The purpose of the Commission on Equitable Compensation is to support full-time clergy serving as pastors in the charges of the annual conference by: (a) recommending conference standards for pastoral support; (b) administering funds to be used in base compensation supplementation; (c) providing counsel and advisory material on pastoral support to district superintendents and committees on pastor-parish relations; and (d) submitting an arrearage policy to be adopted by the annual conference. - Book Of Discipline Paragraph 625.2
Minimum Compensation
Category 2023 2024
(*)(**)Full Connection $42,240 $42,240
(*) Associate Member $39,917 $39,917
(*) Provisional Member $39,917 $39,917
(*) Full Time Local Pastor $36,765 $36,765
(*) Part Time Local Pastor $13,464 (a) $13,464 (a)
* This amount represents the total of Sections I and II of the "Clergy Financial Support Worksheet" as found on the conference website under Forms, Clergy and Financial Support.
** Full Connection refers to both Elders and Deacons.
(a) These amounts are per appointment, based on ten hours per week and are established in order to assure equitable pay for Part Time Local Pastors (PTLP). Churches served by a PTLP are NOT eligible for Equitable Compensation funds.
Conference Standards for Pastoral Support
The following items are to be included in the definition of full clergy financial support for appointment year 2021:
Base compensation, which includes cash compensation payments, payments to cover or assist personal Social Security taxes of the pastor and any other cash benefits paid to the pastor.
Estimated Costs associated with a Full Connection Deacon or Elder
2023 2024
Minimum Total Compensation (1) $ 42,240 $ 42,240
Minimum Housing allowance (2) $ 18,600 $ 18,600
Pension (3) $ 9,280 $ 9,144
Health Insurance $ 15,000 $ 16,200
Continuing Education (4) $ 800 $ 800
Total Estimated Cost $ 85,920 $ 86,984
May be broken out between gross base salary, other cash compensation, utilities allowance and parsonage-related allowances as identified on the Clergy Financial Support Worksheet in sections I & II.
Actual cost may vary. The amount listed is an estimate from the conference benefits office. Pension costs can be calculated using the CRSP Calculator.
This is the blended rate that churches pay for clergy participants in the Conference health plan.
This amount is the minimum as set by the annual conference. The basis for this recommendation is found in ¶258.2g(8) and ¶350.4 of The 2016 Book of Discipline.
Credited Years of Service Vacation Recommendation
1 to 5 years 3 weeks (including 3 Sundays)
6 to 10 years 4 weeks (including 4 Sundays)
11 plus years 5 weeks (including 5 Sundays)
Vacation shall be calculated based on the conference year July 1-June 30.
A Note Regarding Part-time Appointments - per the Annual Conference, clergy (provisional members, local pastor, deacons) who are appointed 1/2 time or greater at a church are eligible to receive benefits under CRSP. The 1/2 time or greater is determined by the salary paid to the clergy person (as per Wespath rules) in relation to the full-time compensation as approved by the Annual Conference. Please refer to the Incremental Time for Part Time Positions for Purpose of Pension Plans.