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Ledyard Congregational Church Policy Manual
Document Name
CHURCH
 LCC By-Laws
 Core Values
 ONA Policy
 Safety Policy
FINANCIAL
 Financial Policy
 Financial Report
 Gift Policy
 Endowment Policy
BUILDING/ROOM USAGE
 Usage Agreement
 Library Use
MINISTER
 Minister Evaluation Process
DEACONS
 Deacon of the Month Duties
 Funeral Policy
 Wedding Guidelines
 Welcome Plan
MISCELLANEOUS
 Ledyard Fair Building Agreement
 Memorial Garden Policy
 Bill Library Parking Agreement
 Church Administrative Assistant
 Solicitation
 “Special” Fundraisers
 Pancake Breakfast Policy
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
Date
Rev. Date
02/07/2012
06/14/2009
01/30/2011
08/27/2007
01/29/2013
10/20/2013
06/27/2012
10/20/2013
10/20/2013
11/15/2011
03/07/2011
07/2013
06/06/2011
03/21/2009
01/2013
03/14/2011
11/14/2011
03/07/2011
11/21/ 2012
03/07/ 2011
03/01/2011
01/2010
03/07/2011
I
07/10/2014
Rev. Date
Rev. Date
CHURCH
By Laws
Rv. 01/29/13
FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF LEDYARD
United Church of Christ
Article I. Name
The name of this Church will be First Congregational Church of Ledyard, Connecticut,
Inc. (United Church of Christ) commonly known as the Ledyard Congregational Church.
Article II. Object
The objective of this church shall be to bind together the followers of Jesus Christ for
the purpose of sharing in the worship of God and in making His will dominant in the lives
of people individually and collectively, especially as that will is set forth in the life,
teachings, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Article III. Polity
This Church acknowledges Jesus Christ as its head and finds in the Holy Scriptures,
interpreted by the Divine Spirit through reason, faith and conscience, its guidance in
matters of faith and discipline.
The government of this Church is vested in its members, who exercise the right of
control in all its affairs, subject in legal matters to the Articles of Incorporation granted it
by the Secretary of the State of Connecticut.
While the Church is subject to no denominational authority it accepts the obligations of
mutual council, comity and cooperation involved in the free fellowship of the
Congregational Christian Churches and the United Church of Christ and pledges itself to
share their common aims and work.
Article IV. Doctrine
This Church recognizes the Bible as the sufficient rule of faith and practice, and holds
that living in accordance with the teachings of Jesus Christ is the true test of fellowship.
Each member shall have undisturbed right to follow the word of God as the Holy Spirit
makes it known to him/her, and his/her conscience directs. The Church sets forth the
following statement of faith not as a test, but as the Church’s interpretation of the Word
of God.
FAITH: We believe in God the Father, infinite in wisdom, goodness, and love, and in
Jesus Christ, His son, our Lord and Savior, who for us and our salvation lived and died
and rose again and lives evermore; and in the Holy Spirit, who takes of the things of
Christ and reveals them to us, renewing, comforting, and inspiring the souls of all.
COVENANT: We are united in striving to know the will of God as taught in the Holy
Scriptures and in our purpose to walk in the ways of the Lord, made known or to be
made known to us. We hold it to be the mission of the Church of Christ to proclaim the
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Gospel to all mankind, exalting the worship of the one true God and laboring for the
progress of knowledge, the promotion of justice, the reign of peace and the realization
of human brotherhood. Depending, as did our ancestors, upon the continued guidance
of the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth, we work and pray for the transformation of
the world into the kingdom of God; and we look with faith for the triumph of
righteousness and the life everlasting.
Article V. Membership
The members of this Church shall be persons, who have been received by vote of the
Church and public acceptance of its covenants,
(a) on confession of faith and baptism (if not previously baptized);
(b) on presentation of satisfactory letters of transfer from other churches; or
(c) if letters are not available, by reaffirmation of faith, on approval of the Board
of Deacons.
RECEPTION: Persons approved by the Board of Deacons shall be received at a church
service. Any who are unable to attend in public after approval by the Church may be
received by the Deacons acting on behalf of the church. The names of the candidates
shall be publicly announced before they are received into membership.
ASSOCIATE MEMBERSHIP: Members of distant churches who are living in this area may
become associate members of this Church without dropping membership in their home
churches upon approval of the Board of Deacons. Associate members maintain all
rights and privileges of membership, including voting rights.
ACTIVE MEMBERS: Active members shall be considered those members who participate
in worship, fellowship activities, or who contribute in some way to the life and mission
of the church. An accounting of active members is to be maintained to allow for
calculation of a quorum for any all-church meetings (see Article VI, Section 3 (b)).
INACTIVE MEMBERS: Upon approval of the Board of Deacons, persons having become
inactive for a period of three (3) years shall be placed on an inactive list. These persons
may be reinstated and placed on the active list upon approval of the Board of Deacons.
Inactive members lose certain rights and privileges of active membership, including loss
of rental fee discounts for ceremonies and social activities, as well as loss of voting
rights.
TRANSFER/TERMINATION: The continuance of membership shall be subject to the
principles and usage of the United Church of Christ, and especially as follows:
(a) Any member in good and regular standing who desires a letter of transfer and
recommendation to another church, upon request in entitled to receive it by
vote of the Board of Deacons.
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(b) If, because of change of faith or for other reasons not involving unchristian
conduct, a member in regular standing request, in writing, to be release from
his/her covenant obligations, the Church shall patiently endeavor to secure
his/her continuance in its fellowship; failing in such efforts, the Church may grant
the request and terminate said membership.
(c) Should a member become an offense to the Church and its good name by reason
of immoral or unchristian conduct, or by persistent breach of his/her covenant
vows, the Church on recommendation of the Board of Deacons may censure said
member, suspend him/her or terminate his/her membership by a two-thirds
vote at a duly called membership meeting; but only after due notice and hearing,
and after faithful efforts have been made to bring said member to amendment
in accordance with the law of Christ (Matthew 18:15-17).
(d) No person’s membership shall be terminated, except by letter, at the meeting in
which the recommendation for said action is first made.
Article VI. Services and Meetings
The services and meetings of the congregation shall be as follows:
1. WORSHIP/SACRAMENTS:
(a)
Service of worship shall be held at given hours each Sunday,
except when suspended by the church membership.
(b)
The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper shall be celebrated on the
first Sunday of each month or at other times as the Board of Deacons
may determine. The baptism of adults and children shall be celebrated
when determined by the Board of Deacons or Minister.
(c)
Other serviced of worship, inspiration, prayer and study may be
held as determined by the Board of Deacons, Minister, or membership.
2. BUSINESS MEETINGS:
Concerned members and Boards should submit agenda items to the chairperson
or moderator.
(a)
Annual Meeting: The Annual Meeting shall be held during the last
two weeks of January. Due notice shall be posted in the Church at least
two Sundays prior to the meeting. The purpose of this meeting shall be
to hear yearly reports of officers, boards, committees and organizations,
to elect officers, approve budget, transact business and make plans for
the next year.
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(b)
Regular Services and Business Meetings: The regular Sunday meeting of
the church shall be considered sufficient, in case of necessity, to transact
business; except corporate action requiring legal notice and business
specifically referred to other meetings.
(c)
Special Congregational Meetings: Special meetings for business shall be
called by the Church Clerk at the request of the Minister, the Church
Council, or on the written request of five (5) church members.
(d)
Semi-Annual Meeting: To be held as determined at the Annual Meeting.
3. RULES AND REGULATIONS:
(a)
Meetings should generally be facilitated by Roberts’ “Rules of Order”
(b)
Quorum: A Quorum shall consist of twenty-five (25) active members, or
ten percent (10%) of the active membership of the Church, whichever is
greater. A quorum for other boards and committees will be defined as
51% of positions which have been filled.
(c)
Official Year: The official year of the church shall begin at the close of the
Annual Meeting and all officers, boards and committees shall assume
their duties at that time. The financial year shall be from January 1 st to
December 31st.
(d)
Reports: All officers, Boards and Church Council shall report at the
Annual Meeting and at such other times as may be requested by the
Church Council or Church membership. Boards should include a synopsis
of reports provided by committees.
ARTICLE VII Officers
All officers with the exception of the Financial Review Officers will be members
or associate members of the Church.
The officers of the church shall be as follows:
1. MINISTER: The Minister shall be called for an indefinite time, by a two-thirds
vote of the Church Membership. However, the Church membership may at
any time, by two-thirds vote at a meeting called for that purpose, said
meeting having at least 255 of the active members, request his/her
resignation with the expectation that it will be presented within sixty days.
The Minister shall give sixty days’ notice should he/she wish to leave of
his/her own violation.
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The Minister, with the assistance of the Board of Deacons, shall have charge
of the spiritual welfare of the Church. He/She shall seek to enlist people as
followers of Christ, preach the Gospel, administer the sacraments, have
under his/her care all services of public worship, and coordinate the activities
of the Church in cooperation with the various boards and officers. He/She
shall be an ex-officio, non-voting member of all boards and the Church
Council. He/She is a voting member of congregational meetings.
2. OTHER OFFICERS: The following officers shall be elected annually in January
and all will take office immediately.
(a) Moderator: The moderator shall facilitate all congregational meetings of the
Church. The Moderator shall be a member of the Church Council.
(b) Assistant Moderator: The Assistant Moderator shall facilitate at all
congregational meetings of the Church in the absence of the Moderator. The
Assistant Moderator shall be a member of the Church Council.
(c) The Church Clerk: The Church Clerk shall be a member of the Church Council.
In the absence of both the Moderator and Assistant Moderator, the Clerk
may call the meeting to order and the Moderator prop tempore shall be
elected for that meeting. The Church Clerk shall:
(1) Keep a record of the proceedings of the Church, taking minutes of
congregational meetings.
(2) Keep a register of the members of the Church, with the dates and
manner of their reception, also a record of baptisms and marriages.
(3) Issue letters of transfer voted by the Board of Deacons.
(4) Give legal notice of all meetings when such notices are necessary.
(5) Conduct all correspondence so far as this is not otherwise provided by
law and is usually pertaining to the office of clerk or secretary of an
assembly.
(d) Treasurer: the Treasurer shall keep an accurate account of all receipts and
disbursements in accordance with the Financial Manual.
(e) Assistant Treasurer: The Assistant Treasurer shall act for the Treasurer
whenever the Treasurer is absent in accordance with the Financial Manual.
(f) Financial Review Officer: The Financial Review Officer shall examine the
accounts of the Treasurer of the Church and report at the Annual Meeting.
(g) Historian: The Historian shall be a member of the Church Council and shall in
close cooperation with the Minister and Church Clerk, collect, organize, and
maintain a history of the Church. The duties of the Historian will include, but
no be limited to the following:
(1) Collect old diaries, histories and documents.
(2) Keep chronological record of church events.
(3) File copies of church letters, special programs, bulletins and newsletters.
(4) Write a brief report for the Annual Report.
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(h) Other Officers may be elected as the need shall dictate.
Article VIII. Boards – Council
1. OVERVIEW: The members of the Church shall elect annually Church Council
Members-at-Large, and Board Members, all of whom must be members or associate
members of the church. The members of all the Boards shall be divided into two
classes with one-half of the members elected to terms with expire each year. No
member’s name shall appear on the Annual Meeting Ballot for re-election after
having served three consecutive two year terms. No member shall sit on more than
one board during their elected term. Annually, each board and Church Council shall
elect a chairperson, assistant chairperson and secretary. Draft minutes of meetings
shall be filed with the church secretary within two weeks and made available outside
the church library. If a Board determines the need for a supportive committee to
accomplish one of the Board’s continuing functions the chairperson of that Board
shall provide the following information to the church secretary who shall include this
information in the “Committee Booklet.”
(a) Title/obligations/goals/responsibilities
(b) Membership
(c) Meetings
(d) Board it is responsible to
(e) A description of the committee’s expected output and where
it can obtain any needed information.
If a Board determines the need for paid staff, they must have approval from the
congregation at an all church meeting. The determining Board is responsible for the job
description and annual reviews. No person shall be allowed to hold more than one paid
position at the same time.
2. THE CHURCH COUNCIL AND BOARDS SHALL BE:
(a) Church Council: The Church Council shall consist of the following:
(1) Moderator
(2) Assistant Moderator
(3) Church Clerk
(4) Historian
(5) two (2) representatives each of the Board of Deacons and the Board of
Trustees
(6) one (1) representative each of the Board of Christian Education, Board of
Missions, and Board of Music
(7) four (4)-members-at-large, who shall not be members of any of the
aforesaid boards
(8) one (1) member of the Women’s Fellowship
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Each board and the Women’s Fellowship shall elect its own representative to the Church
Council.
The Church Council shall have the power to fill all vacancies of officers or boards that
shall occur during the year with the aid and recommendations of the Nominating
Committee, which shall be a support committee of the Church Council.
Is shall be the function of the Church Council to visualize the entire task of the Church.
The Council may act for the Church in matters not defined as the function or
responsibility of any other board. These matters must be approved by at least two –
thirds of the voting members present or be brought before the Church for resolution.
Any board or member may call upon the Church Council for assistance. The council shall
submit to the Annual Meeting a comprehensive program involving the chief objectives
of the Church for the coming year. All officers, boards, and associate organizations may
be requested t present their plans and programs to the Council for its information. The
Church Council shall be responsible for maintaining good communication among church
members and boards. In performing that responsibility, the Council shall guide and
oversee the CHURCH CHATTER, church office secretary, the scheduling of functions and
the Council bulletin board.
The Church Council shall meet at least once quarterly. Additional meetings may be
called by the chairman at the request of any council member.
