PARISH ADMINISTRATION & FINANCE ENEWS
FEBRUARY 2019
"Values Investing" product now available for D&B participants
by Louis Fuertes

The Trustees of Donations & Bequests (D&B) have made a new investment option available to ECCT parishes. The “Values Investing Fund” is intended to provide parishes an opportunity to direct their investment dollars towards corporations that have acted in a way that is consistent with Episcopal values in a number of dimensions:

  • These corporations have adapted their operations and distribution practices to reduce their environmental impact.
  • They have pursued employment practices, workplace standards and subcontractor agreements that provide for reasonable working conditions. Their products and services provide clear benefits to their customers. They are active supporters of their communities.
  • They have adopted enlightened corporate governance practices:
  • With corporate boards made up of individuals with diverse personal backgrounds and professional experiences,
  • With board-level oversight of a robust set of management practices and business risks.
 
D&B’s new “Values Investing Fund” is representative of “ESG” funds that screen potential investment options based on their E nvironmental, S ocial justice and corporate G ov ernance characteristics. ESG funds are a very rapidly growing investment category, particularly among foundations and not-for-profit organizations. ESG funds have experienced investment performance comparable to other investment funds with comparable asset allocations. This has been true for the investment vehicle selected by D&B Trustees for D&B’s Values Investing Fund. Like D&B’s Balance Return Fund, the Values Investing Fund has a target asset allocation of 57% corporate stocks, 35% fixed income securities, 5% tangible assets and 3% cash. ECCT’s Missionary Society Board has elected to be the initial participant in D&B’s new Values Investing Fund.

Parishes interested in learning more about how they can invest in a manner that is consistent with Episcopalian values should contact Theresa Dupont, Secretary for D&B at tdupont@episcopalct.org , or 203-639-3501, ext. 125, for more information. More info on D&B here.
What determines whether your parish is in Good Standing in 2019?
By Louis Fuertes

Parishes that will be recognized as being in Good Standing will comply with canons of The Episcopal Church and the canons of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut with respect to financial reporting and financial management practices.

Financial reporting requirements include:
  • Completion and submission of parish Parochial Reports (due March 1)
  • Completion and submission of financial audits (for parishes with total revenues over $750.000) or financial reviews (audits and reviews for 2018 are both due on September 1, 2019)

Financial management practices include:
  • Timely payment of Common Mission Support and mandatory insurance premiums (property, casualty, worker’s compensation as well as Group Life, Medical and Dental insurance for eligible employees)
  • Timely payment of pension contributions for eligible clergy and lay employees
  • Sustainable draws on parish investment assets consistent with ECCT Canon I.11.B
  • Appropriate oversight of the management of parish investment assets as specified by ECCT Canon IV.2.A

Bishops and Canons have agreed to add another criterion to these canonical requirements. Parishes in Good Standing will have completed ECCT’s Parish Survey (and updated it within the past two years) to be recognized as being in Good Standing. ECCT’s Parish Survey provides us with information about the ministries that are active in your parish, along with information on the leaders of these ministries. This information allows ECCT staff and Region Missionaries to identify easily and quickly those parishes that might collaborate in ministry initiatives and in addressing issues in the different neighborhoods we serve.
Parish Survey "How-to"
by Matt Handi

Parishes can access the survey here: https://www.episcopalct.org/church-login/

If your parish has yet to complete their survey, please find instructions on how to submit your data here: https://www.episcopalct.org/FileRepository/DownloadFile.aspx?FileID=1758

Your bishops and staff at the Commons have been working on ways to bolster collaboration between parishes and the people of the Episcopal Church in Connecticut working towards God’s mission and have rolled out a parish survey that supports this effort. We ask that all parishes complete their surveys in a timely manner and then refresh their data annually.

