The Acts of Convention

House of Deputies

The House of Deputies Committee on Agencies and Boards presented its Report #13 on Resolution A135 (Compensation for Non-Stipendiary Clergy) and moved adoption of a substitute.

Original Text of Resolution:

(A135)

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring,

That the 81st General Convention requires that all active currently non-stipendiary clergy of any order under the age of 72, canonically resident in and serving in the Episcopal Church, and with a current letter of agreement with the congregation or entity they serve, be paid a minimum of $25 per month and assessment be paid on their account to the Church Pension Fund (CPF) beginning January 1, 2025; and be it further

Resolved, That compensation may be designated as housing allowance with agreement of the clergy and vestry of the congregation served; and be it further

Resolved, That two or more congregations or entities served by the same clergy person must agree in a timely manner upon the fair allocation among them of the costs of the clergy’s compensation and the related assessment to the CPF. Those congregations must also in a timely manner decide on a process for paying those amounts, which may require one congregation to be responsible for communicating with and paying the CPF; and be it further

Resolved, That compensation paid under this resolution does not replace payment on behalf of the clergy by the congregation or the diocese for the expenses of Diocesan Convention, Clergy Conference, continuing education, discretionary fund, or mileage, and other expenses as may be established in the letter of agreement.

Committee Substitute:

Resolved, the House of Bishops concurring,

That the 81st General Convention encourage each diocese to consider paying all active currently non-stipendiary clergy of any order under the age of 72, canonically resident in and serving in the Episcopal Church, and with a current letter of agreement with the congregation or entity they serve, a minimum of $25 per month, and pay assessments on their behalf to the Church Pension Fund (CPF) to enable access to applicable benefits from the Fund, beginning January 1, 2025; and be it further 

Resolved, That compensation paid under this resolution should not replace payment on behalf of the clergy by the congregation or the diocese for the expenses of Diocesan Convention, Clergy Conference, continuing education, discretionary fund, or mileage, and other expenses as may be established in the letter of agreement.

Motion carried

Substitute resolution adopted

(Communicated to the House of Bishops in HD Message #22)