Nominating Committee: the Nominating Committee shall consist of the Assistant
Moderator and the four (4) Church Council Members-at-large. Three (3) members shall
constitute a quorum. The Committee shall prepare a ballot nominating one person for
each vacancy to be filled at the Annual Meeting and said nominations shall be posted
not later than two Sundays prior to the Annual Meeting. The ballot thus prepared shall
be the official ballot of the Annual Meeting, provided that any voter may write upon
his/her ballot the name of any eligible person and that the right of the members to
make nominations from the floor shall be recognized. The Nominating Committee shall
also recommend to the Church Council nominees to fill the unexpired terms of all
vacancies of offices and boards that shall occur during the year. Boards may request the
Nominating Committee to find members for established committees.
(b) Board of Deacons: The Board of Deacons shall consist of fourteen (14) members
and shall meet monthly. A deacon who has served ten years may be elected
deacon emeritus, and upon such election, shall be entitled for life to all the
privileges of an active member of the Board of Deacons.
The Board of Deacons shall cooperate with the Minister in ministering to the
spiritual interest of the Church and community. They shall assist in the
preparation and administration of the sacraments, and in caring for the needy.
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The Board of Deacons shall be responsible for the administrative supervision of
the Minister. The guidelines for such supervision shall be approved by a
congregational meeting. They shall provide for the supply of the pulpit in the
absence of the Minister. They shall provide for the beautification of the sanctuary
and hospitality.
(c) Board of Trustees: The Board of Trustees shall consist of fourteen (14) members,
one of whom shall be a member of the Ecclesiastical Society, and one member of
the Women’s Fellowship, and shall meet monthly. The Treasurer shall be an exofficio, non-voting member. The Board of Trustees shall have the care
(maintenance, repair, improvements and custodial services) of the property of
the Church and have charge of its financial affairs to include the annual
preparation of a budget and to approve expenditures in excess of the budget, and
buying and selling of stocks and bonds. The total of said excess expenditures must
not exceed 3% of the total annual budget without approval of the Church
membership. They shall draft, approve and administer the Financial Manual,
which will specify the procedures for the Treasurer’s conduct of his/her office,
and rules for the use of church property. The Trustees shall have no power to buy,
sell, mortgage, encumber, lease or transfer real property without specific
authority given by a vote of the Church membership.
(d) Board of Christian Education: The Board of Christian Education shall consist of
seven (7) members and shall meet monthly. It may annually hire the Church
School Director, who will be an ex-officio, non-voting member of said Board. This
board shall direct the education work of the Church. This board is also responsible
for the administration of the Library guidelines and care of the infants during the
church service. It shall cooperate in the educational aspects of social services,
mission, and stewardship.
(e) Board of Missions: The Missions Board shall consist of seven (7) members, one of
whom is a member of the Women’s Fellowship, and shall meet at least once
quarterly. The church treasurer shall be ex-officio, and non-voting. This Board
shall administer the mission expenditures in accordance with the budget,
promote giving for special mission offerings and plan the service projects for the
Church.
(f) Board of Music: There shall be a Music Board of five (5) voting members. In
addition the organist and choir director(s) will be ex-officio, non-voting members.
It shall meet at least once quarterly. The Board shall be responsible for the music
program of the Church and shall work in cooperation with the Board of Deacons.
Article IX. Ledyard Center Nursery School- (school officially closed May 2014)
This article no longer applicable.
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Article X. Associate Organizations
An Associate Organization is defined as an organization or group with which First
Congregational Church of Ledyard has a mutual representation and/or financial tie. The
Church Council shall have authority to form or dissolve a tie with an associated
organization after review, discussion and a majority vote.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
THE LEDYARD ECCLESIASTICAL SOCIETY: The First Congregational Church of
Ledyard recognizes the articles of incorporation, the by-laws and the assets of
the Ecclesiastical Society. The Society holds ownership of manages some of the
real estate of the Church. A representative of the Ecclesiastical Society shall be a
member of the Board of Trustees. Each group shall recognize each other’s
responsibilities and authority. They shall agree to work together for the
betterment of both the First Congregational Church of Ledyard and the
Ecclesiastical Society.
WOMEN’S FELLOWSHIP: The First Congregational Church of Ledyard recognized
the by-laws of the Women’s Fellowship. The Board of Mission and the Board of
Trustees shall each have a representative from the Women’s Fellowship.
LEDYARD FAIR INCORPORATED: The First Congregational Church of Ledyard
recognized the articles of incorporation and by-laws of the Ledyard Fair,
Incorporated. The Ledyard Fair Incorporated elects two (2) members form the
First Congregational Church to the Fair’s Board of Directors as a host
Organization, for a three (3) year term each. The Church Council shall approve
the two (2) representatives to be elected to the Board of Directors of the
Ledyard Fair, Inc.
LEDYARD INTERCHURCH EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FUND: The First
Congregational Church of Ledyard recognizes the articles of incorporation and
by-laws of the Ledyard Interchurch Emergency Assistance Fund. The Nominating
Committee shall nominate, and the congregation approves, a lay representative
from the First Congregational Church of Ledyard to the Board of Directors of the
Ledyard Interchurch Emergency Assistance Fund. The minister of the First
Congregational Church of Ledyard is automatically nominated to the Board of
Directors of the Ledyard Interchurch Emergency Assistance Fund.
UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST: The First Congregational Church of Ledyard
recognizes the articles of incorporation, by-laws and constitution of the United
Church of Christ on a national, conference and association level. The church will
nominate and elect year three (3) lay delegates and alternates to represent the
church of the New London Association. The church will nominate and elect each
year two (2) lay delegates and alternates to represent the church to the
Connecticut Conference. The minister of the church is automatically a delegated
to the Association and Conference by virtue of his/her office.
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA: The First Congregational Church of Ledyard
recognizes and affirms responsibility of a sponsoring organization as described in
the Troop and Pack Charters. The Church as a sponsoring member of that
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7.
8.
Charter supports the principles of scouting by providing a safe place for the
Troop, Pack, and other organizations of these groups to hold meetings. The
Church will help, within its capacity, to provide support to the scouting
programs.
GIRL SCOUTS OF AMERICA: As a sponsoring body, the First Congregational
Church of Ledyard recognizes and affirms the principles of Girl Scouting at it
various levels. The Church will support the scouting programs and leadership
training by providing a safe place and environment for the promti9ion of Girls
Scouting, The Church will help, within its capacity, to provide support to the
scouting programs.
The First Congregational Church of Ledyard shall have the power to form
relationships with other organizations as necessary.
Article XI. Amendments
These by-laws may be amended only by a two-thirds vote at the Annual Meeting or by a
special Church meeting called for that purpose. The proposed amendment shall be
presented to the Church in writing not less than two months prior to said meeting and
announcement of these proposed amendments shall be made to the congregation on
three (3) consecutive Sundays prior to said meeting.
Previous Amendments, Summary:
Amended January 25, 1998: To define the Nominating Committee as the Assistant
Moderator and the four (4) members of the Church Council At Large. To change the
terms permitted on Boards and Committees to three consecutive two year terms.
Amended October 15, 2000: To establish Nursery School Authority (Article IX)
Amended June 14, 2009:
1. Article V: Membership defined per Board of Deacons recommendation, voting
rights of inactive members.
2. Article VI: To define a quorum as 51% for each board or committee based upon
the number of positions filled, not upon the possible number of positions.
3. Article VIII: To set the time for minutes of meeting to be submitted at 2 weeks for
draft minutes.
4. Article VIII: Define Deacon emeritus as ten years from “many” years.
5. Article VIII: Change shall may for Christian Education hire of a Church School
Director.
6. Article X: To update the By-laws to reflect the revision in the relationship (Host
Organization) with the Ledyard Fair.
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Core Values
Rv. 06/14/09
It is proposed that these values be operative in the mission and ministries of our
congregation within all structures of the congregation. A preliminary report on their
application will be made at the Annual Meeting in 2010.
The guiding principles for our actions
Regarding family and community:
 To serve the community: both locally and worldwide.
 To support all members of the church family by promoting a spirit of belonging
and caring.
 To provide an environment for the church families to educate and build faith in
their children.
Regarding spirituality:
 To have a relationship with God that is inspired by the Holy Spirit and follows the
example of Jesus Christ.
 To accept the Word as contained in the scriptures.
 To have faith and joy which are uplifted by worship, prayer and music.
Regarding love, compassion and acceptance:
 To have a welcoming and accepting attitude that respects the diversity of all
others.
 To follow The Golden Rule; which means loving others before ourselves.
 To provide for the sick and needy through visitations, prayer, and financial
support.
Regarding our heritage and history:
 To draw inspiration and knowledge from our history and heritage.
 To learn from our past and use those lessons to guide our future.
 To remain flexible and open to change.
Regarding communication:
 To provide timely and open communication about important issues that may
affect our congregation.
 To maintain confidentiality when appropriate, and discourage gossip.
Regarding confrontation:
 To provide an open forum and encourage members to freely voice their points of
view.
 To encourage the expression of views in a constructive, compassionate manner.
Approved at the Semi-Annual Meeting, June 14, 2009
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Open and Affirming Policy
Rv. 01/30/11
First Congregational Church of Ledyard, Ledyard, CT
"There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male
and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus." Galatians 3:28
As we are one in Christ, we are called to accept and respect one another in the face of
our differences. We commit ourselves to work diligently to end all oppression and
discrimination which afflicts God’s people in our society. We seek to explore new ways
of affirming our faith in community according to the wisdom of the Gospel. We work, as
individuals, to become more Christ-like in our love for one another.
Because love is a unifying and strengthening force within our Christian faith, We, the
members of the Ledyard Congregational Church, United Church of Christ, hereby
declare ourselves an Open and Affirming Christian community, actively expressing Jesus’
inclusive embrace of all people.
We welcome all who seek to follow Jesus, including persons of every age, gender, race,
national origin, faith background, marital status and family structure, sexual orientation,
gender identity and expression, mental and physical ability, economic and social status,
and educational background, to share in the life, leadership, ministry, fellowship,
worship, sacraments, responsibilities, blessings and joys of our church family.
We encourage all members to participate and share talents and energy in the worship
and work of the congregation. By full participation we would include as examples the
following:




Full participation in the Rites and Sacraments of the Church;
Service as teachers for Christian Education classes and leaders of youth
activities;
Participation in all committees and service in all offices;
Equal consideration for all employment opportunities.
Jesus teaches us to welcome all God’s children into God’s covenantal community. As we
grow together in faith and love, we will strive to celebrate the diversity in which God has
created us. As followers of Christ we seek by this affirmation to be faithful to his
commandment, "love one another as I have loved you." John 15:1
Approved by the Congregation at the Annual Meeting on January 30, 2011
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Safety Policy
Rv. 08/27/07
Ledyard Congregational Church: Safe Church Policy
For all ministries of the Church, including Ledyard Center Nursery School
I. General Background
Our mission statement:
The covenants between persons seeking employment or authorized volunteer positions
in the church require honesty, integrity and truthfulness for the health of individuals
participating and for the church as a whole. Our goal is to pursue love, safety, peace and
security for all who participate in our programs, wherever held, as well as for those who
use our facilities. We recognize that all persons are created in God’s image (Genesis
1:26). Both the Old and New Testaments instruct the faithful to do justice and to care
for all persons, including the young. To that end, Ledyard Congregational Church is
committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment in which infants, children,
youth and adults can learn about and experience God’s love. We have a moral
responsibility to provide the highest quality and safest care and programming possible
in all areas of our ministry programs.
Definitions:
Child sexual abuse and sexual misconduct, as understood in this document, always
involve a relationship in which both parties do not have equal power. Any sexual contact
must, if it is to be ethical and life-giving, take place between two mutually consenting
participants. Such mutual consent is not possible where there is an imbalance of power,
for example, between pastor and congregant, church school teacher or youth leader
and child, choir director and choir member.
For the purposes of this policy we are using the following definitions:
Professional Ministerial Staff: a person or persons, ordained or lay, who is/are
employed by the church to carry out its ministry, including the Ledyard Center Nursery
School staff.
Monitored Contact Staff: Anyone working with children or youth in an open setting,
easily observable by others in the vicinity (e.g., Sunday School teachers in open
classrooms).
Unmonitored Contact Staff: Anyone involved in overnight events with minors,
transportation of minors, or chaperoning events for children or youth at times other
than general church gatherings.
Child Sexual Abuse: Any sexual activity with a child in which a minor is used for the
sexual gratification of another to include, but not be limited to: fondling, penetration,
inappropriate touching, verbal comments, pornographic materials, obscene phone calls,
exhibitionism or any behavior that violates applicable law.
Minor: Any individual under the age of eighteen.
Sexual Misconduct includes sexual harassment (verbal and/or physical) sexual advances
and or sexual contact between an ordained, licensed, commissioned minister, or any
person, ordained or lay who has an assigned role with children and/or youth in the
church and the employees, members, youth, children, and counselees of his/her church.
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Sexual exploitation: Sexual activity or contact (not limited to sexual intercourse) in
which a person engaged in the work of the church takes advantage of the vulnerability
of a participant by causing or allowing the participant to engage in sexual behavior with
that person.
Sexual harassment: repeated or coercive sexual advances toward another person
contrary to that person’s wishes. It includes behavior directed at another person’s
sexuality or sexual orientation with the intent of intimidating, humiliating, or
embarrassing the other person, or subjecting the person to public discrimination.
Unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical
conduct of a sexual nature constitute sexual harassment when:
• Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or
condition or circumstance of instruction, employment, or participation in any
church activity;
• Submission to, or rejection of, such conduct by an individual is used as a basis
for evaluation in making personnel or church-related decisions affecting an
individual; or
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an
individual’s performance or participation in church activities or creating an
intimidating, hostile, or offensive work or church environment.
