Stewardship Ministry
Purpose: The Stewardship Ministry combines the functions of two previously existing ministries: Finance and Commitment. Thus the Stewardship Ministry is responsible for overseeing the "life-cycle" of our church's financial assets: from the pledges that result from the annual Stewardship Campaign to the weekly accounting for the offering by our Tellers and finally the disbursement of our funds through our Session Ministries in accordance with the approved Operating Budget. The Church's Treasurer and Associate Treasurers are members of the Stewardship Ministry. The Ministry insures the Session's plans are faithfully implemented and comply with Federal and PC(USA) policies and regulations.
Activities:
Purpose: The Stewardship Ministry combines the functions of two previously existing ministries: Finance and Commitment. Thus the Stewardship Ministry is responsible for overseeing the "life-cycle" of our church's financial assets: from the pledges that result from the annual Stewardship Campaign to the weekly accounting for the offering by our Tellers and finally the disbursement of our funds through our Session Ministries in accordance with the approved Operating Budget. The Church's Treasurer and Associate Treasurers are members of the Stewardship Ministry. The Ministry insures the Session's plans are faithfully implemented and comply with Federal and PC(USA) policies and regulations.
Activities:
- Identify and communicate to the Congregation the necessary financial contributions required from the Congregation to support Bayside's non-negotiable needs (e.g. salaries, utilities, insurance).
- Identify and communicate to the Congregation the necessary financial contributions required from the Congregation to support Bayside's on-going programs.
- Encourage Ministries to "think outside the box" and develop new or refurbish on-going programs that are consistent with Bayside's mission and financial circumstances.
- Encourage Ministries to terminate programs that are no longer relevant to Bayside's mission or vision.
- Work with individual Ministries to develop annual "Asking Budgets" that support that Ministry's responsibilities. The aggregate of all the "Asking Budgets" is the goal for the Annual Stewardship Campaign.
- Conduct the annual Stewardship Campaign. Keep the Congregation informed of the status of the Campaign with weekly reports of pledges received to date.
- Sponsor regular contributions to an Operations Reserve Fund, controlled by Session and intended to support any Ministry's emerging, unfunded or under-funded requirements.
- Develop an Annual Budget that, when adopted by the Session, addresses all the "Asking Budgets," to the extent possible, with resources generated by the Annual Stewardship Campaign.
- Coordinate the award of undergraduate scholarships to qualifying members of the Congregation.
- Support and facilitate the on-going, day-to-day functions of the Treasurer's office.
- Distribute Giving Envelopes in December and distribute Giving Statements for tax purposes in January.
- Recruit, train and coordinate the scheduling of Tellers to "count" offerings received from the congregation during Services of Worship.
- Sponsor annual financial audits/reviews of the Treasurer's accounts and all other Session sponsored organizations that handle funds.
- Encourage Congregation Members to remember Bayside in their Wills and/or Bequests.
- The Stewardship Moderator serves as a member of the Endowment Committee and as President of the Board of Trustees. The Moderator nominates the Treasurer and the Moderator of the Endowment Committee for Session approval.
