10 Fascinating Facts about Pastor and Church Staff Compensation

Thom Rainer, the president and CEO of LifeWay Christian Resources, recently wrote on his blog about 10 trends he identified from our 2016-2017 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff. Three of his observations stood out in particular:

1. Fewer than two-thirds of lead pastors receive health insurance as a benefit.
2. One half of all pastors did not receive a raise in the past year.
3. Churches in mainline denominations tend to offer higher compensation to their pastors and staff than do churches in other denominations.

You can read his entire list in his post, which he permitted Christianity Today to reprint over on ManagingYourChurch.com (excerpt below). 

Thom Rainer

By almost any metric, pastors and church staff are not overpaid.

While some ministry leaders provide sensational exceptions to this rule, we need to dispel the myth of highly-compensated pastors and church staff.

I have in my hands one of the best statistical resources for ministry in the world. I am deeply grateful for the years of work of Richard Hammar, especially his latest statistical tome: 2016-2017 Compensation Handbook for Church Staff.

This incredible volume belongs in every church. I have distilled some of the facts from the nearly 400-page book:

Read more.

Press Release

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Seattle Presbytery Assumes ‘Original Jurisdiction’ of First Presbyterian Church of Seattle

Contact:  Executive Presbyter, Rev. Scott Lumsden

scott@seattlepresbytery.org

SEATTLE, WASHINGTON (February 17, 2016) – After thoroughly investigating allegations of mismanagement, disorder and denominational irregularities within the leadership of First Presbyterian Church of Seattle (FPCS), the Presbytery of Seattle, acting through an Administrative Commission, has assumed original jurisdiction of FPCS effective February 16, 2016 with the hope of preserving FPCS’s historic legacy of ministry in downtown Seattle.

Seattle’s Executive Presbyter, Rev. Scott Lumsden says, “This decision was certainly not arrived at lightly, but after much prayer, input and serious deliberation.”

This action was required under the constitution of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) and the bylaws of the church as the former FPCS leadership repeatedly:

• Failed to follow the constitution and its own procedures;
• Failed to be truthful and forthcoming with its own congregation, ministry partners and the Seattle Presbytery; and
• Failed to wisely manage the affairs of the church.

Furthermore, both former co-pastors renounced their Presbyterian ordination, leaving FPCS with no pastoral leadership.  

As such, effective immediately the Administrative Commission has assumed the role of Session (the governing body within Presbyterian churches), has appointed an interim pastor and will provide for worship, pastoral care and assist in the ministries of the congregation.

FPCS was organized in 1869 by a pastor who arrived by wagon train and canoe, and started with seven people. By 1940 it had grown to 8000 members, the largest Presbyterian Church in the world.  In recent years, membership has dwindled and currently fewer than 100 people worship on Sunday. It is the Seattle Presbytery’s sincere hope to help restore this urban church’s historic ministry in downtown Seattle.

# # #

Call for Special Meeting on March 1 Rescinded

Because the presbytery has received no word of any overtures coming to it from sessions and because recommendations to concur with overtures from other presbyteries can be addressed in a timely manner at the regular meeting of presbytery on April 19, the call for a special meeting on March 1 is rescinded. If commissioners know of sessions that are planning to present an overture to the presbytery, please notify the clerk as soon as possible.

Next stated meeting: April 19 @ North Point Church, Poulsbo. 

One Great Hour of Sharing Resources

We are so glad to have such a wide range of offerings materials to support your One Great Hour of Sharing promotion activities. But we also know it can be difficult to scroll through the several pages to find it all. Here are our most popular resources for 2016: 

Click here for resources.

Visiting Italian Pastor

Currently visiting Seattle through an exchange program of the American Waldensian Society is Rev. Peter Ciaccio.  Peter, an Italian Methodist pastor, serves a Waldensian congregation in Palermo (Sicily).  He is also a film critic and has written several books, most recently "The Gospel According to Star Wars."   Peter is available to speak to groups large and small about the protestant Churches of Italy, and about the Waldensian church in particular, with whom the PC(USA) has a long-standing partnership.  You can reach him via phone at 206.427-5191, or though Madrona Grace Presbyterian Church where he is being hosted. 

Presbyterian Disaster Assistance Coordinators Needed

If you or someone you know is interested in coordinating our presbytery's Presbyterian Disaster Assistance efforts, please contact EJ Lee.

Links to PDA resources (including congregational resources, bulletin inserts, and more.)

Hand chime set request

From Cordelia Scheuermann, Dir. of Ministry to Children & their Families at Lake Forest Park PC:

Our church is specifically looking to borrow ( or perhaps even buy) a hand chime set.  We have started a children’s Handbell choir. Our bells sat unused for many years and we are now having a lot of fun bringing them out again.  Is there a church that is not currently using their hand chime set that would consider loaning us theirs through May?  We would love to borrow a 2 octave set and I am more than happy to come pick it up.