Prohibited sexual harassment includes unsolicited and unwelcome contact that
has sexual overtones, particularly:
• Written contact, such as sexually suggestive or obscene letters, notes, or
invitations;
• Verbal contact, such as sexually suggestive or obscene comments, threats,
slurs, epithets, jokes about gender-specific traits or sexual orientation, sexual
propositions;
• Physical contact, such as intentional touching, pinching, brushing against
another’s body, impeding or blocking movement, assault, coercing sexual
intercourse; and
• Visual contact, such as leering or staring at another’s body, gesturing,
displaying sexually suggestive objects or pictures, cartoons, posters, or
magazines.
Sexual harassment also includes continuing to express sexual interest after being
informed directly that the interest is unwelcome-and using sexual behavior to control,
influence, or affect the career, salary, work, learning, or worship environment of
another.
It is impermissible to suggest, threaten, or imply that failure to accept a request for a date or
sexual intimacy will affect a person’s job prospects, church leadership, or comfortable
participation in the life of the church. For example, it is forbidden either to imply or actually
withhold support for an appointment, promotion, or change of assignment, to suggest that a
poor performance report will be given because a person has declined a personal proposition;
or to hint that benefits, such as promotions, favorable performance evaluations, favorable
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assigned duties or shifts, recommendations or reclassifications, will be forthcoming in
exchange for sexual favors.
Inappropriate Behavior: Anyone using suggestive language, suggestive behavior, or
repeatedly using profane language to, or around, youth.
Confidentiality: When investigating an allegation, those involved shall maintain
complete confidentiality with respect to names and events. The guiding rule of
confidentiality is to tell only who needs to know and only what they need to know. This
shall be followed by all involved.
II. Ministerial Conduct
All persons engaged in the ministry of Ledyard Congregational Church including elected
or appointed leaders, employees, volunteer and authorized ministers are responsible for
knowing the possible impact of their words and actions in ministering to the emotional,
mental, and spiritual needs of persons who come to them for help or over whom they
have any kind of authority. Sexual harassment or sexual exploitation of parishioners,
children, or other individuals by someone engaged in the ministry of Ledyard
Congregational Church is unethical and unprofessional behavior and will not be
tolerated within this congregation.
Because ministers often deal with individuals who are emotionally and psychologically
fragile or otherwise personally vulnerable, it is imperative that those engaged in the
ministry of this church maintain their own psychological, emotional and spiritual health.
It is the policy of Ledyard Congregational Church to encourage its authorized ministers
to respect boundaries within ministerial relationships by being attentive to self–care
and education. Any authorized minister shall respect the importance of referring those
in need to supportive and helpful resources. No authorized minister shall engage in
long-term, professional counseling, unless properly trained, licensed and supervised.
III. Safe Church Policies
Selection and Screening Process
Ledyard Congregational Church welcomes members who have been regular attendees
for six months and friends who have been regular attendees for a year or more to
become involved with the church school and youth ministry programs at various levels
of commitment. The Safety Coordinator in conjunction with the Board of Christian
Education shall be primarily responsible for screening applicants for volunteer and staff
positions with children and youth. It is expected that all employees or volunteers who
work with minors will complete and submit a screening form [See attached appendix].
The screening forms shall be kept in a confidential file, locked in the Pastor’s office.
References must be supplied and checked for any applicants who have been at the
church for less than two years. Interviews and background screening shall be conducted
for all professional staff. All screening forms will be reviewed by the Safety Coordinator,
in consultation with the pastor as needed. Prior to serving, each volunteer or staff shall
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attend a training session. In order to ensure safety for all persons involved, the following
guidelines will be followed when inviting individuals to service in ministries with minors:
• An individual with an undeclared criminal history shall not be considered.
• An individual with a felony conviction involving child abuse shall not be
considered.
• An individual shall not be considered who has any criminal history that may
impair or disable their ability to effectively perform the functions of the
ministry
position,
• An individual with any criminal conviction for a crime of violence shall be
considered on a case by case basis.
The Board of Christian Education may guide someone to another area of ministry should
they feel they are not suited for working with children or youth.
Supervision
1. It shall be the responsibility of the Pastor and the Board of Christian Education
to supervise all staff and volunteers of Ledyard Congregational Church
working with minors.
2. Supervisors will ensure that all staff and volunteers have received the training
to perform their ministries with competence and ensure that all church
policies are being administered adequately. See the Safe Church Guidelines in
attached appendix.
3. Any adult who will supervise overnight stays of children or youth in
connection with church events must complete the primary screening
procedure outlined above to participate in the overnight activity. In addition,
these forms must be reviewed prior to participation in the overnight event.
4. If any minor is to participate in a chaperoned or supervised church activity
away from the church, a signed parental consent form which includes a
medical form disclosing all medications and dosages to be taken while on the
trip must be submitted prior to such activity.
Mandated Reporters
CT State Law (Public Acts 02-106 and 02-138) mandates that any person paid to care for
a child in any public or private facility is mandated to report suspected child abuse or
neglect to Department of Children and Families or a law enforcement agency. By that
definition the Pastor and the Director of Christian Education are mandated reporters.
Any paid staff who suspects that a child is being abused or neglected, whether they
believe the abuse or neglect has happened/is happening at the church or a church
function or not, is to notify the Pastor, the Director of Christian Education or the
Moderator immediately. The Pastor, Director of Christian Education and/or the
Moderator will notify the proper authorities and will then follow the procedures listed
below for the reporting of incidents.
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Reporting of Incidents:
All staff, teachers, aides, and volunteers of Ledyard Congregational Church should
adhere to the following reporting procedures in order to promote accountability among
all members of the church.
1. Any and all incidents involving questionable or inappropriate behavior related
to possible sexual misconduct or sexual, physical, or verbal abuse should be
immediately reported to the Pastor, or to the Director of Christian Education,
or to the Moderator.
2. The incident shall be documented in writing by the Pastor, the Director of
Christian Education, or the Moderator as appropriate. The report shall contain
the date, time, persons involved, and a full explanation of the incident. [See
attached form in the appendix.]
3. The Pastor and/or Moderator and the appropriate Board shall meet to discuss
and implement an appropriate response.
4. All staff, teachers, aides, youth group leaders, and volunteers working with
minors shall be trained in how to report an incident.
Response:
The staff of Ledyard Congregational Church shall treat every allegation of sexual abuse,
misconduct and inappropriate behavior seriously, and shall investigate every allegation
in a prompt, professional and confidential manner.
1. When questionable or inappropriate behavior related to possible sexual abuse
or other inappropriate behavior is observed and reported, responses may
include, but are not limited to the following:
• Document the situation and closely monitor the accused.
• Discuss with the accused to ensure he/she understands and respects
appropriate limits of behavior;
• Discuss with the accused and immediate removal from the position and
place on leave pending completion of the investigation.
• Overall evaluation of the incident, up to and including interviews with
the alleged victim and accused and counseling referrals if necessary.
If the nature of the incident does not require legal intervention and all
parties agree that counseling will suffice, such a recommendation may
be made and reviewed by counsel to church for legal sufficiency.
In other cases, a formal report may be filed, at which time professional intervention
shall be requested through the Department of Children and Families and the Ledyard
Police Department. In addition, the accused shall be removed from his/her position
pending the completion of an investigation.
2. The Pastor and the Moderator may notify and discuss any allegation with legal
counsel to ensure that all legal requirements are met in the response process.
In the event that the accused is the Pastor, the Moderator, in consultation
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with the Chair of the Deacons and the Chair of the Board of Trustees, shall
follow this course of action on behalf of the church.
3. The Pastor and/or the Moderator may notify Ledyard Congregational Church’s
insurance carrier and the Regional Minister of the United Church of Christ as
appropriate.
4. Every effort shall be made to comfort and protect the victim of the alleged
abuse to ensure that the victim’s needs are being met.
5. If an alleged incident involves a minor, the parent or guardian shall be notified
immediately.
6. The accused shall be treated with respect and dignity during the investigation
process.
7. If needed, a response team consisting of 3-5 church leaders shall be formed to
investigate the allegations. If the accusation is against an authorized minister
of the United Church of Christ, the Regional Minister shall consult with the
authorizing body responsible for investigating the allegations.
8. Notification to the congregation will be handled on a case by case basis at the
discretion of the Moderator, the Chair of the Deacons and the Chair of the
Board of Trustees. In the event that a public statement is required, a single
spokesperson shall be designated to speak to the media on behalf of the
church.
Training
All staff, teachers, aides, and volunteers who work with the children and youth of the
congregation shall be given access to a copy of this policy and shall be oriented
regarding what his/her responsibility is in preventing and reporting allegations.
1. Training of staff and volunteers include:
 a code of behavior to ensure safety,
 an explanation of church policies, guidelines and the reporting
procedure, and
 a commitment from each staff member to follow these policies,
guidelines and
 reporting procedures.
2. The pastor shall be responsible for reviewing the church’s volunteer policies
with all new members of the church during new member orientation.
3. The Pastor, Board of Christian Education and Director of Christian Education
shall be responsible for educating the congregation on the need for such a
policy and what it includes.
4. Youth shall be informed, especially before overnight events, of who are the
safe individuals to approach should they feel concerned for their safety,
security or well-being.
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Appendix
Safe Church Guidelines for People Working with Children and Youth
A Covenant of Understanding and Responsibility
Safe Church Guidelines for People Working with Children and Youth
Ledyard Congregational Church
Because we desire to be faithful in responding to the biblical mandate to “let the
children come unto me,” because we want to provide the safest program for youth and
younger children, and because we want to protect those persons working with them,
we will follow these guidelines:
1. We will respect children and youth with both our actions and words. We will not use
profane, abusive or derogatory language or actions.
2. We will touch children and youth only in appropriate ways and places:
• On the hand, shoulder or upper back
• Never against a child’s or youth’s will (unless in the case of clear and present
danger of the child/youth or another child/youth)
• Never causing a child’s or youth’s discomfort
• Never when it would have the effect of over-stimulating a child or youth
• Never in a place on a child’s or youth’s body that could be covered by a bathing
suit, unless for clear medical necessity or when changing a diaper or helping a
young or handicapped child/youth use the toilet.
3. The purpose of discipline with children and youth is to maintain order in a manner
consistent with the teaching of Christian responsibility, respect, and cooperation.
• No child or youth shall be disciplined by the use of spanking, hitting, slapping,
or any other form of physical punishment.
• Verbal reprimands shall not include destructive criticism, insults, or shouting.
• When we encounter a particularly difficult child or youth or situation, we will
seek assistance from the person in charge (Director of Christian Education,
Pastor).
• All physical contact such as wrestling, horseplay, etc. or any other high contact
games are not appropriate recreational activities in a church setting. As such,
no youth advisor, or volunteer should encourage or initiate such contact.
• Allowing children to roam the church building or grounds unsupervised shall
also be discouraged.
4. All youth group participants shall remain with the group throughout the times of the
activity. Under no circumstances shall youth be allowed to separate from the group
activity and roam from adult supervision.
5. A youth advisor or volunteer shall not remain with youth alone in the building at any
time.
• If a youth has not been picked up on time by parents two adults shall remain
with the youth to wait.
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• Youth should not be driven home by a volunteer or youth advisor alone in a
vehicle. Instead parents should be notified or two volunteers or youth advisors
shall bring the youth home with parental consent. If circumstances necessitate
driving a youth alone, parents shall be notified.
6. To the fullest extent possible, a teacher shall not be in a classroom alone with
children or youth, all activities will be team taught.
• We will carry out activities in open areas, not in private offices or spaces.
• Doors without windows will be left open when sessions with children/youth
are taking place. In the event that a door should not be left open (e.g. the crib
room, where toddlers are present), a suitable electronic monitoring device
should be installed.
• All teachers, youth advisors, aides or anyone else working with children and
youth shall strive to not place themselves in a compromising situation by being
alone with a child or youth out of sight of other teachers, youth advisors, aides,
or parents.
7. Toileting young children:
• All teachers, advisors, or aides will wait outside the bathroom door for children
while they are performing personal sanitary functions.
• When able, a child should take care of his/her own clothes after toileting.
• When a child needs help with his/her clothing the adult should have the child
step out of the stall and into an open area.
• Any adult who is helping a child go to the bathroom should inform the other
adult in the room that this is what they are doing.
• When helping children to clean up from crafts and wash hands, the door to the
bathroom should be left completely open.
8. All volunteers who work with children and youth shall participate in a yearly training
event focusing on issues of child sexual abuse and the church’s current policies and
procedures.
9. Any child or youth participating in a youth event off the premises must have a
permission slip signed by a parent or guardian, with trip information specified as
needed.
10. Any adults who will be providing transportation throughout the program year to
youth events off the premises shall adhere to reasonable and customary safe travel
guidelines for group travel, and shall make reasonable attempts to ensure that:
• all drivers have a valid driver’s license and are insured
• all vehicles have enough gas
• at least one vehicle will have a first aid kit
• each car has at least two adults (if possible)
• cars stay together while traveling as much as is safely possible, and
• drivers will use some form of communication between cars such as cell phones
or walkie-talkies.
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A Covenant of Understanding and Responsibility
Ledyard Congregational Church
Name______________________________________________________________________
Position_____________________________________________________________________
For the program year ___________________________________________________________
I have accepted the call for this position of responsibility working with children/youth on
behalf of the ministries of Ledyard Congregational Church. I understand this position
calls me to be responsible in fulfilling the tasks of the job, to act at all times with
honesty, integrity, to ensure the safety, peace and security of all who participate in our
programs. I am committed to provide a nurturing environment, in which our children
and youth can learn about and experience God’s love.
