FAQ's Around the Diocese

AUDITS/PAROCHIAL REPORTS

When are Audit Reports due?
According to Title I.7.g of the Protestant Episcopal Church, audits shall be filed not later than September 1 of each year for the financial reports of the previous year. Forms can be found on the Finance pages.

When are Parochial Reports due?
According to Canon 16 of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocese of Virginia, parochial reports are due on or before the first day of March for the preceding year ending December 31. Forms can be filed online here: http://pr.episcopalchurch.org.

What is a confirmed communicant in good standing?
According to Title I.17.3 of the Constitution and Canons of the Protestant Episcopal Church, all communicants of this church who for the previous year have been faithful in corporate worship, unless for good cause prevented, and have been faithful in working, praying and giving for the spread of the Kingdom of God, are to be considered communicants in good standing. According to Title I.17.2 for the purposes of statistical consistency throughout the church, communicants sixteen years of age and over are to be considered adult communicants.

CAMP QUESTIONS

I've misplaced my child's health forms for camp; can you send/fax them to me?
Can you tell me the balance due for my child's camp fees?
Can you send me a camp brochure?
Can you tell me if my child has moved up on the waiting list for camp?
Call Linda Keener in the Program Office, ext. 32.

My child won't be the minimum age (or will be too old) for his/her camp choice; can he/she attend anyway?
How can I apply to work as a counselor at camp?
Call Joe Wingenbach, Shrine Mont Program Assistant, ext. 31.

CAPITAL CAMPAIGNS AND PLANNED GIVING FOR PARISHES

Can the Diocese help our parish with a capital campaign?
Can the Diocese help our parish put together a planned giving program?
Call Evelyn Sutton in the Development Office, ext. 17.

If our parish launches a capital campaign, will annual giving suffer?
History tells us no. Normally capital giving enhances annual giving.

What is the most important component part of a successful parish capital campaign?
To answer the question "What is Christ calling us to do in this time and this place?"

What is the first question our parish should ask itself as it begins the process of discerning whether to build or renovate?
That's a good question. Each situation is different. Part of the answer has to do with economics and part of the answer has to do with vision.

COMMUNICATIONS (The Virginia Episcopalian and the Communiqué)

What is the deadline for including parish info in the Communiqué and VE?
The deadline for the Virginia Episcopalian is the 5th day of the month before publication. (September 5 for an October 1 publication) The deadline for the Communiqué is the 1st of each month. It is mailed by the 10th of each month.

Where do I send an address change, addition or deletion for the Communiqué or Virginia Episcopalian?
Call or email Harriet Jones in the Office of the Secretary, ext. 40 or hjones@thediocese.net

How do I submit an article or event to the Virginia Episcopalian?
Call Nancy Jenkins in the Communications Office, ext. 39.

Who do I contact to advertise in the Virginia Episcopalian?
Call Karen Smith, ext. 10.

CONGREGATIONAL LIFE AND DEVELOPMENT

How do you determine the number of lay delegates that a church is allowed to send to Annual Council?
According to Article III.1.d, for every church with 300 or fewer communicants in good standing, the Vestry is entitled to elect one delegate to Council. For each additional 300 communicants (600, 900, etc.) or "major fraction thereof" each church is entitled to elect an additional delegate. "Major fraction thereof" is interpreted as half plus one of the 300 increment, or 151. In order to qualify for two delegates, a church must have 600 communicants in good standing. A church may qualify for two delegates by applying the "major fraction thereof" clause which would trigger a second delegate at 451 communicants in good standing.

How do I log onto the PERCEPT information?
Go to www.Link2lead.com and register your church. For help call Lindsay Ryland in the Congregational Development Office, ext. 13.

Can you recommend a good church software program?
What do you want it to do? For smaller churches that just want it to do the books, consider Quick Books. For churches that want a software program to integrate membership and pledge payments (and more), there are several packages available. Consider the following and see which one might best fit your needs: Automated Church Systems (www.acshome.com); Church Windows (www.churchwindows.com); Shepherd's Staff (contact Concordia Publishing House at 800-325-2399); and Servant Keeper (www.servantkeeper.com).

Are there resources available to review our ministry together? (Usually asked, "What resources are available to do an evaluation of our clergy?")
There are several tools to help you do this. One is the Mutual Ministry Review and another is through the Fresh Start program. Call Lindsay Ryland in the Office of Congregational Development, ext. 13.

EMPLOYEE BENEFITS/INSURANCE

What is SECA?
Clergy Self-Employment Compensation Allowance deals with clergy benefits. For more information, contact Joy Buzzard, ext. 22.

What is LTD Insurance and who is eligible?
LTD Insurance is long-term disability insurance, and all lay and clerical full-time employees are eligible to participate in a plan. Contact Harriet Jones, ext. 40 (or Joy Buzzard, ext. 22) for more information, or visit the Finance website at: http://www.thediocese.net/finance/

Why does my church have to buy health insurance on the "diocesan plan"?
In 1994, the Annual Council passed Canon 31 of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocese of Virginia, which states "any and all health insurance coverage provided or paid for by the Diocese, Churches, Diocesan Missions or Missions of a Founding Church located within the Diocese for active and retired ordained persons or lay employees shall be provided through the diocesan health insurance plans established by the Executive Board."

How do I enroll or cancel health insurance?
To enroll: donwload the form (click here part one, part two and part three ) and send it in to the Diocesan Office, attn. Harriet Jones. The form must be approved by church administration first.
To cancel: we must receive cancellation of health insurance in writing either on a bill, in a letter or by emailing Harriet Jones at hjones@thediocese.net. Contact Harriet Jones at ext. 40.

Deadlines for enrollement and cancellation receipt.
All changes MUST be received in the Diocesan Office by 10th of every month, except for births and deaths.

I need extra/new insurance card - who do I call?
Please call Anthem directly at 1-800-451-1527 (KeyCare) or1-800-421-1880 (HealthKeepers) or 1-800-438-1740 (Dental).

Will I receive plastic cards?
No. The paper cards ARE your permanent cards. Please do NOT discard.

My child is reaching age limit (25). Do they have to come off my insurance? Can they be carried by COBRA?
In most cases they must come off. We do not offer COBRA to dependents.

How do I change my doctors/marital status/etc?
Go to the Anthem website (www.anthem.com) and click on "Answers by Anthem" link to print a change form. All forms must come through the Dicoesan Office first.

Can I call on behalf of one of our employees?
Due to the new HIPPA rules only the official benefits administrator or the individual can contact the insurance company for information and changes.

How do I enroll in Life Insurance?
Go to the Church Pension Group (www.cpg.org) and download the form (be sure to download the beneficiary form). All forms must be mailed to Diocesan Office, attn. Harriet Jones.

What is the mileage rate for reimbursement?
37.5 cents/mile

What is the rate for supply clergy?
The rate for supply clergy is $125 for one service, $150 for 2 services, $175 for 3 services, plus mileage.

THE 5th CENTURY FUND

What is the 5th Century Fund?
A means to strengthen the Church in Virginia, engaging our energies and supporting our work of the spirit; it will create an enduring legacy - a stronger, more capable church for the new century.

What specific projects/ministries are to benefit from the 5th Century Fund?
The 5th Century Fund will benefit and strengthen 5 ministry areas:

• existing churches;

• youth ministry;

• conference centers;

• church planting;

• mission & outreach.