REGULATION 20: Of Maintenance and Finance of the Church

 

1. There shall be a central fund of the Diocese which shall be applied in payment in whole or in part of:

(a) the Bishop’s stipend and allowance, the maintenance and repair of the Bishop’s residence;

(b) the stipends and allowances of the Clergy and licensed Catechists;

(c) the cost of Diocesan administration;

(d) the insurance, repairs and maintenance of non-parochial property;

(e) grants or loans to Parishes for the erection of new buildings, repairs to existing buildings and their insurance;

(f) pensions;

(g) Church extensions, evangelistic and social work;

(h) Provincial expenses.

2. (a) Every Parish and District shall contribute to the Central Funds such sums as shall be fixed by the Diocesan Board of Finance under Regulation 11 and approved by the Diocesan Council. The payment of the sum so determined (called in these Regulations the “Assessment”) shall be a first charge on all funds at the disposal of the Vestry.

(b) Where in any two consecutive months the Parish fails to pay its Assessment, the Parish Vestry shall submit a written statement to the Diocesan Secretary and the respective Regional Council setting out the reasons therefore. The Regional Council shall examine the statement and submit their views and recommendations to the Diocesan Secretary expeditiously.

(c) Where by the 15th day of January in any year the Assessment levied on a Parish has not been paid in full for the preceding year, a written statement signed by the Incumbent and Church wardens outlining the reasons therefore accompanied by a detailed statement of Income and Expenditure for that year shall be submitted not later than 31st day of January to the Diocesan Secretary and be presented by him to the Diocesan Board of Finance at its next meeting. On examination thereof the Board shall make recommendations to the Bishop in Council concerning the steps to be taken thereon.

(d) Where a Parish persistently falls short in Assessment payments the Bishop after due investigation and consultation with the Diocesan Council may take such steps as the circumstances appear to warrant including a declaration that the Parish has forfeited its status as such and is deemed an aided Parish, and may withdraw the services of a Resident Priest.

(e) The Parish Vestry of an aided Parish shall submit to the Diocesan Board of Finance by the end of October in each calendar year on the form provided an estimate of income and expenditure for the current year and a budget for the following year. The Diocesan Board of Finance shall report to the Diocesan Council its decision on the amount of aid to be granted from the Diocesan Central Fund. The Diocesan Board of Finance shall encourage an aided Parish to become a self-supporting Parish.

(f) The Diocesan Board of Finance shall have power to alter any or all of the budgeted expenditure of an aided Parish.

3. (a) The stipend of the Bishop shall not be less than $5,000.00 (five thousand dollars) per annum.

(b) He shall be provided with an episcopal residence which shall be kept in repair and proper maintenance free from payment by the Bishop of any rates, taxes or other charges.

(c) The payment of the Bishop’s stipend shall commence from the date of consecration or, in the case of translation, from the date of the confirmation of election.

4. (a) Stipends, allowances and pensions of Clergy, Teaching Staff and other employees of the Diocese, shall be paid on a scale to be fixed or approved by the Diocesan Board of Finance and the Council.

(b) Easter offerings and Whitsun offerings contained in special offering envelopes and the open collection on Easter Day and Whit Sunday, but excluding the Stewardship envelopes shall be paid into the Diocesan Central Fund for the defraying of the stipends and allowances of clergymen.

(c) All Fees shall be paid into the Vestry.

5. (a) Reductions in and additions to stipends and the grant of allowances can be made only by Synod or, if considered urgent and necessary, by the Bishop in Council.

(b) Such action by the Bishop in Council must be approved or disapproved at the next Annual Session of the Synod.

(c) No such application shall be considered by the Synod unless referred to it by the Council.

6. The Bishop in Council may make regulations for the grant of leave of absence to the clergy, and may by such regulations authorise the payment of passages and of such expenses incurred in relation to the performance of the duty of the clergy when on leave as the Bishop may approve.

7. All Stipendiary clergymen are considered to be in whole time employment, and shall not engage in other gainful occupation without permission of the Bishop in Council

8. Stipends and allowances shall be paid monthly by the Treasurers.

9. (a) The passage of any clergyman, his wife and family, coming to take up work in the Diocese under the License or otherwise from the Bishop, shall be paid from the Central Fund unless otherwise provided for.

(b) The return passage of such clergyman, his wife and family, shall be paid from the Central Fund if he leaves the Diocese after not less than four (4) years’ service.

(c) The Bishop in Council is authorised to deal with special circumstances necessitating a priest’s departure from the Diocese.

10. Income arising from special endowment funds shall be applied to the purpose for which such funds were created and to no other purpose.

11. The Council, on the recommendation of the Board of Finance, shall advise the Trustees upon all questions relating to the Finance and property of the Church and give advice on any financial matter which may be referred to it by the Bishop.

12. The Trustees shall, with the consent of the Council on the Recommendation of the Board of Finance, from time to time invest any moneys in their hands at interest on mortgage or in the purchase of real estate in the Diocese, or in such other security as may be authorised by law relating to the investment of Trust Funds.

13. The Trustees may, at the request of the Council through the Board of Finance, advance or lend money to the Parishes on such conditions as that Board may determine.

14. The Bishop shall have power with the advice of the Council to make regulations for the administration of the finances of the Diocese in furtherance of the provisions of the Regulations; and such regulations shall have the same force and effect as if incorporated therein.

15. (a) The Archdeacon may visit any Parish and enquire into the financial conditions existing therein, inspect the books and have the accounts audited.

(b) He shall also examine all buildings.

(c) These duties of the Archdeacon shall not extend to the Cathedral Parish, of which the Dean of the Cathedral is the Rector and is his own Archdeacon.

16. The Bishop with the advice of the Council may appoint or approve a scale of Diocesan and Parochial Fees.