FMC Stewardship
Congregational Budgeting and Church Finance tips
Resourcing Church Treasurers and Finance Committees
In his June 15th Depth Perception, Mark Vincent emphasizes the need for church treasurers and finance committees to be given resources, just as a congregation's kitchen committee, worship band, and Christian education department are resourced to meet their needs. This sounds like a great idea.
Finance Tips has been offering a few of these resources (see below), but the one resource featured in Mark's article, Church Treasurer Alert!, is available in the Conference Resource Center. Mark suggests that it might be a good idea for each church to subscribe for their own copy of this helpful publication. Additional related resources are Church Law & Tax Report, also available in the Resource Center, and an online service www.churchlawtoday.com. All three of these have proved very helpful for staff at the Conference Center.
Archive of Previous Tips
What are Blogs?
Coming soon (to a Web site near you): FMC Blogs. For future congregational budget and church finance tips, look for the new Franconia Conference Web site, which will include blogs. (A blog is a web log; which allows for a running conversation (between me and you) on any number of topics.) This will allow for faster turn around on church budgeting/finance/stewardship tips and it will also allow you to make comments on my notes and share information you have received from your experiences. - Conrad Martin, Director of Finance
Teleios
In the past you have been receiving Teleios as part of your Equipping packets from Mennonite Church USA. This publication was created especially for you by MMA to help you with stewardship issues within your congregation. MMA will be printing only two more paper copies of Teleios before moving totally to an e-mail version. To view this online, please go to: http://www.mma-online.org/congregations/teleois.html. To subscribe to the online version, send an e-mail to: teleios@mma-online.org.
Stewardship Resources
Churches continually ask, "What resources are available for our Treasurers, our Finance Committee, or even for teaching stewardship in our congregations?" Here are some resources that are available at the Mennonite Conference Center, online or elsewhere. There are many other books, videos, etc. available in the Resource Center of the Mennonite Conference Center.
Resource Available through FMC
Franconia Mennonite Conference (FMC) has entered a licensing agreement with Mark Vincent and Design for MinistryTM for accessing the Design for Ministry team of consultants to provide services to FMC congregations and Conference Related Organizations (CROs). Services include: capital campaign services, stewardship education, project design and management, strategic planning and design services, executive search services, and many other services. For more information about the partnership, click here or call 215-723-5513, ext. 142.
View the FMC brochure, Reaching Out...
What does FMC do that adds value to your congregation? Read the brochure to find out.
Want to know where contributions to FMC go? Click on this link for a chart and graph that illustrates how contributions to FMC are currently budgeted to be used for the Fiscal Year ending January 2007.
Area Conference Leadership Fund
ACLF is a fund to assist persons who are applying for an Anabaptist church leadership training or seminary education in preparation for church-related ministries.
The application period is now closed for the 2006-2007 school year.
Firstfruits Direct Giving System of Mennonite Church USA
Mennonite Church USA is introducing a new way to contribute to your congregation, area conference and the Mennonite Church boards and agencies. It's called Firstfruits Direct Giving and is an electronic funds transfer system that provides an efficient and low-cost alternative to traditional giving methods. MMA is even providing a grant toward the start-up fees of this system in your congregation.
Financial Guidelines for Churches and Pastors and other info
For Congregational Treasurers:
Rich Moyer, FMC's Treasurer, has developed a document that can assist congregations in handling pastor's and other church employees' salaries and benefits and other congregational finances.
For Congregational Stewardship/Finance Committees:
The Conference Board Ministerial Committee has developed a document to help congregational stewardship/finance committees to process the salaries and benefits for their pastors.
For MC USA Guidelines:
(Check out the Salaries and Benefits guidelines for pastors as published by Mennonite Church USA.)