I understand the expectations of the position and my personal conduct; and, with God’s
help, I offer my time, my energy and my commitment for God’s work in this place.
I also understand that I have the support and the resources of Ledyard Congregational
Church and its staff to assist me in this ministry. I know that I have a responsibility to
question and/or report any suspected abuse of children, and if I have any problems I can
go to the Pastor, the Moderator any member of the Christian Education Board.
_____________________________________________________________________________
(Signed)
Date
_____________________________________________________________________________
(Signed on behalf of the Church)
Date
Received handbook___________ Date of training_____________________________________
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Procedures
For Financial Policy, Property Control and Accounting
Section I – Introduction
A. Purpose: To create the guidelines, rules and procedures for administration and accounting
of the Church’s financial resources. These procedures will provide continuity of fiscal
management and fix responsibility for the management of financial matters. This in turn will
lead to consistent accounting methods that will provide meaningful year to year comparative
financial reports and facilitate the annual review of the financial operation records.
B. Major Financial Areas: The financial areas covered by this manual are:
Section II Section III Section IV Section V Section VI Section VII Section VIII Section IX Appendix A Appendix B -
Planning and Budgeting
Financial Transactions
Property
Investments
Insurance
Safe Keeping of Records
Treasurer's Procedures
Reviews and Changes
Gift Policy
Endowment Policy
Section II - Budget - Preparation and Responsibilities
A. Objective: The Bylaws provide that the Trustees shall prepare an annual budget. The
objective of the budget is to match (balance) expected revenues with anticipated expenses.
B. Requirements: The requirements of the budget development process are:
1. All Boards, committees and individuals that are charged with conducting the various
activities of the Church must submit to the Budget Committee an itemized listing of their
anticipated expenses for the next year and an estimate of future yearly expenditures for four
additional years.
2. The Budget Committee, in consultation with the Treasurer, representatives of the
Boards, Stewardship Committee and the Church Council, will prepare a budget for planning use.
The proposed budget for the coming year is to be made available to the members of the
congregation at least two months prior to the annual meeting, to help support individual
pledge planning decisions.
3. In the budget process only 95% of the total individual pledge amount shall be
assumed as realized revenue for the purposing of balancing the budget.
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4. Just prior to the annual meeting, and after an estimate of total pledging is received
from the Treasurer, the budget is finalized and submitted to the Trustees for final balancing.
This balanced budget will then be forwarded, via the Church Council, to the church membership
for adoption at the annual meeting.
5. After adoption of the budget by the Congregation, the Treasurer will issue final line
item authorizations to each Board that reflects all actions resulting from the acceptance of the
budget at the annual meeting.
6. The present budget revenue and expense categories should not be changed without
careful consideration. This facilitates the preparation and comparison of financial reports,
simplifies accounting and annual review procedures.
7. Should the Congregation authorize balancing of the budget by liquidation of savings,
the Investment Committee shall make a recommendation to the Board of Trustees, who shall
approve the timing and amount of liquidation action to match the cash flow needs of the
Church.
Section III- Financial Transactions
A. Budget Execution by Perpetual Boards:
1. Normal circumstances:
a. The actual expenses of the various Boards specified in the Church Bylaws must
conform to the line items in the approved Board budget. Any expenditure for
items not included in the approved Board budget must have prior approval of
the Board of Trustees.
b. Board expenditures may not exceed the budget amounts set forth in the budget
without prior approval of the Board of Trustees, who must designate how the
monies to meet such excess expenditures are to be obtained.
2. Unexpected circumstances:
a. When funds will not or cannot be spent for the originally budgeted purpose, due
to changed circumstances, Board must go to the Board of Trustees with a
proposal to either: (1) reassign Board funds from line to line, or (2) return the
funds for other use. The Board of Trustees may then approve the Board's
recommended transfer between lines, or decide where to reassign funds.
b. When additional funding is needed:
(1) Underfunded budget line items: Boards needing funding over and above
original budget allotment shall notify the Board of Trustees. They are
encouraged to submit a proposal for a source of additional funding. The
Board of Trustees shall either approve or reject the Board's proposal. If
disapproved, the Board of Trustees shall endeavor to work with the
Board in locating alternative funding.
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(2) Non-budgeted items:
(a) Pre-funded - Any such situation shall be covered under the applicable
procedure listed in Section III.C.2.
(b) Not funded - In an emergency situation the Board of Trustees, or, if
necessary, the Chairman of the Board of Trustees together with the
Chairman of the Property Committee, may expend funds under their
control for the required non-budgeted item(s), including waiving the
requirement for bids if necessary. This action shall then be referred to
the Council to arrange ratification by the church membership. If not
an emergency, this decision shall be referred to the Council for church
membership consideration before the action.
(c) Deficit - Any anticipated shortfall from any revenue source shall be
brought to the attention of the Board of Trustees for resolution.
B. Procedures to be followed by Church Ad-hoc Committees and Projects:
1. Any entity authorized by the church, besides the perpetual Boards, or any project
undertaken outside the Church budget by any Church entity is subject to the
financial oversight of the Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees may require
periodic reports, which may include an accounting of funds handled. The Board of
Trustees will specify formats for reports. This requirement shall specified by the
Board of Trustees. This requirement shall include an accounting as part of the
annual financial review conducted in accordance with Section XI.
2. Unless otherwise specified all Special Project Fundraisers shall adhere to the
procedures of this section.
(a) Definition: Special Fundraisers are those held for a specific purpose, on a nonrecurring basis. Examples of special fundraisers include efforts to raise
money for: a new Sunday school education series, new chairs for the library,
etc. They do not include the “standing” fundraisers, which are held on
annual basis (e.g. Strawberry Supper, Hamburger Booth, Christmas Bazaar,
etc. these are considered as “grandfather” institutionalized fundraisers.
(b) The Church Council shall approve all special fundraisers.
C. Internal Board of Trustees Procedures:
1. Some Church Boards, committees and organizations maintain funds separate from
those administered by the Board of Trustees. These entities shall be responsible for
handling them and abiding by any applicable restrictions and procedures. The
Treasurer will separately identify these accounts in all regular reports.
2. Board of Trustees administered funds:
(a) Reserve Accounts:
(1) Definition: Any unit of monies not expected to be completely generated
and spent in one fiscal year shall be approved by the church membership
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and identified as a reserve account. An example of a reserve account
would be a revitalization fund, intended to prepare for needs at an
unknown future time to replace or upgrade fixed property.
(2) Title: Each unit shall have a unique name, which shall be included in
the records of the Board of Trustees and Treasurer.
(3) Policy: A list shall be maintained of all monies designated as reserve
accounts, the respective amounts credited to each unit, and the church
entity designated as custodian of that unit. If the Board of Trustees is to
hold the funds but not be the custodial entity, the custodial entity shall
inform the Board of Trustees of usage requirements for the fund that
would limit the Board of Trustees' investment options. The Board of
Trustees shall inform such custodial entity of limitations on the
availability of the funds as they apply.
(4) Procedure: The Board of Trustees shall report in the Annual Report the
status as of December 31 all reserve accounts they administer.
(b) Endowment Funds (Appendix A):
(1) Definition – A unit of church monies that were endowed to the church
such with restrictions that the principle be maintained, but that all
interest and dividends could be used by the church for designated
purposes (i.e. minister salary, etc.).
(2) Title: The event of each gift shall be noted in the Annual Report, or
previously identified in the church or town records. A complied listing of
all endowments shall be maintained in Appendix A of this manual.
(3) Policy: Based on approval of the Congregation at the January 2012
Annual Meeting the Investment Committee was authorized to identify
all endowment funds, and permitted to invest them as a single account
in the United Church of Christ, Connecticut Conference Consolidated
Trust Fund or other similar fund in order to comply with the provisions
of Connecticut State Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional
Funds Act of 1 October 2007 (UPMIAFA).
(4) Procedure: The Investment Committee in March 2012 determined the
endowment funds gifted to the church and their escalated value as
noted in Appendix A. This value was deposited with the United Church
of Christ, Connecticut Conference Consolidated Trust Fund. It was
subsequently determined that annually 4% of the appreciated value of
the funds would be withdrawn in February as to support the annual
budget. Additionally, the Investment Committee is to annually review
the Consolidated Trust Fund Report to Participants and applicable
compliance resolutions to ensure compliance with UPMIAFA, and take
appropriate action, in consultation with the Board of Trustees, should
issues be identified.
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(c) Restricted and Memorial Funds (Appendix A):
(1) Definition - A unit of church monies may be restricted either by the
terms of the original gift receipt or by church policy established by the
Church Council or Board of Trustees. The restrictions may govern either
the purposes for which monies can be spent, or the portions of the
funds that can be spent. An example of a restricted fund would be the
Reynolds Fund, the use of which is restricted to directly support the
Sunday School.
(2) Title: Each unit shall have a unique name, which shall be included in the
records of the Board of Trustees and Treasurer, along with the source of
funds and any stipulations.
(3) Policy: The Board of Trustees shall abide by the restrictions placed on
church monies unless they obtain a release from those restrictions from
original patron, or the patron’s immediate family. If the patron or
immediate family is no longer available, the Church Council may approve
release of the restrictions.
(4) Procedure: Whoever receives monies of this type, shall forward them to
the Treasurer to be recorded, properly processed, and reported to the
Board of Trustees. In the case of bequests, the Board of Trustees shall,
as soon as possible after receipt, establish and record (1) the intentions
of the donor as to use and (2) the decision - making process to be
followed to use the funds.
d. In the case of unrestricted bequest, the Board of Trustees shall, as soon as
possible after receipt, establish and record the sense / intentions of the
church as to use of the funds, and designate the decision making process to
be followed to use the funds.
e. In-and-Out transactions:
(1) Definition: Items that do not impact the budget. An in-and-out is usually
a special item, which provides for its own funding; the church merely
serves as a financial conduit. An example of an in-and-out transaction
would be the Nursery School paying its employee withholding taxes
through the Church.
(2) Procedure: Such items will be noted within the Treasurer's report and
will appear on the report of the affected board/committee.
D. 3% Rule:
1. Authority: The Bylaws empower the Board of Trustees "to approve expenditures in excess
of the budget", and decree that "the total of said excess expenditures must not exceed 3% of
the total annual budget without approval of the church membership".
2. Definitions:
(a) "The budget" and "the total annual budget" mean the currently approved spending
plan of the church ("expenses" rather than "revenue"), as covered by Section II of
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3.
4.
E.
1.
2.
3.
4.
this Manual. At the beginning of the year this will be the budget approved at the
annual meeting. Whenever the church membership votes at a church meeting to
approve additional spending or otherwise modify the original budget, it shall be to
the newly - modified total figure for yearly expenses that the 3% rule applies.
(b) “Excess expenditures" shall be defined in the following paragraphs.
Application:
(a) In general, the 3% rule applies when the Board of Trustees approves the spending of
monies beyond that budgeted for a line item, or on items not originally budgeted for
at all.
(b) Financial transactions to which the 3% rule applies include in this Section para.
(normal committee expenditures); para. A.2.b.(2).(b) (non-budgeted, not funded
expenses).
(c) Financial transactions to which the 3% rule does not apply include, in this Section
para. A.2.a (over funding); and para. B (ad-hoc entities).
(d) Financial transactions executed under the following parts of this section will be
subject to the 3% rule only if the funds and expenditures involved appeared in the
annual budget on the "revenues" and "expense" listings, respectively: para.
A.2.b.(2)(a) (pre-funded items); para. C (reserve accounts, restricted funds, in-andouts).
Procedure:
(a) The Treasurer shall maintain a running total of monies constituting excess
expenditures for the year.
(b) Any time a suggested expenditure would put the total over 3%, the Board of
Trustees may:
(1) Disapprove the expenditure.
(2) Request a special church meeting, at which the Board of Trustees may
recommend that, the membership:
(a) Approve the suggested expenditure.
(b) Ratify one, any or all of the previous excess expenditures amounting to equal to or
greater than the suggested expenditure.
(3) Fund the suggested expenditure using monies not subjected to the 3%
rule, i.e. special funding sources as outlined in para. D.3.c and D.3.d. of
this section.
Spending Freeze and Cash Flow Control:
In the event that projected revenues fall 3% below of the approved budget revenues, the
Board of Trustees may invoke a spending freeze.
Notice of the freeze shall be made immediately to all Boards and be placed in the Church
newsletter (Chatter). The Board of Trustees shall take action to improve revenue generation
(i.e. investigate unmet pledges, etc.).
While the freeze is in place, the Treasurer shall only pay utility billings and budgeted salaries
without specific authorization of the Board of Trustees.
In order to meet cash flow requirements the Board of Trustees may authorize the Treasurer
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to transfer up to $6,000 from the investment brokerage account to the general checking
account. These “float” funds will be paid back to the brokerage by the close of the fiscal
year.
F. Purchasing Materials and Services:
1. The Board of Trustees and the Treasurer must be fully informed about all Contract
negotiations. Every effort shall be made to obtain more than one estimate (typically three)
for expenditures requiring a contract. All contracts must have either approval of the
Trustees or the Congregation. The appropriate board/committee chairman and a trustee
(two signatures) must sign contracts.
2. Credit cards or any other account that may result in additional service or interest charges
being assessed may be established in the name of the Church. Access to these accounts
shall only be provided to designated members of the Board of Trustees, the Church
Secretary (with a limited credit limit) and the Treasurer, who shall pay any balances
immediately upon receipt of billing. No-fee revolving billing accounts may be utilized at
local vendors that provide this service, and utilized by Church officers, employees and Board
members, following the specified voucher procedures in Section G below.
G. Requests for Payment:
1. For recurring, budgeted items (i.e. salaries, utilities, insurance) the Treasurer is authorized to
pay these bills upon presentation to the church.