"The Hands and Feet of Christ"

A message from Rev. Lina Thompson, Lake Burien Presbyterian Church:

Friends from Presbytery - 

I wanted to take a minute to say "thank you" to those at Presbytery last month who donated to our shoe drive for New Horizons Ministry.  

Overall, we collected nearly 50 pairs of shoes and an additional $1000.  The $1000 was used to purchase $30 Target gift cards for NH staff to use with their young people.  (A few of you even stopped by later in the week to drop off shoes - that was awesome! ) 

Our Sunday service went beyond what any of us expected.  We caravaned downtown with vans and cars - in total about 60 people from Lake Burien were there.  I am so impressed with our congregation...they totally went for it. 

Read the article written for the Lake Burien PC monthly newsletter.

SeaPres Colombia Mission Trip Updates

From Staci: A few photos from our Seattle Presbytery delegation to Colombia!Yesterday, we visited a community of...

Posted by Seattle Presbytery on Friday, January 29, 2016

An update from our Colombia mission team: Wednesday in Luruaco. First full day of our mission trip in Barranquilla- a...

Posted by Seattle Presbytery on Wednesday, January 27, 2016

Standing Together

For Human Dignity - Justice - Compassion - Wisdom

An interfaith pursuit of values fostered by religion that are necessary to sustain a free, pluralistic society

Situation: In recent years, with a widening polarization of the political parties in the United States and elsewhere, there has been an alarming decline of respectful civil discourse.  As a nation, we seem to have forgotten the importance of cultivating behaviors and qualities that are required for a democratic society to function properly.

In the face of increasing violence and fearful, often hateful, rhetoric, what might help us move beyond a natural fear reaction to a conscious response based on principles we choose to live by?  Are there ideals that people of faith living in America can strive toward together? During this time of challenge and uncertainty, are there shared values upon which we can stand together?

Great teachers of humanity, as well as the sacred writings from all major religions, encourage people to develop and express qualities that are beneficial for themselves, their families and their society.  For a democracy to function properly, its citizens must be informed and share a sense of human dignity and concern for the well-being of others.  What role can religion play in fostering these and other desirable human qualities? 

Standing Together is an interfaith study and dialogue program that focuses on founding principles of the US in light of the teachings of leading religious scholars.  It explores the guidance of sacred texts and the advice of great minds regarding how human beings should live, think, act and BE in the world, if they wish to experience inner peace and be responsible members of the human family.  Standing Together promotes self-awareness, social responsibility and a deepening commitment to embody the core wisdom of one’s own faith.  It also encourages participants to revitalize their commitment to the ideals and values upon which America was built. 

Objectives: By means of an interfaith panel, scriptural reflection, and small group discussion, this program seeks to foster greater understanding, respect and cooperative social action among citizens from different faith traditions.  It is designed to:

·      Tap into what is potentially ‘right’ with people, with religion, and with democratic values

·      Explore the positive influence faith can have on individuals and a democratic society

·      Increase appreciation for the relevance of sacred teachings in modern life

·      Encourage genuine interfaith friendships and cooperative social action

Read more.

To register.

Related readings.

Woodland Park PC Ruling Elder at forefront of historic climate action trial

Presbyterian ruling elder at forefront of historic climate action trial

Trial attempts to use unprecedented ‘necessity defense’ for civil disobedience

JANUARY 15, 2016 | Presbyterian News Service

SCOTT O'NEILL | LOUISVILLE

On Sept. 2, 2014 five activists chained themselves to train tracks in Everett, Wash., in an effort stop the transport of oil and coal trains through the Pacific Northwest. One of the five is Abby Brockway, a ruling elder at Woodland Park Presbyterian Church in Seattle. Abby and her colleagues, known as the Delta 5, were arrested for criminal trespassing.

Read more.

Previous news stories:

Climate Activists Who Chained Themselves To Tracks Head To Court

By Ashley Ahearn

kuow.org | January 11, 2015

Five environmental activists who chained themselves to train tracks in Everett to protest oil and coal trains begin trial in Snohomish County District Court on Monday.

The activists face criminal charges alleging they trespassed on BNSF Railway property and blocked an oil train for eight hours on Sept. 2, 2014.

More than 100 people gathered at the Woodland Park Presbyterian Church in Seattle Sunday for a special climate justice service and blessing on the activists, who refer to themselves as the “Delta 5” (after the BNSF Delta railyard in Everett where they erected their human blockade). Several members of the Delta 5 attended the service.