Contact Matt Handi at 203-639-3501, ext. 107 if you require assistance or further information.
Parish treasurers: Are you calculating clergy compensation correctly?
Parish clergy: Are you being compensated correctly?
by Louis Fuertes
Parish leaders and members of the clergy are mutually responsible for verifying that all facets of clergy compensation have been calculated correctly and that the parish’s payroll processor has implemented instructions correctly. The Treasurers’ Newsletter has step-by-step instructions for determining clergy compensation, along with a slew of fascinating footnotes (well, let’s just say that they’re pretty informative) that are likely to help you through many of the questions you might have.

We’ve recently heard a diocesan urban legend that staff at The Commons audits clergy compensation to make certain that clergy are being compensated accurately. This particular diocesan urban legend is not even remotely true. Parish leaders and clergy members themselves are the first, last and only line of defense for finding and correcting clergy compensation errors.

If you are uncertain if your parish priest is being compensated correctly, please contact Amber Page Gehr ( apagegehr@episcopalct.org , 203-639-3501, ext 131), Administrator for Transitions and Clergy Support, who can assist you.
HR Matters:
It's the law now: Past compensation not a topic for employment interviews
by Kayla Tubolino

One of former Governor Dannel Malloy’s last public acts was to sign “An Act Concerning Pay Equity” into effect, giving prospective employees a new protection. This act is an attempt to remedy the pay disparity between men and women. The pay gap has been perpetuated by continuing to ask candidates for their pay information and then making offers based off this information. What does this act mean for employers?

Effective January 1, 2019, prospective employees may not be asked about past wages and compensations histories at any point during the hiring process. The candidate may choose to volunteer this information, however.

If your parishes have an application that includes a request to list former salaries, please take this out. In the interview process, please refrain from asking about candidates current or past salary. Instead, you may ask, “What are your salary requirements for this role?”
Property insurance claim reporting process
has changed!
By Louis Fuertes and Matt Handi

After years of a positive partnership with our previous insurance broker, Willis, the Episcopal Church in Connecticut decided to part ways and engaged a new insurance broker, Beecher Carlson, beginning in September 2018. The decision was made for several reasons; most notably we were looking for an opportunity to enhance our current insurance programs and to select a more cost-effective partner in the process.

Due to the change we want to provide all of you with the proper contacts at Beecher Carlson so that you know who to touch-base with if you need a certificate of insurance, have to report a claim or have a general question about insurance and/or safety. Please see below for the applicable contact information.

Account management:
  • All general questions should be addressed to: Joe Roberta, Managing Director, 646-358-8517 or cell 646-596-0630; jroberta@beechercarlson.org

Certificates of Insurance/Evidence of Coverage:
  • For evidence of insurance or an auto ID card: Linda Volpe, Client Services Administrator, 646-658-8543 or cell 646-740-6217, lvolpe@beechercarlson.org

Claims Reporting Information

Type of Loss: General Liability or Automobile Liability.  Example of General Liability Loss: A third party slips or falls at the Church. Example of Auto Liability Loss – You get into a car accident
  • Aaron Eutermoser, Senior Claims Advocate, 404-460-1342, cell 404-210-0332, aeutermoser@beechercarlson.com

Type of Loss: Workers Compensation.  Example: An employee is injured at work.  
  • Please also cc Aaron Eutermoser at aeutermoser@beechercarlson.com
  • Carrier Contact: The Hartford New Loss Reporting, 800-327-3636, fax: 800-347-8197, email: lossconnect@thehartford.com
  • Include current policy number of 08WBAA9HK3 for new loss submission

Type of Loss: Property. Example: Water or Fire causes damage to your Church.
  • Jim Cyr, Managing Director, 617-532-9459, cell 617-803-6285, jcyr@beechercarslon.com

In addition to the above please feel free to contact Matt Handi at 203-639-33501, ext.107 with any questions or concerns.

