Clergy and Church Information & Forms
| Southwest Conference UCC |
| UCC Local Church Information Forms for 2011/2012 Each church has been mailed a packet of Year-End forms due to the National UCC office by early February. These forms serve a variety of purposes and it is important that they be submitted accurately and on time. The Local Church Report (Form G) is used, among other things, to update the national UCC Directory that serves as the official listing of all UCC churches and partner organizations. The following are duplicates of these 3 forms if you need them.A standardized instruction sheet is also available, but please don’t hesitate to call the SWC office if you have any questions as to how a particular question is to be answered. These forms are all based on 2011, so as soon as your financial report is finalized for 2011, this information can be easily filled out. Once completed, please mail to the SWC office: 4423 N. 24th St., suite 600, Phoenix, AZ 85016. Due date is 1/31/2012. Boundary Training for Clergy and Lay Persons One of the Southwest Conference requirements for maintaining authorized ministerial standing in the United Church of Christ is participation in boundary training every five years. Boundary Training for Retired Clergy COCAM has set a new policy for retired clergy with standing in the SWC. The committee established a policy of retirement boundary training within the first three years of retirement. Current retirees who have taken boundary training in retirement are exempted and those retirees who engage in an active call will be required to take standard boundary training during the duration of the call within the first twelve months. A special Retirement Boundaries session will be developed. Retired clergy not in compliance will be notified when this new class is available. There is nothing that they need to do until then. Changes in policies around ministerial authorization COCAM is implementing more stringent requirements for authorized ministry. Licensed and Commissioned ministers will be required to have a criminal background check, a self-disclosure statement, and a psychological evaluation. These requirements are already made of all ordained ministers and now will be standard for all authorized ministry: ordained, licensed, and commissioned. Background Disclosure Statement Background disclosure statement form for ministry authorized by the United Church of Christ. Check Disbursement Form Please use this form whenever money is sent to the SWC office. Amounts designated for each category should be listed next to the appropriate line item. Anything not specifically listed should be designated in the “Other” section. The form can be saved and filled out on the computer- the amounts will automatically total. However, the filled-out form cannot be saved, so please make a hard copy for your records. Print and send 2 copies of the completed form along with your check(s) that equal the total on the form. When sending camper money, fill in the total amount paid toward each camp and list the specific camper names and the amount associated with each camper in the bottom section of the form or on an attachment. If you have any questions, please contact the SWC office. Supply Preachers list The conference offers this list as a courtesy to our congregations, but does not arrange pulpit supply. The Southwest Conference Search and Call Process The Southwest Conference posts openings on the UCC Employment Opportunities on the national website, www.ucc.org. If a minister is interested in being considered for a church opening posted there, then she/he asks the National Profile Office to send his/her profile to the Southwest Conference. Then the minister contacts Barbara Decker at BDecker@uccswc.org to request that his/her profile be sent to that particular congregation. If the minister wishes to see the local church profile, then she/he must contact the church directly. Annual Information Review for UCC Ministers All authorized ministers must participate in regular information reviews in order to maintain their authorization (United Church of Christ Manual on Ministry). If you did not complete a form for the period Jan 1-Dec 31, 2011, please contact Barbara Decker in the Southwest Conference Office at 602-468-3830 or BDecker@uccswc.org. Supporting our Ministry: 2010 Compensation Guidelines for Authorized Ministries This resource is entitled "Supporting our Ministry" because ordained clergy, commissioned and licensed ministers are called and compensated for the sake of the whole church's ministry and mission. Any who recommend, determine or evaluate compensation for those leaders, therefore, need to understand compensation in the context of the whole church's ministry. The Conference Committee on Church and Ministry and Conference Staff conducts a statistical survey annually of the past year church staff salary/housing packages actually paid by the churches in the conference as reported by the churches in their year end reports. This information is taken into consideration to update salary and housing recomendations. 2009 Pension Boards Clergy Salary Survey Information in this report includes a salary study for 2009 for ordained ministers whose salary was reported to the Pension Boards, reports by Conference and reports by gender. SWC UCC Internal Controls/Best Practices One way to be responsible stewards of our resources is through effective management structure and internal financial controls. In any size church it is very important that appropriate and reasonable controls be implemented to protect the temporal goods of the Church. These policies and procedures are not intended to be all-inclusive or applicable to every possible situation but, to the extent possible, if implemented will assist the Church to design effective internal controls. 2012 Health and Dental Benefits The UCC Medical and Dental Benefits Plan assists thousands of clergy, lay employees and their dependents meet ever-increasing healthcare costs. The attached document provides specific rates for Southwest Conference participants. Information regarding all health, dental and vision benefits can be found on The Pension Boards' website: www.pbucc.org. NEW! Small Employer Health Care Tax Credit As a part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act signed into law by President Obama in March 2010, small employers may qualify for a refund of a portion of the health insurance premiums they have paid. As a result of efforts by the Church Alliance, an association of chief executive officers of denominational benefit programs, the IRS guidance makes clear that churches can be eligible for the tax credit. The UCC Pension Boards provides an excellent general introduction to the Health Care Tax Credit The Massachusetts Conference has posted more details and links to forms and worksheets |
| UCC (national setting) |
| Parish Life and Leadership Ministry of Local Church Ministries section of our national setting's Web site has resources on committees on the ministry, local church leadership, ministerial authorization and endorsement, ministerial formation and the search and call process. All of the following information, and much more, can be found on the Parish Life and Leadership page Manual on Ministry The Manual on Ministry contains perspectives and procedures for ecclesiastical authorization of ministry and is published in ten separate sections or booklets. Pastoral Call Agreement [PDF] When a local church calls a minister to a new position, it is customary that the terms of the call be agreed to in written form. The sample Pastoral Call Agreement is provided for use by local churches in developing a call agreement. Also available: Pastoral Call Agreement - rich text format. The Leaders Box This 20-year old resource has been given a basic updated for today's needs. It continues to provide guidance in many of the "nuts and bolts" of church life. Making Our Churches Safe for All This updated resource helps congregations develop their own policies and practices to protect children and others who are vulnerable to abuse or mistreatment. A Pilgrimage Through Transitions and New Beginnings This resource has been developed to be as comprehensive as possible and will help your congregation say good-bye to your current pastor, identify transition leadership, and finally welcome a new pastoral leader. It is important to remember that your Conference staff will be companions on the journey. Their knowledge and experience will be helpful as you prepare your Local Church Profile and as you receive Ministerial Profiles from individuals who may have the gifts, skills, and interests to be your next pastoral leader. Interim Ministry Guidelines This document, MINISTRY DURING THE INTERIM TIME, describes some common understandings and procedures for this form of Ministry, as they have been developing in the United Church of Christ. Sample Interim Ministry Convenant (Word doc) |