2. For non-recurring items purchased by a Board or Committee, a request for payment voucher
shall be forwarded to the Treasurer to pay the outstanding bill or to receive a
reimbursement.
3. The Treasurer shall provide pre-printed voucher forms. The form shall include the budget
account to be charged, signed by the requesting individual, and approved by a different
individual who is a designated member of the Board with cognizant over the specific budget
line to be charged.
Section IV – Property
A. Authority: The Bylaws place the Trustees in charge of care of the Church properties. The
Board of Trustees may delegate to appropriate boards/committees the safekeeping of
certain property and may establish requirements for inventories, including, as needed,
photographs and videos.
B. Property Accounting:
1. Inventories should be made of all properties with sufficient value to be considered
insurable. A copy of the inventory shall be kept in the Library fireproof file storage
cabinet. Suitable items may be tagged with an ID number. The inventory may be in a
computerized format and shall include the following minimum information:
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ID
Number
Date
Acquired
Description
Cost
(a) Actual
(e) Estimate
Disposition
(including date)
2. The Property Committee should make a complete physical check of the property
against the records by the end of each even numbered year, with the results reported
in the Board of Trustees minutes, and available at the annual meeting.
C. Real Estate: The Town of Ledyard maintains the master real estate listing. The Property
Committee shall on verify this data is correct with the Town Assessor by the end of each odd
numbered year and report the results in the Board of Trustees minutes.
Section V – Investments
A. Authority:
1. The Bylaws provide that "under policies set by the Church, and except as otherwise
provided, the Board of Trustees shall have care of the property of the Church and
have charge of its financial affairs to include … the buying and selling of stocks and
bonds."
2. An Investment Committee may be established, and consist of a Chairman and at least
3 members from the Board of Trustees and ex-officio members including the Minister
and Treasurer. The committee shall contract for the investment of Church funds,
which include endowments, legacies, trust funds, and various types of savings and
brokerage accounts. If an Investment Committee is not established, the Board of
Trustees shall ensure that all available investment funds are under the management
of a professional investment service (Professional Investment Manager) which shall
provide monthly statements and annual reviews to the Board of Trustees. A report of
the activities of the Investment Committee or professional manager shall be provided
in the annual church report.
B. Background: In 1949 the church authorized the establishment of the Investment Committee.
The original individually named church endowment funds were co-mingled to more easily
invest these funds in stock, bonds and other financial instruments as an integrated portfolio. A
listing of these original funds and use restrictions is included in Appendix A. As the church was
incorporated under the laws of the State of Connecticut on January 4, 1910 we are obligated to
conform to Connecticut state laws relative to management of funds. The Uniform Prudent
Management of Institutional Funds Act (UPMIFA), of 1 October 2007 specifically outlines the
Church’s responsibilities to maintain accountability for the principle, as well as the appreciated
(escalated based on the Consumer Price Index for inflation) value of all funds given to the
Church as endowments. Historically the church also treated certain gifts in manner similar to
endowments, as noted in Appendix A. Portions of these gifted funds have been used on
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occasion for other purposes, which has resulted in their current value being less than the
expected escalated value. The baseline escalation date for all funds noted in Appendix A was
established as May 1949 based on the following reasons:
 When the Investment Committee was established,
 Prior to 1949, inflation was considered minimal,
 All earlier investments were in bonds and savings accounts, resulting only in interest,
which was used for basic support of the church budget.
C. Policy:
1. The Board of Trustees shall charge its Investment Committee or Professional Investment
manager with:
a. Studying available investment resources (e.g. stocks, bonds, certificates of deposits
(CDs), cash) and to carefully manage a diversified portfolio that will meet the various
needs of the church;
b. Providing investment recommendations, where appropriate, for monies received
outside of the approved budget, including investment successions ("rollovers");
c. Recurring evaluation of the liquidity of Church investment holdings, in order to finance
extraordinary expenditures when approved.
2. Maintaining compliance with the resolution in Appendix A in order to ensure compliance
with the Connecticut State UPMIFA and generally accepted accounting principles.
D. Objective: To seek long term capital appreciation to offset the effects of inflation while
providing a steady income to fund the budget and other church needs. Typically, the church
should be able to realize about 3-5% of the total value of the investments to support the annual
budget process.
1. Methods of achieving objectives:
(a) Carryout research for investments and savings accounts.
(b) Use investors' surveys offering a "safety" ranking mechanism.
(c) Select quality stock with a record of increasing dividends.
(d) Select quality bonds with a rating of "a", "aa", or "aaa".
(e) Diversify stocks by investing in at least six different industry groups (e.g.
banking, insurance, utilities, food, communications, auto, etc.).
(f) Utilize a managed fund such as The Connecticut Conference UCC Consolidated
Trust Fund or equivalent.
2. Guidelines for achieving objectives:
(a) The Investment Committee will closely monitor the investment portfolio,
reporting unexpected changes of status to the Trustees.
(b) Each stock will be given a status classification (e.g. buy, sell, hold).
(c) Special situations that deviate from the criteria listed above should be
evaluated, on an individual basis.
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(d) Full Board of Trustees shall approve on all changes made to the portfolio as
allowed by the By-laws.
(e) Develop additional investment resources such as the Planned Giving
Program.
E. Procedures:
1. Records:
(a) Appendix A shall be maintained by the Investment Committee as a record of
all major gifts – it shall include each given source title; originating date; and
restrictions on use of principle and/or income produced. This list, the related
documents, and any certificates of title shall be placed in a fire proof
container (see Section VII), with a copy available in the Church office.
(b) The Treasurer shall maintain a file of transactions concerning investments.
Each entry, keyed to the investment's title, shall include purchase; sale; and
"rollovers" of securities, certificates of deposits, and investment cash
accounts. The entry for any vehicle consisting of component units shall
include a listing of accrued and prorated income for each component. A
master statement provided by the brokerage account for all securities is
acceptable. CD’s and savings accounts held at banks shall be reported as part
of the monthly Treasurers report provided to the Board of Trustees.
2. Responsible Individual: Annually, the Board of Trustees shall designate an individual
who is to represent the church to all investment and banking agencies. This
Responsible Individual shall update the agency records, and at least annually change
all account passwords. Passwords shall be held only by the Treasurer and the
Responsible Individual.
3. Transactions: The Treasurer shall transact changes in investment vehicles under
conditions and timing recommended by the Investment Committee, and approved
by the Board of Trustees, and notify the Responsible Individual and if applicable, the
approved Professional Investment Manager of the course of transactions.
4. Income changes: The Investment Committee or Professional Investment Manager
shall advise the Board of Trustees and Budget Committee of income changes
expected from proposed, approved, or transacted investment changes.
5. Verification:
(a) The Investment Committee or Responsible Individual shall reconcile securities
and cash-vehicle statements with the Treasurer's investment journal at yearend.
(b) The Responsible Individual shall verify annually in the presence of the
Treasurer the existence and location of all security certificates; a brokerage
statement will suffice where appropriate. The member shall certify and date
his findings, which will then be made available to the Treasurer, Board of
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Trustees and Financial Review Officer specified in Section XI.
(c) The Responsible Individual of the Board of Trustees shall quarterly verify that
declared dividends are forwarded and deposited in the appropriate Church
account.
(d) The Responsible Individual shall also review the various reports and written
material produced by the corporations in which the Church has invested. This
Responsible Individual is empowered to represent the church at any meeting
of stockholders and to respond to all proxy calls for stocks owned by the
Church.
F. “In God We Trust” Fund: The “In God We Trust” fund was started in November 1992, with
funds provided by individual church members, and investment of these monies in the Zweig
Mutual Fund. In May 2004 the balance of the funds were liquidated, and incorporated into the
general endowment funds of the Church, as noted in Appendix A.
Section VI – Insurance
Each year in October the Trustees should review the Church's bonding, Workman’s
Compensation, property and liability insurance programs with the Church's insurance agent.
The Board of Trustees shall take action to adjust coverage prior to policy renewal (normally in
January) after considering the effect of changes in the property records and employee status.
Based upon this review, the Board of Trustee shall establish the apportionment for insurance
costs that are the responsibility of the Ecclesiastical Society and the Nursery School, and verify
these activities are committed to provide funds for the future year budget.
Section VII - Safe Keeping of Records
A. Safe: All important papers must be kept in a locked fire proof container. The Treasurer and
the Secretary should keep a current listing of the contents. Important papers include:
1. Certificates and papers pertaining to investments, property inventories, and deeds.
2. Original papers governing gifts and bequests.
3. Ongoing contracts.
4. Any other papers of a similar nature.
B. All other records: All receipts, vouchers, checks, monthly reports and tax filings shall be
retained for a minimum of ten years. The location of the records shall be determined by the
Board of Trustees. Reasonable care shall be taken to prevent damage to the records; however,
due to the volume of records, retention in fire proof containers is not required. Any electronic
format of the records should also be maintained and archived along with all hard copy records
in a retrievable system.
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Section VII - Treasurer's Procedures
A. Treasurer's Duties:
1. Maintain cash receipts journal and deposit all funds received.
2. Maintain a cash disbursement journal and see that the person whose budget is
charged approves vouchers and invoices, which are submitted. This includes
reviewing expenditures to ascertain that they are in accordance with the categories
on the itemized budget requests submitted to and approved by the Budget
Committee.
3. Sign all checks, whenever possible. Signatories will be the Treasurer, Assistant
Treasurer or any individual designated by the Board of Trustees. No person shall be a
signatory on a check made out to his or her self. Check written in excess of $5,000
shall require two signatures.
4. The Treasurers may maintain an impressed petty cash fund of $100 and reimburse
that fund as needed.
5. Maintain a file of all contracts.
6. Receive duplicate deposit slips.
7. Report to the Board of Trustee tracking to a monthly cash flow forecast, and provide
recommendations for meeting cash flow projections. The annual cash flow forecast
shall be developed by the Budget Committee and reviewed and approved by the
Board of Trustees by March of each year.
8. Prepare monthly statements of expenses and revenue showing figures for that
month, and also the year to date for each budget line item, and all non-budget
accounts.
9. Assist in keeping property records current.
10. Maintain a file of paid vouchers with attached invoices. All vouchers must be signed
by the purchaser and approved by a member of the committee whose budget is
charged with the payment.
11. Prepare a year-end financial report on a Funds Accounting Basis.
12. Maintain lists of reserve accounts and restricted funds, according to the procedures
laid out in Section III.C.
13. Maintain a record of the annual running total of monies constituting excess
expenditures, see Section. III.D.4.a.
14. Collections:
(a) Pledges and offerings:
(1) Maintain a file of official deposits.
(2) Maintain a record of pledges and the amounts paid on pledges.
Send notices to pledges of totals paid on pledges on an annual basis.
The year-end notices should be an officially signed copy.
(3) Provide notices to pledges of totals paid during the year as specified
by the Board of Trustees, and at year end provide an official signed
copy. Additionally, provide any necessary notifications required by
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federal and state tax regulations to all applicable donors (i.e.
donations in excess of $250).
(4) Maintain an official record of differences reported between
treasurer's records and that of the pledges. These should be
reconciled before the next notifications go out.
(5) Verify deposit of receipts from collection plates (pledges and loose
cash) and deposit any pledges or gifts received via other means.
(6) Prepare a final document of official deposit records, pledges, and
weekly total of deposits at the end of the year. This document shall
be kept on file in a secured area for no less than five years.
(7) Assist with soliciting pledges; recording and assigning pledge envelope
numbers as needed, setting up spreadsheets, etc. for the coming
year.
(8) May endorse checks for deposit as necessary.
(b) Non-pledge or non-offering donations:
(1) The Treasurer shall keep a record of non-pledge or non-offering
donations identified to a particular donor.
(2) The amounts given by individuals shall be reported in the reports
noted in Section VIII.B.1.a(4) above.
(3) Those funds donated anonymously to specific accounts shall be
tracked.
(4) A form shall be maintained and made available to special
fundraiser groups for the purpose of documenting funds raised. The
form will document how much was donated, how much loose change
and currency was submitted, and list individuals making cash
donations (monies given to help with the benefit with anything
received in return). This form shall be signed by at least two
individuals representing the fundraiser. Individuals noted as
contributors on this form will be documented in the reports noted in
Sections VIII.B.1.b(3) and VIII.b.l.a(4) above. The submitted form will
become a part of the final record noted in Section VIII.B.1.a(7).
(5) Record of receipts for charitable donations of goods shall be kept with
the final record noted in Section VIII.b.l.a(4).
(c) Other receipts (i.e. rentals, etc):
(1) The Treasurer shall receive and record all other monies donated to
the church.
(2) In the absence of the Treasurer, the Church Secretary or the Minister
may receive funds. A written receipt shall be provided to the
individual providing the funds, and the funds shall be conveyed to the
Treasurer, along with a copy of the provided receipt, in a timely
manner.
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15. Bank Accounts:
(a) Sights all returned checks and reconcile all bank statements with journals.
(b) Maintain a file of the copies of all bank statements and journal entries listing
all checks disbursed as a basis for reconstruction in the event of destruction of
the treasurer's records.
(c) See that all savings accounts' passbooks are up-to-date and duly recorded in
the treasurer's accounting records.
B. Assistant Treasurer's Duties: There may be two assistant treasurers, with each having
specific assigned duties assisting the treasurer with the collections and bank account
responsibilities respectively. Congregation will approve their appointment at the annual
meeting.
C. Sunday Offering Tracker Duties: Two people should do the counting of the pledges and
loose monies in the collection plates. The Congregation at the annual meeting will approve
these individuals. They shall receive the weekly offering, record using computer software the
receipt of pledges, donations and contributions, initial the official cash receipts, and deposit all
received monies immediately following each service when a collection is received.
