Zoom Class on Preparing for Charge Conference 2025
Basic Church Administration will offer a free Zoom class on preparing for your 2025 charge conference on Tuesday, August 19, 2025, at 7:30 p.m. The class is free, but registration is required. Charge conference is the annual business meeting of the local charge presided over by the district superintendent or an elder representative. The class…
Free Training in April
Wednesday, April 19, 2023, at 7:30 p.m. – Basic Church Administration will offer a free Zoom class on Understanding Basic Accounting for Church Treasurers. Click Here to Register
Incorporation of Local Churches: A Guide for clergy and other church leaders
What is incorporation?• Incorporation is the creation of an entity (pursuant to the laws of a state) capable ofconducting business and otherwise acting as a legal person. In South Carolina, thecreation of nonprofit corporations is governed by the South Carolina NonprofitCorporation Act of 1994 (S.C. Code Ann. §§ 33-31-10, et seq). The South CarolinaSecretary of…
Understanding the UMC Trust Clause
Monday, March 2, 2020 – GCF&A The United Methodist Church is in transition. At the 2020 General Conference there will be discussions about several proposals for the restructuring, separation, or dissolution of the United Methodist Church. These proposals have brought concerns about property, assets, and the trust clause to the forefront of discussions. We want to help United Methodists across the connection stay informed and have a full understanding of our current…
Cash vs. accrual accounting: What’s best for your small business?
By QuickBooks Mon Jan 10 2022 Cash and accrual accounting are like sibling rivals in the accounting realm—one clashes with the other, but you can definitely see the resemblance. Even if you don’t handle your own financial reporting, it’s vital to know how each one works so you can choose the best bookkeeping practices for your…
Understanding Designated Funds and Their Proper Use
During my time helping churches with administration and record keeping, I have discovered that a great many churches do not properly understand designated funds and often times use them in a way that is harmful to the church. So, I would like to help explain what designated funds are and how to use them in…
What Is Accountable Reimbursement?
One of the questions that I am getting a lot of as churches prepare for charge conference is about the Accountable Reimbursement policy and what qualifies for reimbursement. In 1992, when the IRS reclassified United Methodist pastors as employees, they lost the ability to deduct certain expenses they incurred related to doing ministry, items such…
Housing Allowance & Utility/Parsonage Exclusion: What’s the Difference?
During my recent class on Completing the Ministerial Support Form, a question came up about the difference between the blank for “Housing Allowance in Lieu of Parsonage,” and the blank for Utility/Parsonage Exclusion.” I will do my best explain the purpose for two separate blanks and their purpose and use. The Housing Allowance is an…
Are Nursery Workers Employees or Contractors?
With churches beginning to reestablish in-person worship, we are beginning to see the hiring or scheduling of nursery workers. The question has been raised with the author as to whether nursery workers are employees of the church or independent contractors. This question is important because the answer affects the way payroll taxes are handled and…
The Difference Between Membership Type and Membership Status
I recently led a Zoom class for United Methodist Membership Secretaries and was asked the question above, “what is the difference between type of membership and status of membership. So here goes. The type of membership in the United Methodist Church defined by the Book of Discipline. We have 5 types: baptized, professing, affiliate, associate,…
Follow My Blog
Get new content delivered directly to your inbox.
Basic Church Administration 