Clergy Ember Day on Thursday

Send Us Your Church Photos!

We would like to display photographs of your church on the walls of the Bishop Henry Center. Please mail your 11x14 photographs of a church in the diocese to:

Alice Keenan

Episcopal Diocese of Western North Carolina

900B CentrePark Drive

Asheville, NC 28805

Photographs will not be returned. We will rotate the photos that are displayed on a regular basis.

Imputed Income Figures

The 2012 Imputed Income figures from CPG are in.  Numbers will be mailed out this week directly to those affected.  This relates to life insurance provided by CPG and is in addition to any insurance provided by a parish.  You must evaluate insurance provided by your parish separately. 

What is imputed income and how should it be reported for active clergy?

Section 79 of the Internal Revenue Code (IRC) requires that employers calculate imputed income for employees who receive group term life insurance coverage in excess of $50,000. Active clergy who qualify for group term life insurance coverage in excess of $50,000 are required to pay taxes on the value of that insurance coverage in excess of $50,000 and, the employer is required to report this imputed income on the cleric's Form W-2 each year. 

The value of group term life insurance provided by one or more employers is considered taxable income in the current year to the extent the insurance coverage exceeds $50,000. The Church Pension Fund provides group term life insurance coverage for all eligible clergy active in the Clergy Pension Plan. That coverage is based on four times Total Compensation (as reported to the Church Pension Fund) up to a maximum of $100,000, rounded to the nearest $500. Retired clergy group term life insurance coverage is based on four times HAC (Highest Average Compensation as determined by the Church Pension Fund) up to a maximum of $50,000, rounded to the nearest $500.

Active lay employees under the age of 72 participating in the Episcopal Church Lay Employee' Defined Benefit Retirement Plan are provided coverage up to $50,000 (two times salary with a maximum of $50,000, rounded to the nearest $500).  Active clergy and retired clergy, who receive additional group term life insurance from a diocese, church, or other employer, may have an additional income tax liability each year. Contrary to popular belief, this tax liability is not based on the actual cost of the group term life insurance.  The Internal Revenue Code ("IRC") includes a table that must be used to determine the value of this benefit.

The imputed income figure should be added to Wages in Box 1 of the W-2 and included in Box 12a with a Code of "C". 

Please contact Sue Schwein with any questions.

Cathedral of All Souls to host Las Posadas

On Friday evening, December 21, at 6pm, the Cathedral of All Souls will host Las Posadas in the church. Our guests will be members of our sister church, La Capilla de Santa María (Hendersonville), and the Latino community. We invite you to participate in this event.

If you are not familiar with the tradition of Las Posadas, on each of the nine days before Christmas, a procession of children and their families reenacts Mary and Joseph's search for a place to stay in Bethlehem.

When they come to a house, the children and the people of the house sing the song of the peregrinos (pilgrims). They may be rejected at first, but always they are eventually recognized and welcomed in. In the place, home or parish, where it has been prearranged to hold that night's posada party, the pilgrims enter and everyone may spend some time together singing Christmas songs and praying. Finally, there is a party with a piñata full of treats for the children.

If you can help out with food, please reply directly to The Rev. Thomas Murphy at 828-772-4342, or Donna Long at 828-670-8549.

2013 Parish Pledges to the Diocese

Thank you to those parishes that have submitted their 2013 pledge to the diocese! We anxiously await the remaining pledges from the rest of the parishes. Please submit your pledge as soon as possible.

 NYA = Not Yet Available

Audit Update

Thank you to those parishes that have submitted their 2011 audits to the diocese.  Many others have let us know that your audits are in process or planned, so thanks to you also.  For those of you that have not completed your audit and don't have it yet planned, please start to plan it now. 

According to the canons of the church, audits should be completed by September 1 each year for the previous year.  Fiscal Ministries met yesterday and brainstormed on ways to help those parishes needing assistance in completing audits. 

Please contact Sue Schwein at the diocese if your parish needs assistance in completing the audit. 

Parishes that have sent in their 2011 audit to the Diocese:
                                        
All Souls, Asheville

Redeemer, Asheville
St. George, Asheville
St. Giles, Asheville
St. John's, Asheville
St. Mary's Asheville
Trinity, Asheville
St. Luke's, Boone
St. Philip's, Brevard
St. Thomas, Burnsville
St. Andrews, Canton
Calvary, Fletcher
St. Agnes, Franklin
St. Cyprians, Franklin

All Saints, Gastonia

St. Marks, Gastonia
Holy Communion, Glendale Springs
St. James, Hendersonville
St. Albans, Hickory
St. James, Lenoir
St. Luke's, Lincolnton
St. John's, Marion
Holy Family, Mills River
St. Mary's, Morganton
Epiphany, Newton
St. Francis, Rutherfordton
Christ Church, Sparta
St. John's, Sylva
Grace Church, Waynesville
St. Paul's, Wilkesboro

Positions Available

Good Shepherd, Hayesville, Receiving Names

Please help your sisters and brothers in Hayesville spread the word that they are receiving names for this full time position as rector. To learn more, go to the links below.

OTM Portfolio: Click here

Transition Ministry Conference entry: http://tmc.transitionministryconference.org/newsletter.php#X38X1255

Trinity, Spruce Pine Continues to Receive Names

The good folks at Trinity, Spruce Pine need your help advertising this position as their part-time rector. Can you think of a clergy person to tell? To learn more, go to the links below:

OTM Portfolio: Click here

Transition Ministry Conference entry: http://tmc.transitionministryconference.org/newsletter.php#X38

Bishop's Address and Sermon Available Online

Bishop Taylor's Convention Address and Sermon are available online in PDF format.