(1) Each Sunday the loose cash in the offering plates shall be counted and the
sum will be recorded with the date and signatures of two counters placed on
a form generated by the recording software.
(2) The pledge monies and other donor identifiable funds should be tallied as
soon after the Sunday Service as possible. Funds given during that week
should be attached to the collection records in the locked treasurer’s
cabinet.
(3) When counting the monies the loose cash and currency should be laid out by
denomination. Open any pledge envelopes, take any cash funds out and
note the amount and pledge. Place all checks in a separate pile. Tally each
denomination and note the amounts for each, along with the amount of
change. Enter all checks into the software program – including the name and
address of any non-pledging donation. Any special funds designation by
check memos should recorded for proper application of the funds. Proper
attention should be made for any errors on written checks, and effort should
be made to get these corrected should the individual still be at the church. If
this cannot be done, and the check not deposited, the check should be
turned over to the Treasurer for resolution.
(4) All entries into the software program should be verified. The roles of counter
and recorder should be alternated between the trackers for this step. The
program will provide for a simplified tally, and produce a consolidated report
of the collection activities.
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(5) One copy of the software activity report shall be signed by both trackers, and
placed in the locked treasurer’s cabinet. An additional report should be
attached with the deposit slip for deposit purposes.
(6) All residual materials, including the empty pledge envelopes, should be
checked, and then shredded.
(7) One of the trackers shall take custody of the funds, report, and deposit slip
and then place all materials into the deposit packet provided by the bank,
and immediately go to the bank, and deposit the package into the night
deposit box.
Section IX - Reviews and Changes
A. Periodic Review: The By-laws provide the requirements for the Financial Review Officer.
Trustees should ensure the periodic (at least once a year) internal review of all systems and
all accounts of the Church is coordinated and completed in a timely manner.
B. Reviewer Qualification and Reporting: an experienced individual (preferably a CPA) should
conduct the formal review, after designation by the Congregation the annual meeting. The
results of this review should be provided to the Board of Trustees in writing, and included in
the Annual Report.
C. Scope of Review: In accordance with the By-laws the review shall examine all accounts
maintained by the Treasurer. For the benefit of the Board of Trustees the review shall also
examine compliance with the Financial Manual, and assess compliance with standard
internal controls including financial statements, cash receipts, records, disbursements,
information reporting, tax reporting, statement reconciliation, investment accounts,
property records, accounts payable, insurance, debt, credit, and other general items.
D. Report of Review: Upon the completion of each annual review the Board of Trustees shall
review the report of the review, and direct any necessary corrective action.
E. Changes: Any proposed change to this manual shall be included as part of each annual
review, and approved by the Board of Trustees.
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Appendix A: Gift Policy
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Approved Oct 20, 2013
PREAMBLE
They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus storing up for
themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of the
life that really is life.
I Timothy 6:18-19
Section I - Purpose
The following policies and procedures provide guidelines related to gifts received
by Ledyard Congregational Church for the benefit of the congregation and its
ministries. The purpose of the policies is to provide advice and guidance for
donors, as well as to Ledyard Congregational Church leaders, members, and staff.
The policies cover the following topics:
1) What types of gifts the church will accept;
2) The process for deciding how gifts will be used;
3) Stewardship of donors and gift administration practices; and
4) How Ledyard Congregational Church will encourage estate giving among
members and friends of the church.
Section II - Types of Gifts Accepted
Unrestricted and Restricted Gifts
Ledyard Congregational Church will accept unrestricted and restricted gifts. An
unrestricted gift is one for which no specific purpose or designation is assigned by
the donor, except that the gift is used to advance the mission of Ledyard
Congregational Church, as decided upon by the Church Council or a designated
Board of the church. The use of the funds may be changed at the discretion of the
Church Council or designated Board.
A restricted gift is one that is assigned a specific purpose or use by the donor.
The utilization of the funds for the specified purpose cannot be changed by any
governing body of the church. Examples include: A gift might be given by a donor
for roof repair, to enable youth to go on a mission trip, or to benefit the church's
music program. Restricted gifts must be consistent with the mission and purpose
of the church. The church will honor gift restrictions for all restricted gifts it
accepts. Tracking of restricted gifts, until the gift is fully executed, will be done
by the Treasurer, and reported annually.
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Appendix A: Gift Policy
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Unrestricted gifts of less than $1,000 will be considered as plate offerings and
applied to the current annual operating expenses of the Church.
Unrestricted gifts of more than $1,000 and less than $10,000 will be allocated by the
Board of Trustees to support identified outstanding improvements to programs or
property of the Church, or be added to the endowment funds. The gift may be
allocated to multiple efforts; but should be allocated and dispersed within three
months of receipt and reported in the Annual Report. Funds allocation is the
process whereby the respective Board determines to what purpose the funds are to
be used, then records their finding in posted minutes.
Unrestricted gifts of greater than $10,000 will be allocated by the Church Council to
support multiple missions of the Church as follows: 10% will be allocated to the
Board of Missions for distribution; approximately 40% will be allocated to the Board
of Trustees for increasing the unrestricted endowment; the remaining funds (~50%)
will be allocated to support improvement to programs or property. All funds are to
be allocated within four months, and dispersed within six months of receipt and
reported in the Annual Report. The allocation and period for dispersal can be
modified by the Church Council on a case by case basis to reflect the wishes of the
donor and needs of the Church at the time of the gift.
The Board of Trustees of the church has final authority over how restricted gifts will
be used. Whether a restricted gift is designated for immediate use or for addition
to the church’s Endowment Fund, the decision whether to accept a restricted gift
will be made by the Board of Trustees.
Anyone interested in making a current restricted gift to Ledyard Congregational
Church is encouraged to discuss their proposed gift in advance with the Pastor,
Treasurer, Stewardship Committee or members of the Board of Trustees.
For those interested in making a restricted gift to the church in their estate plans,
the following ministry areas are recommended: Worship and Music; Buildings and
Grounds; Christian Education; Mission and Outreach.
Memorial Gifts
Gifts given to the church in memory of deceased individuals will be deposited to
the church’s Memorial Gift Fund, and recorded in the Annual Report along with any
use restrictions. The Board of Trustees will approve expenditures from this Fund.
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Appendix A: Gift Policy
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Memorial Garden Fund
Gifts given for this fund represent payments made for burials of cremated
remains in the Memorial Garden in the front courtyard of the church. There is no
cost of burial, however a donation to the Memorial Garden Fund is recommended.
Bronze plaques are purchased and installed on the Garden wall using Memorial
Garden Funds. The balance of this Fund is used for maintenance of the Memorial
Garden.
Named Funds
Donors may give restricted gifts to the church in memory or in honor of any
individual. However, perpetual named funds may only be established when a gift is
designated as a permanent endowment gift. In such cases, the minimum gift is
$10,000 (Note: prior named funds were established as approved by the Church
Council at a lower gift value).
Section III - Gift Evaluation and Acceptance Procedures
While the Church Council has final authority for accepting all gifts offered to Ledyard
Congregational Church, it may delegate authority to the pastor, the Board of Trustees
and/or others as appropriate. In addition, when research and evaluation of a gift is
necessary in order for the Church Council to make an informed gift acceptance decision,
the Church Council may delegate such work to the Board of Trustees or an ad hoc
committee constituted of individuals, which may include non-member legal, real estate
and financial advisors, whose particular expertise will be most useful in the case at
hand. When appropriate, the advice of legal counsel will be sought prior to final gift
acceptance decisions. This may include, but is not limited to: closely held stock,
transactions governed by contracts or legal documents, such as bargain sales; trusts
naming the church as trustee, or any document obligating the trustee to take action;
and transactions with potential conflicts of interest.
Section IV - Gift Types
Cash
All forms of negotiable currencies will be accepted.
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Appendix A: Gift Policy
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Property
A. Securities
1. Marketable Securities
Gifts of publicly traded securities, stocks, bonds, and mutual funds may be
accepted by the church. The church is solely responsible for all decisions
related to disposition of securities, and will sell the securities as soon as
practical. Obtaining valuation of securities for the purposes of a donor’s tax
records is the responsibility of the donor. The church will provide a letter of
acknowledgement noting the date of the gift and the number of shares
received as a gift.
2. Restricted or Closely Held Securities
The church will accept gifts of restricted or closely held securities. However,
gifts must be reviewed b y t h e In ve st m e n t Co mm it t e e prior to
acceptance to determine that there are no restrictions on the security that
would prevent the church from ultimately converting those assets to cash,
that the security is marketable, and that the security will not generate any
undesirable tax consequences for the church. To be accepted, closely held
securities must have a qualified appraisal performed by an independent
professional appraiser generally at the expense of the donor. The church
may require review of the gift by legal counsel in advance of gift acceptance.
B. Mortgages and Notes
Generally, the church will not accept these as gifts, unless reviewed for overall
benefit to the Church, and approved by the Church Council.
C. Oil, Gas, Water and Mineral Interests
Many organizations establish minimum gift sizes for these kinds of gifts because of
the potential administrative costs in relation to the amount of income that may be
generated; as such these gifts will only be accepted after review by a legal counsel
and approval of the Church Council. General criteria for acceptance of the
property are as follows:
1. Gifts of surface rights should have a value of $25,000 or greater.
2. Gifts of oil, gas, water and mineral interests should generate at least
$3,000 per year in royalties or other income (as determined by the
average of three years prior to the gift).
3.The property should not have liabilities or other considerations that
make receipt of the gift inappropriate.
4. A working interest is rarely accepted. A working interest may only be
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
4
FINANCIAL
Appendix A: Gift Policy
Rv. 10/20/13
accepted where there is a plan to minimize potential liability and tax
consequences.
5. The property should undergo an environmental review to ensure that
the church will have no current or potential exposure to environmental
liability.
D. Real Estate
Real estate gifts may include, but are not limited to: residences, vacation
property, farms, ranches, resorts, undeveloped property, and commercial
property. As a general rule, costs of appraisal, transfer, and legally required
environmental clean-up, remediation and so forth must be borne by the donor.
The church reserves the right to use or dispose of real estate gifts as the Board
of Trustees deems most advantageous for the church and its mission.
All proposed real estate gifts will be evaluated prior to acceptance according to,
but not limited to, the following criteria:
1. Marketability
2. Costs associated with sale
3. Liabilities (environmental hazards, liens, taxes, security, maintenance
fees, etc.)
4. Restrictions on use
5. Effect on non-profit status
6. Clarity of title
7. Licensing requirements and related legal ramifications
8. Constraints (requirements to hold for any time before sale)
9. Costs to own and maintain property if not sold
10. Proximity to the church's existing property/potential use by Ledyard
Congregational Church
11. Real estate subject to a life tenancy – will only be accepted subject to
review by legal counsel
12. Timeshare units will not be accepted.
E. Other Tangible and Intangible Property
Gifts-in-kind and tangible gifts may include, but are not limited to: works of art, motor
vehicles, boats, equipment, stamp and coin collections, antiques, jewelry, furniture, rare
books and manuscripts, musical instruments, or any other item that has determinable
value. Intangible gifts may include patents, copyrights, and intellectual property. All gifts
of tangible and intangible property are subject to prior review by the Board of Trustees.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
5
FINANCIAL
Appendix A: Gift Policy
Rv. 10/20/13
In addition, the church may accept gifts of equipment, supplies, furnishings,
books, vestments, worship aids, and so forth that add materially to
accomplishing the mission of the church. In all cases, any tangible or
intangible property accepted as a gift by the church may be sold or otherwise
disposed of at any time and in any way the Board of Trustees sees fit in
accordance with the best interests of the church. Valuation of tangible and
intangible gifts for tax purposes is the responsibility of the donor.
F. Bargain Sales
The church will enter into a bargain sale arrangement only when such an
arrangement furthers the mission and purposes of the church. Criteria used in
determining the appropriateness of the transaction include: an independent
appraisal substantiating the value of the property; if there is debt, ratio is less
than 50% of the appraised market value; the purchase price does not exceed 30
percent of the fair market value; and the property is evaluated according to the
various criteria listed above in section D Real Estate in these policies. In no case
will church property be offered as collateral for a real estate purchase. All bargain
sales will be reviewed by a legal counsel.
G. Retirement Plan Beneficiary Designations
Donors may name the church as a beneficiary of their retirement plans.
H. Life Insurance
The church may accept either fully paid or not-fully-paid whole/universal life
insurance policies as gifts. In either case, policy ownership reverts to the church
at the time the gift is made. The church may retain the policies or liquidate for
current cash value, according to what the Board of Trustees deems most
beneficial for the church.
Individuals are encouraged to name the church as whole or partial beneficiary
of any existing life insurance policy for which they retain ownership.
A.
Charitable Planned Gifts Bequest/Living Trust
Bequests may be made through a will or living trust, specifying a percentage, a
fixed amount, specific property, or the residual estate (All the rest and residue
of my estate to . . .). Percentage bequests may be given from the gross estate or
from the residue (after tangible personal property, debts and specified bequests are
deducted). When trusts are involved, such as a minor's trust or a living trust, a gift may
be made at the termination or final distribution, according to the needs and wishes of
the donor.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
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FINANCIAL
Appendix A: Gift Policy
Rv. 10/20/13
B. UCC Gift Annuity and Pooled Income Fund
Gifts benefitting the church are encouraged through the UCC United Church Foundation's
Gift Annuity and Pooled Income Fund. A Gift Annuity and Pooled Income Fund gift is an
irrevocable transfer of cash or marketable securities in exchange for a life income. The
funds are commingled or "pooled" and the donor's income share is determined and
distributed on a prorated basis of the total trust fund's earnings. The donor receives
income tax deductions at the time of the gift and usually bypasses most capital gains
taxes, with ultimate savings on probate and estate costs. Minimum gift is $2,000.
C. Gift Annuity
Gift annuities benefiting the church may be purchased through the UCC United
Church Foundation. A gift annuity is an irrevocable transfer of assets--cash or
appreciated securities. Donors receive fixed income payments for life, which may be
for the donor or for the donor and another person, successively. A Gift Annuity's rate
of return is based solely on the donor's age at the time of the gift. A significant
portion of the income may be tax-free. You may defer income payments to a later
date, such as retirement age, which may produce a substantial increase in the rate of
return. Minimum gift is $1,000.
The remainder of the gift annuity will be transferred to Ledyard Congregational
Church when the donor and/or second life income beneficiary dies.
D. Charitable Remainder Trusts
Charitable remainder trust gift arrangements are available through the national UCC
and are administered by the United Church Foundation. Ledyard Congregational
Church will not enter into charitable remainder trust arrangements on its own.
1. Charitable Remainder Unitrust
This gift is an irrevocable trust created under the authority of Internal Revenue Code
Section 664. It involves an irrevocable transfer of a minimum $50,000 of real estate,
securities or cash and enables a donor and/or other beneficiaries to receive income
for life. The income is determined by a percentage chosen by the donor-but not
less than 5% of the fair market value of the Unitrust corpus, valued annually. The
Charitable Remainder Unitrust enables donors to realize substantial charitable gift
tax deductions and avoid capital gains taxes. When the donor and any other life
income beneficiaries have died, the remaining amount in the Unitrust passes to
Ledyard Congregational Church. Donors may make additions to a Unitrust.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
7
FINANCIAL
Appendix A: Gift Policy
Rv. 10/20/13
2. Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust
This gift is an irrevocable transfer of a minimum of $50,000 of real estate, marketable
securities or cash, resulting in a lifetime guaranteed percentage income set by mutual
agreement at not less than 5% of the initial fair market value of the trust corpus for the
donor and a beneficiary. Income tax and capital gains tax benefits are available to the donor.
When the donor and any other life income beneficiaries die, the church receives the Trust's
remainder.
3. Charitable Lead Trust
Charitable Lead Trusts, which are arranged and administered by the national UCC on behalf
of Ledyard Congregational Church, provide current income to the church during the donor's
lifetime or for a specified term of years, after which the remaining principal is returned to
the donor or his or her heirs. Payments to the church may be fixed or variable, depending
on the terms of the Trust. Minimum gift is $100,000.
Section V - Administration
Legal Counsel for Donors
Donors of any form of charitable planned gift are strongly encouraged to obtain legal
and/or financial advice from their own advisors prior to finalizing any gift
commitment.
Donors are also encouraged to consult with appropriate family members prior to
making a gift commitment. Donor-imposed restrictions or lack of restrictions for use
of gifts, received or available for Church use after the death of the donor, cannot be
altered by the donor's heirs, relatives, or other parties.
Serving as Estate Executor & Drafting Wills for Donors
Ledyard Congregational Church may not agree to serve as executor or personal
representative of a donor's estate, even if the church is the sole beneficiary.
The church cannot draft wills for donors. Nor can the church recommend attorneys
or similar professionals to donors.
The Minister shall not be permitted to be the executor for a non-family member of
the congregation.
Gift Solicitation
All gift solicitation within and beyond the church will be carried out in accordance
with ethical business and fund raising practices.
No gift solicitation may be carried out on behalf of or in the name of Ledyard
Congregational Church unless authorized by the Church Council or its designee.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
8
FINANCIAL
Appendix A: Gift Policy
Rv. 10/20/13
Recordkeeping and Confidentiality
All gifts, monetary or in-kind, received on behalf of the church should be reported to the
Treasurer and church office, along with documentation, within a week of receipt to facilitate
gift recording and prompt donor acknowledgment.
Donor records will be managed in such a way as to ensure security of information and
confidentiality in accord with Ledyard Congregational Church's customs and traditions.
All records pertaining to gifts given to Ledyard Congregational Church for any purpose will
be housed at the church office.
Donor Acknowledgement
Donors will be formally thanked for their gifts, and appropriate documentation will be
provided to facilitate the donor’s tax information needs. Coordination of these efforts will
be done through the church office, Treasurer and the Board of Trustees.
Gift Policy Updates
The Gift and Endowment Policies will be reviewed every three years by the Board of
Trustees. Suggested revisions will be proposed to the Board of Trustees for approval
by the Church Council.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
9
FINANCIAL
Appendix B: Endowment Policy
Rv. 10/20/13
Approved Oct 20, 2013
PREAMBLE
They are to do good, to be rich in good works, generous, and ready to share, thus
storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that
they may take hold of the life that really is life.
I Timothy 6:18-19
Section I - Purpose
The following policies and procedures provide guidelines related to endowment
gifts received by Ledyard Congregational Church for the benefit of the congregation
and its ministries. The purpose of the policies is to provide guidance to Ledyard
Congregational Church leaders, members, and staff. The policies cover the following
topics:
1) The establishment and use of endowed funds;
2) The process for investing, a n d managing endowment-related funds; and
3) Documentation of past significant gifts and endowments.
Section II - Endowment Funds
Endowment Funds have been established to support Ledyard Congregational
Church’s ministries.
Definition of Endowment
Permanently Restricted Endowment – Funds donated where the donor has specified a
restriction regarding the purpose, timing or use of the corpus or income earned
thereon. The corpus must be maintained inviolate. The income from the investment
may be entirely or partially available for distribution.
Use of Endowment Fund Earnings
Decisions about how income or earnings from endowment funds will be used will be
made by the Board of Trustees in accord with existing planning, budgeting, and
finance practices of the congregation.
The Church Council may reject any gift offered for the Permanent Endowment Fund if
further ministry or programmatic restrictions are not consistent with the mission of
the church or in its best interests.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
1
FINANCIAL
Appendix B: Endowment Policy
Rv. 10/20/13
Liquidation of Permanent Endowment Principal in a Time of Congregational
Emergency
The church is ethically bound to observe donor restrictions related to permanent
endowment, including leaving endowment principal intact. However, should a time of
congregational emergency occur that threatens the continued existence of the
congregation, by a vote of the congregation at a meeting called according to provisions
outlined in the church's By-Laws, a request for liquidation of permanent endowment
principal may be taken to the local Probate Court for final approval, in accordance with
Section 5 of the State of Connecticut Uniform Prudent Management of Institutional
Funds Act of 2007.
Maintaining Endowed Gifts
In 2013 the Board of Trustees established an account with The Connecticut Conference
UCC Consolidated Trust Fund to maintain the corpus of the endowed value of the all
prior funds endowed to the church. Reporting of these funds will be part of the annual
report of the Investment Committee of the Board of Trustees.
All future endowment gifts received by the church are to be deposited into the Ledyard
Congregational Church’s account with The Connecticut Conference UCC Consolidated
Trust Fund.
Additional information on this law is provided at:
http://www.ctucc.org/program/pdfs/UPMIFA_Summary.pdf
Additional information on the Consolidated Trust Fund is found at:
http://www.ctucc.org/program/ctf.php
Revision of Policy
The Board of Trustees, with the advice of the Investment Committee, will revise the
endowment policy as reflected in this policy, consistent with the By-laws, resolution of
the 2012 Annual Meeting, and Section V of the Financial Manual as new financial
situations arise and economic conditions change.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
2
FINANCIAL
Appendix B: Endowment Policy
Rv. 10/20/13
Historical Accounting of Endowments and Significant Unrestricted Gifts
As of 2012 the following matrix of restricted gift endowment funds and unrestricted gifts that
have been accorded special tracking status as named funds by the Board of Trustees has been
researched against church records. As directed by the Board of Trustees in past years, many of
the original funds have been commingled for investment purposes, however the aggregate
total of the original value of the individual endowment gifts has been maintained in accordance
with the Connecticut Uniformed Prudent Management of Institutional Funds Act.
Identified Fund
Fund
Date
Class
Original
Amount
Sydney Roach Fund
Reynolds Fund
Charles Lamb Fund
Elizabeth Griswold Spicer Fund
Susan Mary Allyn Fund
Trescott Fund
Ward Leonard
In God We Trust
Total Endowed
1875
1917
1945
1945
1949
1988
1992
2004
Endow
Endow
Endow
Endow
Endow
Endow
Endow
Endow
$1,100.00
$1,350.00
$1,000.00
$750.00
$2,000.00
$1,000.00
$2,000.00
$3,938.32
$13,138.32
Sarah E. Normand Fund
Nellie W. Geer Fund
Crawford Fund
Lester Fund
Total of Gifts (5)
1898
1937
1974
1984
Gift
Gift
Gift
Gift
$5,000.00
$500.00
$5,000.00
$84,530.00
$95,030.00
Total of Endowment and Gifts
$108,168.32
2011 Update of Endowment and Gift Value (current year dollars)
Certificates of Deposit / Bonds
$151,559.59
Brokerage Cash and Stocks
$114,554.14
Total
$266,113.73
Escalated
Value (4)
% of
Total
Reference
$12,842.15 16.29% Soc tab p31 before 1907 (1)
$15,760.83 19.99% Will; LCC p265
$11,674.69 14.80% LCC p212 (2)
$8,756.01 11.10% LCC p223
$23,349.37 29.61% LCC p251
$2,426.40 3.08% Will
$4,049.29 5.13% Letter to Bd of Trustees (3)
$4,835.95 3.64% Financial Manual
$78,858.74 100.00%
$58,373.43 17.71% LCC p63
$5,837.34 1.77% LCC p161
$31,384.01 9.52% Will
$234,005.76 71.00% Will
$329,600.54 100.00%
Designation
General Support
Sun Schl Attendance
General Support
General Support
General Support
Sun Schl Bibles
General Support
General Support
Pastoral Salary
General Support
Property Support
General Support
Original Value
$408,459.28
Endowments
Gifts
Total
Percent for Endowments
Escalated Value
$13,138.32 $78,858.74
$95,030.00 $329,600.54
$108,168.32 $408,459.28
12.15%
19.31%
Split of Current Value at Escalated %
Total Current Value
$266,113.73 $51,376.95 Endowments
$214,736.78 Restricted Gifts
(1) cf. Avery "History of the Town of Ledyard 1650-1900", pp. 44,45 Invest Funds
(2) LCC Minutes of all Meetings
(3) Not to be placed in "In God We Trust Fund"
(4) Escalated value determine by CPI increase after 1949, which is based on
LCC Minutes p131 on 1 May 1949 when the Congregational approved removal of all savings account funds,
in order to consolidate and invest them with Charles Scranton Brokerage of New London to preserve their original value
(5) Gifts identified by Investment Committee to be treated as restricted
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
3
BUILDING USAGE
Usage Agreement
Rv. 07/01/13
Ledyard Congregational Church
PROPERTY COMMITTEE
Effective date: March 2010
PROCEDURE:
1.
Call the church secretary to make arrangements to schedule building use at 464-9926. Office
Hours: Monday through Thursday – 8:00 am to 12 noon.
2.
Obtain key(s) – when necessary. Note: Kitchen use requires a SEPARATE key. All keys must be
returned to the secretary with your name and type of key when use is completed. NOTE: Do
NOT pass on keys if a new person takes over for you without notifying secretary. End of the
school year - groups need to turn in all keys. Keys will be reissued in August.
3.
Receive a copy of rules and emergency phone numbers.
4.
Give office a copy of your current “Certificate of Insurance”.
RESPONSIBILITIES
1.
One adult shall be responsible and liable (see Building Use Agreement form).
2.
An adult shall be present at all times during the rental or use.
3.
Use only the room/rooms that arrangements have been agreed upon. (Use of hallway,
bathrooms, and water fountains – have adult supervision and be considerate of other
meetings.)
4.
Park in areas closest to your function or meeting.
5.
Leave furniture in the same position as found (unless otherwise directed or arranged.)
Note: Diagram of the Nursery School set up is posted on corner storage area doors and a copy
will be given when Fellowship Hall is contracted.
6.
Leave floors clean (vacuum carpets and/or sweep floors)
7.
Furnish your 00own cups, napkins, etc. (make arrangements if coffee pots are needed).
8.
Empty trash in dumpster (make sure cups have been emptied in sink FIRST.)
9.
CHECK BATHROOMS (lights, commodes, stalls) and FLUSH TOILETS
10.
Turn out lights.
11.
Lock all doors (check bar latches and key wrenches).
12.
Check that phones are NOT left on hold
13.
The Dot Clark Music Room may be used ONLY with special approval by the Board of Music and
by scheduling with the Church office in advance.
14.
Members and affiliated groups may arrange use of tables and chairs through the Church
office.
15.
The Sanctuary is ONLY used for services of worship or for Church meetings, unless otherwise
arranged with and approved by the Board of Deacons.
16.
In case of any injury while on the premises, please contact the Church office.
17.
Please list any problems or repairs on the clipboard next to mail slots in hallway.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
1
BUILDING USAGE
Usage Agreement
Rv. 07/01/13
FOOD
1.
2.
No alcohol permitted.
No dark colored drinks (red, purple) permitted, due to stain factor.
PHONE
1. Adult or adult supervised local calls only. NO directory assistance calls.
2. In case of problems or in case of emergency (heat not working, plumbing problems, gas smell,
serious injury, building accessibility during winter weather, etc.) the following members of our
property committee should be contacted:
Dolly Hayes (860) 514-9303
Mike Hedman (860) 514-3037
Rev. Grant
(860) 464-0147
Steven Williams (860) 464-0794
Bill Saums
(860) 536-7799
Bill Dawson
(860) 464-9890
CLEANING FEE
1. Groups will be charged a cleaning fee in advance. Refundable fees or portions thereof may be
obtained by contacting one of the members above.
