Re: Church Finance Team Formation

Our church has been without a formal financial team for some time, along with several other administrative and service teams. I’d like for us to begin rebuilding the teams that will best serve our current stage of ministry and prepare us for future growth.

We also have not yet established a budget for 2026. To help us move toward better organization, I’ve spoken with our current leadership team about forming a Finance Ministry Team. Below is the plan I’m recommending.

1.        Form a Finance Ministry Team of five people.

2.        Present the team to the active membership in a business meeting to be approved for a two-year term. After those two years, we can begin rotating members as the bylaws describe.

3.        Ask the membership to approve continuing our current regular budgeted expenses, utilities, salaries, curriculum, office, etc., for up to the first 60 days of the 2026 fiscal year.

4.        Ask the team to create a new budget to be presented and voted on by the membership by the first week of March 2026.

I would like you to prayerfully consider serving on this team. I believe this will help share the duties of ministry more effectively and continue to strengthen membership confidence in our church. Please let me know as soon as possible and no later than the upcoming Wednesday.

Here are the responsibilities from our Guidelines and Procedures:

The purpose of the Finance Ministry teams is to develop a program that includes budget development and budget administrations. The duties of this team are as follows:

1.         Develop the budget. Analyzing current strengths and weaknesses.

a.         Evaluating budget requests.

b.        Directing the annual budget preparation

c.         Presenting the budget to the church for adoption

d.        This team has the responsibility to designate unauthorized funds.

2.         Administer the budget. Once a budget has been planned, adopted and subscribed the team is responsible to administering the budget.

From our Bylaws:

Article VIII Church Ministry Teams

Section 1: Purpose and Types

A church Ministry Team is a small group of individuals who perform certain tasks that cannot be done as effectively or efficiently by the church membership as a whole.

Church Ministry Teams shall be divided into two categories: "Administrative" and "Service". Administrative Ministry Teams minister to the "administrative" functions of the church. Service Ministry Teams minister to the needs of the church in areas of "service". Both Teams may be either "standing" or "special'' Ministry teams. A standing Ministry team performs duties of an ongoing or indefinite time. A special Ministry Team has a definite assignment and is dissolved when its task is complete. A complete list of teams under each category shall be provided to the church annually. The chairman of a team should rotate each year. No person should serve as chairman of two teams concurrently.

Administrative Ministry Teams shall be created or dissolved only by a majority vote of the church in conference. Service Ministry Teams shall be created as needed and approved by a majority vote of the church in conference.

Church Ministry Teams shall be organized with a chair, vice-chairman, and secretary, and shall meet as needed. All Ministry Teams shall assemble with the pastor and staff at the beginning of each organizational year for the purpose of setting goals and organizing for ministry.

Section 2: Ministry Team Membership

Administrative Ministry Teams shall be active members of the church and shall serve on a three-year rotational schedule (unless otherwise specified in the By-Laws or the Policies and Procedures manual). The number of members on each team shall be an odd number (exception Finance Ministry Team) with approximately one-third rotating off and replaced each year.

And

Article IX: Church Finances

Section 1: Budget

The Finance Ministry Team, in consultation with the Leadership Ministry Team, shall prepare and submit an inclusive budget to the church for approval, indicating by line items the amount needed and sought for all expenses. Offering envelopes will be provided for members' use. It is understood that membership in this church involves financial obligation with regular tithes and offerings to support the church and its causes.