The audio versions are now available here.

ECF's Fellowship Partners Program Application Process is Open!

For nearly 50 years, the Episcopal Church Foundation (ECF) has named and supported emerging scholars and ministry leaders throughout the Episcopal Church. ECF believes that by supporting individuals at an early stage in their ministries, transformational scholars and ministry leaders can make a lasting impact on the wider Church.

ECF is pleased to announce that the application process for the 2013 Fellowships is now open.

The application requires a significant commitment of time and effort and is due on March 15, 2013. The selection process for an ECF Fellowship is highly competitive and a strong application requires a significant investment of time and effort. We encourage all applicants to begin this process early.

The Fellowship Partners Program is one of the most exciting ways that ECF supports innovative scholars and ministry leaders throughout the Episcopal Church. Click here to read about recent Fellows and be sure to check out the most recent edition of Fellows News. 

Diocesan Prayer Cycle

Click here to download the Diocesan Cycle of Prayer for 2012-2013.

Camp Henry Needs You!

Camp Henry is looking for Chaplains to help spread God's word to children and youth in the summer of 2013.  Camp Henry is a very important ministry that our diocese provides to the children and youth of our area and beyond.  Camp Henry also helps provide a foundation of faith that lasts a lifetime for many of its participants. 

If you are interested in serving as a chaplain for the summer of 2013 or at some point in the future please contact Ian Williams, the Director of Camp Henry either by phone at (828) 646-0272 or by email at camphenry@lakelogan.org.

We are able to provide a full scholarship to the child of your choice to the session of their choice or we can pay a small stipend in return for giving us a bit of your time and talents.  Thank you and I hope this quick message finds you well.

Also, we are looking for Nurses and/or Doctors who are currently certified in North Carolina to serve for a week at camp as our Health Services Provider. 

Each week we have 50-80 children and youth who spend their time running, swimming, dancing, singing, etc.  They have a trans-formative, uplifting, and fun time and you can help make their experience as safe and great as possible. 

The Health Services Provider administers medications, cleans up scrapes and bruises, and advises staff and parents on more involved medical situations (we do as much as possible to avoid such cases, but its camp, they are kids, and things do happen although very infrequently). 

This is a chance to spend a week in a beautiful place and help them experience fellowship and fun in a safe place.  Nurses and/or Doctors who give us their time and training will be compensated by giving a week of camp to the camper and session of their choice.

If you are interested in this opportunity or know someone who is, please contact Camp Henry by phone at (828) 646-0272 or by email at camphenry@lakelogan.org.  

Advent Evening with the Bishop

Please join us at St. George's Episcopal Church on Wednesday, December 12th, at 6pm for an Advent evening with Bishop Porter Taylor. We will share a simple supper, and then Bishop Taylor will offer a talk, "How do we wait? Who are we waiting for?"

Advent is when we learn to wait, which is always hard for us. We live in an age of instant gratification. We push a button and something happens. We arm ourselves with our time saving gadgets to give us the illusion of control.

Advent begins when we stop thinking about what we can do and focus on waiting to see what God is already doing and has promised to do. In Advent we realize how little we can change and instead rely completely on God to bring God's Kingdom near.

Bishop Taylor will explore how to wait in a culture of distraction and frenetic activity. He will also lead a discussion to aid in reclaiming the Christian virtue of hope -- of remembering we are not waiting for anything under the Christmas tree but we wait for the Savior of the world who will bring God's reign of justice and peace and mercy near. As we sing, O Come O Come Emmanuel, and ransom captive Israel, that mourns in lonely exile here until the Son of God appear.

The talk will be followed by 15-20 minutes of Q/A, reflection, and discussion. The program is free, with a suggested donation for dinner. Please email Cynthia at csbassett@hotmail.com or leave a message at 828-423-3450 with number of people attending and any dietary restrictions.

Sponsored by the Center for Spiritual Resources, a joint initiative of the Cathedral of All Souls and the Diocese of WNC.

Christmas Needs for Church of the Advocate

 As Christmas approaches, Church of the Advocate is busy preparing for its big holiday dinner on Sunday, Dec 16th, a time for food, fellowship, and a time when much-needed and appreciated gifts are given to those in our community who are grateful for even the most basic necessities.

We hope you will continue to be a part of this holy and joyous event and will bless this event with your support.

Jazz Mass in Morganton

The sweet and soulful sound, rhythm, and style of traditional jazz greeted Bishop Taylor when he visited St. Mary's and St. Stephen's Episcopal Churches in Morganton on Sunday December 9.

Church Leadership Conference at Kanuga

Resolutions from Convention

For the final resolutions passed at Convention, click here.

Liturgical Resources for Blessing Same-Gender Relationships

The Clergy Reources section of our website now includes a link to liturgical resources for blessing same-gender relationships.

The linked document includes a discussion guide to I Will Bless You, and You Will Be a Blessing.

Did you Know?

If your church is paying a priest $200 or more per month for at least three months, you need to be contributing to the pension plan.

There are some exceptions. For complete information, read "A Guide to Benefits Under the Clergy Pension Plan."

Overview of General Convention

For an overview of activities at the General Convention in July, click here.