Members of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) entrust to their congregations millions of dollars each year. The stewardship or similar ministries of those congregations are ultimately responsible for the funds. But the day-to-day management of those dollars – the counting, the record-keeping, the banking, and the distribution – is the job of the church’s treasurer and financial secretary. The task is a tremendous one.
Other positions of leadership may be more visible. Yet, few require the hours of work or the scrupulous attention to detail. If other avenues of service provide greater recognition, the treasurer can find satisfaction in the knowledge that his/her/their work is a primary opportunity for Christian stewardship and vital to the ongoing life of the congregation.
Stewardship is expressed through financial leaders in the congregation. By the stroke of the pen, mission work becomes a reality. Local ministries are carried out. The pastor’s livelihood is ensured. Obligations are met. As the treasurer is accountable, he/she/they becomes a mirror through which the congregation sees itself in its faithfulness and by which its integrity is mirrored to the world.
The purpose of this handbook is to help make the financial leaders’ tasks easier by providing specific, practical guidelines for the people who handle the church’s money.
It is a useful resource for the pastor, the stewardship committee, the personnel committee, ministerial search committee, or anyone in the congregation who, for whatever reason, is involved in the financial or employee-related life of the congregation.
The authors represent Disciples Church Extension Fund, the Pension Fund, Christian Church Foundation, and Treasury Services (Office of the General Minister & President). The information presented here is based on their experiences with church treasurers and other financial leaders over the years.
Download the most recent copy of the Handbook for Treasurers of Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) Congregations here: