MONEY GAMES

A lot of unhealthy practices and attitudes in church families revolve around money. Transformational leadership will involve gently and persistently replacing the games with a healthier culture.

The Game:

1. Strong leaders control the parish by controlling the purse. Sometimes known as "lay popes".

  • Remedy: The rector appoints one of the two wardens and the three together appoint the treasurer. Give gentle but firm messages that you want to work co-operatively but that the parish cannot be held hostage to any individual or clique

    • 2. The true resources of the parish are concealed to protect the funds from reckless rectors and advisory boards.

  • Remedy: Ensure that regular financial reports fully disclose all resources such as: trust funds, term deposits, special funds, etc.
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    3. Special gifts are received and applied to projects so as to avoid and evade diocesan apportionment.

  • Remedy: Insist that all parish incomes show fairly in the statements. Consult with the diocesan treasurer where in doubt.

    • 4. Often the rector is chased out on a "capital projects limb". Roof repairs and building projects and their special appeals can rob the parish of its necessary ongoing resources and programme resources for creative ministry.

  • Remedy: Insist that the parish does its budget realistically and that capital improvements are built into the ordinary budgeting procedures by appropriate amortization.

    • 5. Today parishes get gripped by the "pay down the debt syndrome". Mission and ministry are often put on hold so that people can pay off a big mortgage quickly.

  • Remedy: Make sure the debts and capital improvements are amortized over an appropriate period so that these goals can be achieved but not at the expense of mission and ongoing needs.

    • 6. Often treasurers will want to pay the diocese at the end of the year.

  • Remedy: All this achieves is to push up the interest costs to the diocese. When this is recovered from other parishes through apportionment that really becomes a grant from the other churches to yours. Insist that the parish covers its own interest costs for borrowing and late returns.

    • 7. Incumbents have a few games as well: ignoring the budget, failing to insist that there is a budget, or failing to get authorization for expenditures beyond the budget.

  • Remedy: Each parish needs a clear sense of purpose and mission. All financial arrangements should be completely transparent. It should be a climate where people feel free to ask a question and get a straight answer at any time. People need to own and share in the spending decisions appropriately through the advisory board and annual meeting.

    • 8. A few people do all of the stewing and worrying as the ship sinks.

  • Remedy: The whole body needs to be kept aware of the financial health of the family through properly developed stewardship information plan. The plan needs to develop a climate of abundance, sharing, and generosity rather than stinginess, control and mediocrity.

    • Item XIII

    ©1999 Ronald C. Ferris