COSS #224 Polity and Administration

Class Preparation Downloads

Berking, Nate. The Vile Practices of Church Leadership: Finance and Administration. Abingdon, 2017.
Kotan, Kay and Blake Bradford. Mission Possible: A Simple Structure for Missional Effectiveness, Second Edition. Market Square, 2019.
Tyson, John. Administration in the Small Membership Church, Abingdon, 2007. (Required Licensing School textbook)
Warner, Laceye. The Method of Our Mission: United Methodist Polity and Organization. Nashville: Abingdon Press, 2014.
The Book of Discipline of the United Methodist Church 2016. Nashville: The United Methodist Publishing House, 2017. (Required Licensing School textbook)

Notes will be available during the course

Doing the Math of Mission, Monograph by Gil Rendle (PDF)
Vital Signs Weekly Worksheet (PDF)
Volunteer Management Cycle handout (2 page PDF, suitable for sharing)
Annual Work of the SPRC (4 page PDF)
Additional Resources:
- Rightsizing for Ministry Chart (PDF, 11x17 Color)- Adapted from work by Susan Beaumont, Beth Anne Gaede and Alice Mann
- Church Size Introduction Sheet (2 Page PDF, 11x17 b/w) - Adapted from work by Beth Anne Gaede and Alice Mann

Ministry Resources:
- Units of Time: Work-Ministry-Life balance (PDF from Wespath)
- Social Media Principles for the Church (PDF from the ARUMC Center for Communications)
- Code of Ethics For Pastors from the National Association of Evangelicals (PDF)
- Sample Building Use Agreement (Link to Nate Berneking website PDF)
Finance Resources:
- Reading Church Financial Statements by Raymond Bonwell (PDF)
- Sample Small Church Financial Policy (MS Word from ARUMC Center for Admin)
- Basic Internal Financial Controls for UMCs (MS Word from ARUMC Center for Admin)
- Sample Accountable Reimbursement Policy (Link to Nate Berneking website PDF)
- See https://arumc.org/our-resources/forms-and-documents/ for Financial Policies, Audit Guidelines and Administrative Forms
- See http://nateberneking.com/, the website of Rev. Nate Berneking, the Director of Finance and Administration for the Missouri Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church. Prior to becoming a pastor, he worked as an attorney in the corporate and securities group of a large St. Louis law firm.
Stewardship Campaign Resources:
- Giving Groups & Communications by Clayton Smith (MS Word)
- Pie Chart Narrative Budget (JPG image)
- Giving Guide (Church of the Resurrection 2011)
- Generic New Member Commitment Card (Church of the Resurrection 2011)
- Stewardship Timeline (2012) for St. James
- Purchase the God Pie video at WorshipHouse Media