2. Small groups (20 or less) will be charged a $100 refundable cleaning fee, provided the areas
used are cleaned by the group immediately after use. Cleaning includes sweeping and mopping
of linoleum floors, vacuuming carpeted floor areas, putting chairs and tables away and/or in
the designated configurations, returning kitchen areas to original configuration,
removing/putting away food items, washing all utensils, pans, etc.
3. Large groups using Cy Anderson Fellowship Hall may be charged a partially-refundable $100
cleaning fee. The cleaning fee is partially refundable for large groups if the area(s) used is/are
cleaned by the group immediately after use of the building. Cleaning includes sweeping of
linoleum floors, vacuuming carpeted floor areas, putting chairs and tables away and/or in the
designated configurations, returning kitchen areas to original configuration, removing/putting
away food items, washing all utensils, pans, etc. 25% of the cleaning fee will be retained by the
church for professional cleaning of floors, etc. For partial refund of the fee, contact one of the
members above.
SECURITY DEPOSIT
1. All groups will be charged a $50 refundable security deposit, which shall be returned after an
inspection of the facility, provided that the building and facilities are left in the same condition
they were prior to use by the group. Groups are responsible for any damage over and above
the amount of the fee. Contact any member above IMMEDIATELY after your function for an
inspection to avoid potential conflicts with groups using the building after your function.
RESPECT
2. Respect Church property as you would your own home!
3. .No sitting or standing on tables or on the half wall in Fellowship Hall.
NO SMOKING ANYWHERE IN CHURCH BUILDING.
Thank you for helping us care for this building!
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
2
BUILDING USAGE
Usage Agreement
Rv. 07/01/13
MISSION STATEMENT
Ledyard Congregational Church believes that it is part of its mission to members of the Church and to
the community to make available facilities for gatherings, meetings and celebrations, providing they are
consistent with the ethical principles and beliefs of the church. Arrangements are made through the
Church office; but the Board of Trustees has the ultimate responsibility and authority for the upkeep and
use of the building.
USE OF THE BUILDING
Church groups have priority use of the building; but the facilities may be used by members or
community groups for meetings, dinners, parties and approved fund-raisers in accordance with the
Mission Statement and policies listed below.
•
•
•
•
•
•
Posted rules for use and cleanup of the facilities must be followed.
No use of alcohol, tobacco products or controlled substances is permitted.
(One champagne toast at a wedding reception, however, is permitted.)
No rental of office rooms or the Holdridge Library. The Dot Clark Music Room may be used only
with special approval by the Board of Music.
The Sanctuary is only to be used for services of worship or for Church meetings.
Members and affiliated groups may arrange use of tables and chairs through the Church office.
GROUPS THAT DO NOT COMPLY WITH GUIDELINES MAY BE CHARGED EXTRA FEES AND / OR HAVE
THEIR PRIVILEGES REVOKED.
FEES
Certain expenses are incurred by the Church in providing meeting space. There will be a nominal fee for
all groups, for private functions, and for anyone using the kitchen. Long-term rentals may be negotiated
through the Board of Trustees annually.
ONE TIME USE FEES:
*CLASSROOMS $30.00
*SOCIAL HALL $75.00
*FELLOWSHIP HALL
$200.00 (kitchen fee additional)
KITCHEN
$150.00
*Active members of the Church and non-profit organizations may use the rooms at half the usual fee
DEPOSITS AND CLEANING FEES:
SECURITY DEPOSIT
$50.00
CLEANING FEE $100.00
WEDDING FEES
Member $300.00, non-member $500.00, includes sexton fee
Use of halls for reception is not included.
Fees for minister and organist negotiated separately.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
3
BUILDING USAGE
Library Use
Rv. 03/07/11
GUIDLINES FOR THE USE OF HOLDRIDGE LIBRARY
1. All adults of the church are welcome to use the Holdridge Library. Children under the age of 12
should be accompanied by an adult.
2. Boards, committees, the council, officers, staff, individuals and organizations closely affiliated with
the church can hold schedules and unscheduled meetings in the Holdridge Library. Community
groups and individuals are free to use the library as a resource room but not to hold meetings.
3. No food or beverages should be brought into the Holdridge Library. Groups wishing to have
refreshments must request permission from the Board of Education in advance.
4. The doors of the Holdridge Library should remain unlocked. The doors should be closed when no
one is in the church building for fire safety purposes. If material needs to be secured, areas of the
Holdridge Library can be made lockable (i.e. cabinets, closets). These areas will be coordinated by
the Board of Christian Education in cooperation with the Property Committee of the Board of
Trustees.
5. When meetings are not being held in the Holdridge Library, individuals and groups are welcome to
come into browse, read or meditate.
6. Groups and individuals should leave the Holdridge Library in good order after using it.
7. At this time various sections and spaces will be designated for use by individuals and groups for their
own purpose by the Board of Christian Education. The Historian will use the three shelf sections on
the East wall. The Board of Christian Education will use two of the shelf sections on the West wall
with the Missions Committee using the one remaining. Books and other materials will on the five
shelf sections on the South wall.
8. The Board of Christian Education will publish a list of books, tapes, and periodicals that could be
donated to Holdridge Library. The Board welcomes other donations. However, they do reserve the
right to review any material before it’s placed on the shelf.
9. There are two types of materials in the library:
(a) Reference material to be used in the library.
(b) Circulating resources that may be signed out of the library.
Each area will be designated.
There is a sign-out card in each of the Holdridge Library books.
A person should print his/her name and phone number and the date the book was taken out. The card is
placed behind the month the book was taken out in the card box. When a borrowed book is returned
the card should be removed from the box and returned to the card pocket in the book. The book is then
returned to the shelf it was borrowed from. The material may be borrowed for 4-weeks with unlimited
renewals, provided the material is not requested by another individual.
10. A group consisting of the minister, librarian, historian and those representing the Board of
Deacons, Board of Trustees, Property Committee and Board of Missions should meet when the
need arises with the Board of Christian Education to discuss the policies governing the use of
the Holdridge Library. At that time any changes to guidelines concerning the use can be
implemented.
Adopted: August 5, 1992
Revised January 3, 2000 by the Board of Christian Education in compliance with
Guideline #10.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
1
MINISTER
Evaluation Process
Rv. 06/06/11
A proposal for integrating the minister's evaluation into the
overall, annual evaluation and planning of the church January
29, 2006
Presently, the minister's evaluation and accompanying goal setting process is separate from the
church's annual budget and program planning. This proposal integrates these processes into a
comprehensive evaluation and planning tool.
Periodic review, evaluation and planning contribute to the clarity and vitality of our ministry.
These reviews help to identify strengths on which to build and the shortcomings where we
need to make adjus1ments. In order for this ministry to reach its potential it's important for us
to have an open and honest dialogue between the minister and congregation. Our
congregation recognizes the need for regular constructive criticism of both the minister and the
church as a whole. Evaluating only one part of this equation is insufficient.
Accordingly, the Church By-laws establish that the "function of the Church Council is to
visualize the entire task of the Church." Furthermore, "The Council shall submit to the Annual
Meeting a comprehensive program involving the chief objectives of the coming year."
The Church By-laws direct the responsibility for "administrative supervision of the Minister" to
the Board of Deacons. The minister and Board of Deacons meet regularly throughout the year
for planning and evaluating the ministry of the church. Consequently, supervision of the
minister and parallel goal setting is on going.
During September of each calendar year the Board of Deacons shall solicit qualitative and
quantitative input for the purpose of conducting an evaluation of the minister. In so doing, the
Board of Deacons will consider the in-put of the minister and church membership in
completing a written, annual performance evaluation. The Board may also concurrently
evaluate its own role as "charge of the spiritual welfare of the Church."
Recognizing that the minister's first responsibility is to God and second to the Church the Board
of Deacon's shall apply the following supervision guidelines:
Quantitative
Worship services
Active membership
Representing the church in the religious life of our community Home
& hospital visits
Bible studies
New member classes
Confirmation classes
Meetings with Boards, Council, etc.
Staff meetings
Office hours
CT Conference & New London Association meetings
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
1
MINISTER
Evaluation Process
Rv. 06/06/11
Qualitative
Sermons
Christian leadership
Availability of the minister for the needs of others
Coordinating the activities of the church in cooperation with various boards and staff Mission and
social concerns
Christian education
Faith development of the congregation
Self-development of the minister
Adherence to accepted professional and ethical standards
After reviewing the evaluation summary, the minister meets with those who have prepared the
document to discuss matters of particular concern and arrange for its presentation to the Moderator.
The Moderator reviews the summary and adds comments and/or recommendations.
This process should be completed by December of each year. This will enable budget requests and
reports to be submitted to appropriate boards and to the Council in preparation for the January annual
meeting.
The Moderator conveys relevant parts of the minister's evaluation along with comments and
recommendations to the Church Council and various boards for use in planning their work. Appropriate
evaluation matters may also be referred to the Pastoral Relations Committee.
In summary, the Board of Deacon's wishes to strengthen the dialogue between the minister and
congregation and to incorporate portions of the minister's evaluation and goals into the church’s annual
budget and program planning report.
Note: As approved by the Semi-Annual Meeting June 2006
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
2
DEACONS
Deacon of the Month Duties
Rv. 03/21/09
Days before each service:
1. As early as possible, seek volunteers for greeters/ushers, lay readers, and coffee hour hosts. Ensure
names are printed on sign-up sheet so the church secretary can recognize them in bulletin.
Note: For 1st Sunday of the month, fill above positions plus communion servers with Deacons.
a. Coffee hour hosts – verify volunteer(s) for 1st Sunday only, the hospitality committee is
responsible for all other weeks.
b. Flowers – verify sign-up or bring in something.
2. Call to remind above volunteers of their rolls a few days before each service.
Get to church by about 8:30 to prepare for service:
3. Unlock entry doors to sanctuary and social hall (use hex keys) and foyer (use bracket slide).
4. Unlock Xerox room door and turn on Xerox machine.
5. Wedge hallway doors and turn-on hallway lights.
6. Plug-in coffee maker.
7. Bring bulletins up to narthex.
8. Turn on sanctuary lights and fans in balcony electric box.
9. Pull-up window shades in balcony and main floor of sanctuary and open windows (in summer).
10. Change/verify hymns and psalm readings on two sanctuary bulletin boards.
11. Setup reader’s bible on stand and change/verify selected bible readings.
12. Check candle wicks and/or candle lengths (two inches required for service). Change if needed.
13. Turn on sound system (switch power strip ON) and verify microphone at reader stand and
portable mic.
14. For guest speakers, offer portable mic.
15. Ensure greeters are in place and ask they remind congregation to find their name-tags on
name-tag board.
16. Encourage all to wear name-tags, especially all Deacons, greeters/ushers, readers, and coffee hour
host(s).
17. Ring church bells at 9:15 and 9:25 preferably with assistance from child bell-ringer.
18. At 9:25, light candles preferably with assistance from a child acolyte. 19.
Before 9:30,
accompany pastor/speaker to alter and sit at right-side chair to await start of service.
Begin service at 9:30 with greeting and facilitation of announcements, call to worship, etc.
20. Take attendance before children are dismissed for Sunday school.
21. During service, monitor/direct reader(s) and ushers as needed to ensure they know when to step
forward.
At end of service, accompany pastor/speaker to narthex in greeting congregation on exit from
sanctuary.
22. Encourage visitors to sign guest-book.
23. Shut off sound system (switch power strip OFF).
24. Snuff out candles.
25. Close bible at reader stand.
26. Turn off lights and fans at balcony electric box.
Note: Except July and August leave fans ON.
27. Ensure offering plates are secure with counter(s).
28. In pews, remove communion cups, re-stack bibles and hymnals, remove and/or replace
envelopes/cards as required for next service (i.e., communion “Deacon’s fund” envelopes, Easter
Offering envelopes, and pastoral care cards).
29. Pull-down window shades in balcony and main floor of sanctuary and close windows.
30. Record attendance in log-book/sheet on guest book-stand in narthex.
31. Check for visitor sign-ins and record name and address on a postcard, add a little note, and mail.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
1
DEACONS
Deacon of the Month Duties
Rv. 03/21/09
32. Verify coffee machine is unplugged.
33. Collect name-tags and place back on board in narthex.
34. Un-wedge hallway doors and turn-off hallway lights.
35. Lock all entry doors.
36.Smile, with the knowledge that you have served the Lord.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
2
DEACONS
Funeral Policy
Rv. 01/01/13
Purpose: Because Death is such an important and sensitive time in the life of our faith
community we have established the following guidelines to assist Deacons with funeral services.
These guidelines are intended to serve as an addendum to the “Deacon of the Month Duties.”
1. Three Deacons should arrive at the church one hour before the start of the funeral and make
their presence known to the funeral director staff. One Deacon should welcome guests in the
Crawford Wing entrance and the others can welcome guests in the narthex.
2. Consider additional seating in the Social Hall depending upon the anticipated number in
attendance. Check speaker volume in the Social Hall.
3. When a large turn-out is anticipated the Deacons should consider recruiting parking attendants.
4. Place white paraments and altar cloths on the table and pulpit. Upon completion of the services
return appropriate vestments.
5. Assign reserved seating area for immediate family members in front of the sanctuary.
6. Make sure tissues are available in the reserved seating area.
7. Assure that Bibles and hymnals are available in the first row of pews. Following the service
return these books to their appropriate place.
8. When appropriate, flowers can be placed on risers in front of the sanctuary. Once everyone has
left the sanctuary, remove flowers and place them in the reception area.
9. Before the services begin, escort immediate family members to the Holdridge Library.
10. Usher participants to seats when a large turn-out is anticipated and/or there are late arrivals.
11. