available on the diocesan website.
Health Insurance
We are currently in open enrollment for 2014 health insurance. All employees that are currently enrolled should have received information at their homes. Please review the plan offerings for 2014 and go online to check your personal information even if you do not want to change your insurance plan. Most importantly, please offer insurance to all employees that work over 20 hours per week even if they are not full-time. You do not need to pay for any part of their insurance if they work less than 30 hours per week but you should offer it. Thrift shop or school employees should be offered insurance. Plans and enrollment forms are available on our website at http://www.edsd.org/dentalhealth/.
 
 
Lay Pension Plans
Important News for Schools!
The lay pension plan went into effect January 1, 2013 for all lay employees including thrift shops, but not schools. Schools are allowed a phase-in period as follows:

Extended Phase-In Schedule of Employer Contributions
for Schools Only

Required as of:Base ContributionMatch Contribution
1/1/2014
1%0%
1/1/20152%1%
1/1/20163%2%
1/1/20174%3%
1/1/20185%4%


Employees are eligible immediately upon employment; there is no waiting period!
Housing Resolutions
Don't forget to have your vestry pass a housing resolution for your priests so that they can benefit from the income tax exemption on the cost of housing. A template is available on the diocesan website. 
Planned Giving Luncheon
Join us for a special workshop on planned giving and creation of endowments on Saturday, December 7 at 12 p.m. at the Episcopal Church Center, 2083 Sunset Cliffs Blvd., San Diego. Lunch will be served! Episcopal Church Foundation ans State Street Global Advisors will be with us. To secure your spot at the workshop, please RSVP to Keren Rodriguez, 619-481-5455 by Monday, December 2.
Vital Congregations Day 2014
Save the date for Vital Congregations Day: March 15, 2014 at St. Bartholomew's, 16275 Pomerado Rd., Poway. Workshop tracks will be offered that cover everything that vestries, priests and employees need to know to become a vital congregation, including a robust finance and administration track that will include finance and accounting, audits, insurance, and human resources. Stay tuned!
The Episcopal Diocese of San Diego | 619-481-5453 | jyoung@edsd.org  | www.edsd.org
2728 Sixth Avenue, San Diego, CA 92103

~ Serving and Assisting Financial and Administrative Leaders ~

Copyright © 2012. All Rights Reserved.