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Vestry Resources & Administration

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   Almight and everliving God, ruler of all things in heaven and earth, hear our prayers for this parish family.  Strengthen the faithful, arouse the careless, and restore the penitent.  Grant us all things necessary for our common life, and bring us all to be of one heart and mind within your holy Church; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.  (BCP 817)

    

     

  

  

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Pages

  

Business practices

Book Recommendations

Cycle of Prayer

Diocesan Resource Notebook

 

  

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Links & Resources

  

Articles on Healthy Vestries

  

Vestry Spirituality (from the Diocese of Connecticut)

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Publications

  

Vestry Resource Guide

(from Forward Movement Publications) A helpful manual that covers subjects such as: the role and definition of a vestry; canons regarding clergy and vestry roles; job descriptions for wardens, treasurers and clerks; stewardship. Includes four brochures: What is a Vestry? What is a Congregation? What is a Diocese? and The Episcopal Church and the Anglican Communion.

 

The Vestry Papers

(from the Episcopal Church Foundation)  For vestries, wardens and clergy.  A national award winning newsletter designed to provide vestries with information that is spiritually grounded, yet offers practical illustrations and resources to assist them in their job as the elected lay leadership in their congregations

    

    

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What is a Vestry?

According to An Episcopal Dictionary of the Church...

The vestry is the legal representative of the parish with regard to all matters pertaining to its corporate property. The number of vestry members and the term of office varies from parish to parish. Vestry members are usually elected at the annual parish meeting. The presiding officer of the vestry is the rector. There are usually two wardens. The senior warden leads the parish between rectors and is a support person for the rector. The junior warden often has responsibility for church property and buildings. A treasurer and a secretary or clerk may be chosen. These officers may or may not be vestry members. The basic responsibilities of the vestry are to help define and articulate the mission of the congregation; to support the church's mission by word and deed, to select the rector, to ensure effective organization and planning, and to manage resources and finances.

  

  

According to the The Constitution & Canons of the Episcopal Church

CANON I.7:Of Business Methods in Church Affairs

Sec. 1. In every Province, Diocese, Parish, Mission and Institution connected with this Church, the following standard business methods shall be observed:
(a) All accounts of Provinces shall be audited annually by an independent certified public accountant, or independent licensed accountant, or such audit committee as shall be authorized by the Provincial Council. The Audit Report shall be filed with the
Provincial Council not later than September 1 of each year, covering the preceding calendar year.
(b) Funds held in trust, endowment and other permanent funds, and securities represented by physical evidence of ownership or indebtedness, shall be deposited with a National or State Bank, or a Diocesan Corporation, or with some other agency approved in writing by the Finance Committee or the Department of Finance of the Diocese, under a deed of trust, agency or other depository agreement providing for at least two signatures on any order of withdrawal of such funds or securities. But this paragraph shall not apply to funds and securities refused by the depositories named as being too small for acceptance. Such small funds and securities shall be under the care of the persons or corporations properly responsible for them. This paragraph shall not be deemed to prohibit investments in securities issued in book entry form or othermanner that dispenses with the delivery of a certificate evidencing the ownership of the securities or the indebtedness of the issuer.
(c) Records shall be made and kept of all trust and permanent funds showing at least the following:
(1) Source and date.
(2) Terms governing the use of principal and income.
(3) To whom and how often reports of condition are to be made.
(4) How the funds are invested.
(d) Treasurers and custodians, other than banking institutions, shall be adequately bonded; except treasurers of funds that do not exceed five hundred dollars at any one time during the fiscal year.
(e) Books of account shall be so kept as to provide the basis for satisfactory accounting.
(f) All accounts of the Diocese shall be audited annually by an independent Certified Public Accountant. All accounts of Parishes, Missions or other institutions shall be audited annually by an independent Certified Public Accountant, or independent Licensed Public Accountant, or such audit committee as shall be authorized by the Finance Committee, Department of Finance, or other appropriate diocesan authority.
(g) All reports of such audits, including any memorandum issued by the auditors or audit committee regarding internal controls or other accounting matters, together with a summary of action taken or proposed to be taken to correct deficiencies or implement
recommendations contained in any such memorandum, shall be filed with the Bishop or Ecclesiastical Authority not later than 30 days following the date of such report, and in no event, not later than September 1 of each year, covering the financial reports of the previous calendar year.

(h) All buildings and their contents shall be kept adequately insured.
(i) The Finance Committee or Department of Finance of the Diocese may require copies of any or all accounts described in this Section to be filed with it and shall report annually to the Convention of the Diocese upon its administration of this Canon.
(j) The fiscal year shall begin January 1.
Sec. 2. The several Dioceses shall give effect to the foregoing standard business methods by the enactment of Canons appropriate thereto, which Canons shall invariably provide for a Finance Committee, a Department of Finance of the Diocese, or other appropriate diocesan body with such authority.
Sec. 3. No Vestry, Trustee, or other Body, authorized by Civil or Canon law to hold, manage, or administer real property for any Parish, Mission, Congregation, or Institution, shall encumber or alienate the same or any part thereof without the written consent of the Bishop and Standing Committee of the Diocese of which the Parish, Mission, Congregation, or Institution is a part, except under such regulations as may be prescribed by Canon of the Diocese.
Sec. 4. All real and personal property held by or for the benefit of any Parish, Mission or Congregation is held in trust for this Church and the Diocese thereof in which such Parish, Mission or Congregation is located. The existence of this trust, however, shall in no way limit the power and authority of the Parish, Mission or Congregation otherwise existing over such property so long as the particular Parish, Mission or Congregation remains a part of, and subject to, this Church and its Constitution and Canons.
Sec. 5. The several Dioceses may, at their election, further confirm the trust declared under the foregoing Section 4 by appropriate action, but no such action shall be necessary for the existence and validity of the trust.

  

Title I, Canon 14

Sec. 1. In every Parish of this Church the number, mode of selection, and term of office of Wardens and Members of the Vestry, with the qualifications of voters, shall be such as the State or Diocesan law may permit or require, and the Wardens and Members of the Vestry selected under such law shall hold office until their successors are selected and have qualified.

 
Sec. 2. Except as provided by the law of the State or of the Diocese, the Vestry shall be agents and legal representatives of the Parish in all matters concerning its corporate property and the relations of the Parish to its Clergy.

 
Sec. 3. Unless it conflicts with the law as aforesaid, the Rector, or such other member of the Vestry designated by the Rector, shall preside in all the meetings of the Vestry.

(click here for the entire Canons in .pdf)