The trial is drawing national attention because it’s believed to be the first allowing a “necessity defense” for climate-related civil disobedience. The judge has ruled that the defendants can argue that their actions were justified because of the threat of climate change.

Read more.

More about the Delta 5.

Annual Statistical Reports Due

STATISTICAL REPORT DEADLINE: FEB. 12, 2016

Dear Pastors and Clerks of Session,

Once again the time is upon us to complete the many annual reports that come before us.

There are two, required by the Book of Order (one each for the presbytery and the General Assembly), that are for the Clerk of Session to complete each year.  They are the annual Statistical Report, and the reports of Pastor Terms of Call.  Both of these reports may be completed online.

We receive multiple requests throughout the year for a comprehensive update on the Pastoral Compensation for all Pastors and Associate Pastors in the presbytery.  Therefore, we would ask for you to complete the Terms of Call form annually, even if the presbytery already has updated information on your position(s).

The deadline to complete the Annual Statistical Report is February 12 so please compete the form online as soon as you are able.  It is not necessary for the Session to approve the Annual Statistical Report before it is filed, rather the Clerk of Session completes the report and then reports to the Session the submission of the report.  It is helpful to then include a printing of the report in your Session minutes. 

Please complete the Terms of Call form (again online) after your early year annual meeting or no later than March 1.  This will allow for the approval of all Terms of Call at the April Presbytery meeting and provide to all the presbytery a single report  of all Terms of Call.  To simplify matters we are asking only the questions asked by the Board of Pension in their request for updated Terms of Call.  Due to matters of privacy, the Board of Pensions may not just report the information directly to the presbytery.

Blessings,

Rev. Karen Breckenridge

Stated Clerk

Update From Special Called Meeting of the Presbytery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Executive Presbyter Rev. Scott Lumsden

Email: scott@seattlepresbytery.org

Seattle, Washington (November 19, 2015)     

The Presbytery of Seattle, the area council of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), composed of all the teaching elders (ministers) and ruling elder representatives from each congregation within the area, met November 17, 2015 for a special meeting and voted to appoint an administrative commission to investigate allegations of ecclesial disorder within the leadership of First Presbyterian Church of Seattle.

The action passed by a vote of 137 to 8, with three abstentions.

The eight-person commission will investigate the church leadership’s ability and willingness to exercise its authority and manage wisely its affairs. The commission will take appropriate action to remedy any omission, error, or misdeed. Included in the commission’s work may be the potential dismissal of the congregation to another Reformed body under the presbytery’s Communal Discernment and Gracious Dismissal Policy.

###

Special Guests from Office of General Assembly in January

Rev. Tom Hay, Dir. of Ops. & Assoc. Stated Clerk for Office of the General Assembly

Dr. Heath Rada, Moderator of the 221st General Assembly, PC(U.S.A.)

We’re gearing up for the 222nd General Assembly, happening June 18-25, 2016 in Portland. Special guests Tom Hay, director of operations and associate stated clerk for Office of the General Assembly (OGA) and Moderator Heath Rada (via video conference) will be available at Bellevue Presbyterian Church on Tue., Jan. 19 from 12:00-2:00 PM for in-depth discussion. Learn more & register now.

Please also remember to send your elder commissioners to our January 19 stated meeting (Tuesday @ 5:00 PM at Lake Burien Presbyterian Church), where Tom Hay will facilitate the General Assembly discussion at our meeting. 

Other important details and deadlines:

• If your session would like to present overtures or concurrences to presbytery, please contact: karen@seattlepresbytery.org.  Background: The councils of the church use overtures to bring recommendations and matters of concern to the whole church.  The overtures may ask the assembly to take a particular stance, initiate (or eliminate) a program or change the constitution.  When two councils send essentially the same overture, the second council’s overture is considered a “concurrence” of the original and allows for the rationale of the second overture to be added to the first.      
• Because of the deadlines for the different types of overtures and concurrences and the Seattle Presbytery meeting schedule, overtures and concurrences that propose changes to the Book of Order or that have financial implications must be emailed to the Stated Clerk by December 11, 2015 in order to be considered for the January 2016. All other overtures may be emailed to the Stated Clerk by March 8, 2016 to be considered for the April 2016 presbytery meeting.

More Resources:

• Presbyterian Governance Comes to Life

• PC-Biz

• 222nd General Assembly 2016

• Manual of the 222nd General Assembly 2016

• Join the Conversation

• Our presbytery's elected GA commissioners. 