 
Excess liability premium now added to parish invoices

You will notice a new line item on your March invoices and going forward throughout 2019 detailing the cost of Excess Liability premiums. This line item was just added to the parish invoices as we did not have the final premium cost settled until recently. The total annual premium will be divided into 10 separate payments reflecting the number of months left in the year. Please contact Matt Handi at 203-639-3501,ext. 107 if you have any questions or concerns.
Parochial Reporting update and other considerations
By Louis Fuertes and Karolyn Nicolaides

Parochial Reports are due by March 1, which is rapidly approaching. Clergy leaders, treasurers, wardens, parish administrators, take note! Parochial Report findings should be shared with vestry members who should vote to approve them so they can be finalized on the PR.DFMS website. After your Parochial Report has been approved by your vestry, the individuals who prepared and oversaw the different sections of the Parochial Report should sign a paper copy of the document and the signed copy should be mailed to Karolyn Nicolaides at The Commons, 290 Pratt Street, Box 52, Meriden, CT 06450. Corrections and revisions on 2018 Parochial Report submissions will be accepted until June 1, 2019. 
                                                           
ECCT’s finance staff thanks the 18 parishes and their clergy, finance administrators, bookkeepers and treasurers who participated in the Parochial Report 101 sessions over the past month. If you were unable to attend one of these informative sessions, please consider signing up for the "Treasurer’s Tool Kit" class at Spring Training on April 27 when some of this material will be reviewed again.
A nnual Spring Training & Gathering (for laity and clergy) April 27 in Berlin CT - Registration is now open

The 7th Annual Spring Training & Gathering will be held Saturday, April 27, 2019 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Berlin High School, 139 Patterson Way, Berlin CT. This is a change in location from that previously announced, and from prior years.

Join Episcopalians from across the Episcopal Church in Connecticut for a day of fellowship, learning, prayer and fun. All are welcome - people in the pews to vestry members to parish leaders and staff.

Workshop Categories: Christian Formation; Communication; Connecting & Collaborating; Essential Parish Operations; Leadership; Pastoral Care; Season of Racial Healing, Justice & Reconciliation (new in 2019); Social Justice & Advocacy; Spiritual Practices (new in 2019); Stewardship; Worship.

Every workshop category contains at least one new workshop this year. Additionally, three workshops will be offered with Spanish translation, one during each workshop session. They are Collaboration: What's all this "Joining Jesus" really about?, Seasons of Grace, Seasons of Hope, and Latino Music Jam.


Bishops' upcoming visitation schedule

February 17: Ahrens - All Saints, Meriden; Douglas - St. Andrew's, Northford
February 24: Ahrens - St. Stephen's, East Haddam
March 3: Ahrens - St. Paul's, Riverside; Douglas - St. Paul's, Plainfield
March 12-15, House of Bishops (Ahrens and Douglas)
March 24: Ahrens - Calvary, Stonington; Douglas - Trinity, New Haven
March 31: Ahrens - Our Saviour, Plainville; Douglas - Christ Church, Stratford
April 14: Ahrens - St. Alban's, Danielson; Douglas - All Saints, East Hartford
April 28: Douglas - Iglesia Betania, Stamford
2018 - 2019 ECCT Cycle of Prayer Now Available
Parish admins invited to join a listserve

Want to chat with colleagues about ACS vs PowerChurch? Offer tips on more successful mail merges? Get suggestions on names for a new campaign?  Alison Hollo , Senior Administrator for the Office of the Episcopate, invites parish administrators to forward her their names and email addresses to be added to an ECCT listserve for parish admins. 

As a member of Bishops' Executive Secretaries Together (B+E+S+T), Alison has participated in their listserve and wants to make the same opportunity available for parish admins in ECCT. 
Helpful Links
2019 Treasurers' Newsletter can be found here . Included: Clergy Compensation, Insurance, Lay Pension, Church Records, Supply Clergy, Tax and other IRS information, and other management operations. 
2018 Treasurers' Newsletter can be found  here.
2 019 Spring Safe Church Training Schedule here. (Choose "Option 1" or "Option 2" links for Basic Safe Church Training info and dates)

Manual of Business Methods in Church Affairs  linked on this page  (English and Spanish)
The next issue of the Parish Admin & Finance eNewsletter will be published mid-April.