General Assembly Commissioners Elected

At the October 2015 stated meeting, Seattle Presbytery elected the following ruling elder and teaching elder commissioners and alternates to General Assembly:

The presbytery approved the election of the following ruling elder commissioners and alternate:
Ruling Elder Steve Aeshbacher, Bellevue
Ruling Elder Pattie Holt, St. Andrew
Ruling Elder, Kyle Hurst, West Side, alternate

The presbytery approved the election of the following teaching elder commissioners and alternates:
Teaching Elder Doug Early, commissioner
Teaching Elder Chris Pritchett, commissioner
Teaching Elder J. P. Kang, first alternate
Teaching Elder Rich Gingrich, second alternate

More Background: 

The presbytery approved setting aside the standing rules in order to elect commmissioners based on the new rules of General Assembly. Two ruling elder commissioners and one alternate were selected using the criteria in the standing rules but the reduced number allowed by General Assembly. Two teaching elder commissioners and two alternates were selected using the following criteria: there were two pools for selecting commissioners – a general pool into which all names were placed and a pool for persons historically underrepresented in Presbytery and General Assembly. The second pool was open but not limited to racial minorities and people with disabilities. Any teaching elder who believed he or she should be included in the second pool and wished to have their name moved to that pool had the opportunity to ask the clerk to be moved, giving the reason for changing pools. Since no one requested to be moved to pool two, both commissioner and alternate names were drawn from pool one. 

Questions: Contact Stated Clerk Karen Breckenridge

SeaPres Triennium 2016 Applications Due Dec. 11

Seattle Presbytery is leading a delegation to attend the Presbyterian Youth Triennium at Purdue University (Indiana), July 19-23, 2016.  

Download the registration form and return to Seattle Presbytery (Attn: Presbyterian Youth Triennium), 1544 S. Snoqualmie Street, Seattle, WA 98108 with payment.  Make checks payable to: Presbytery of Seattle. All forms and payment due: December 11, 2015.

More details from Triennium Registrar Derona Burkholder:

I am reaching out in the last weeks to make sure you are aware of this opportunity for youth entering high school next year or those who will graduate this year. The deposit and application are due to Seattle Presbytery by Dec. 11th.  This is a presbytery sponsored youth event.  The final cost is divided into 3 portions.  One portion is covered by Seattle Presbytery, one portion by youth's family, and one portion by fundraising within the local church. Please think about sending your youth.  We have a limit of 50 people, so we are on one bus once we fly into Chicago.  Our first delegate meeting for those who are going from the Seattle Presbytery is scheduled for Jan. 24th at Newport Presbytery in Bellevue. 

Currently, we have two women leaders and one male leader, with the possibility of another male leader.  If there is a need for more leaders to attend the conference, please email me if you are interested, and once I have a final count I can let you know if we need to add additional leaders.  The adult leaders have their fees covered. 

Contact SeaPres Triennium Registrar Derona Burkholder or EJ Lee (Seattle Presbytery). 

Watch: PCUSA Moderator Rada's Call to the Church

Heath Rada, Moderator of the 221st General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), presents his "Call to the Church" -- a request for a study of the form, function and mission of the PC(USA). Recorded at the Presbyterian Mission Agency Board Meeting, Sept. 23, 2015.

Code for the Kingdom Seattle Recap

Update from Organizer Chris Lim (RE, Indonesian): 

I just wanted to say thank you to Seattle Presbytery for supporting Code for the Kingdom Seattle! We had over 100 people registered, 10 projects pitched and many rich relationships formed.

Read an event summary from GeekWire.

I also had the privilege of creating the intro video: Why Code for the Kingdom? and some of the Challenges we addressed. 

Here is also a podcast episode I recorded with a friend where I tell a few of the stories of God's gracious provision every step of the way: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN_VXAL0S7Y

Thanks again and Glory to God!

Join the Conversation

COGA issues open invitation to discuss identity, purpose of PC(USA)

Identity conversations are taking place across the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.), and the Committee on the Office of the General Assembly (COGA) wants to make sure all join in.

What does it mean to be Presbyterian? Who is the church called to be in this current day and time? How should the denomination serve into the future?

Valid questions are being discussed in nooks and crannies throughout the church, and now the General Assembly committee that oversees assembly work between biennial meetings is inviting the entire denomination into a churchwide conversation.

Read more.

Ekklesia Fellowship Program Accepting Church Applications

Whitworth University's Ekklesia Fellowship Program is a 10- to 12-week summer-ministry experience for current Whitworth students and those who have just graduated. The development of strong partnerships with churches and ministries is essential to this experience. We hope that, through a partnership, ministries will provide an opportunity for students to serve, develop their gifts, and discern their vocations in Christ's body. In turn, each ministry will be supported by a student committed to meeting practical needs and building the capacity of each ministry. Below are documents that contain all of the programmatic and partnership details.

Learn more.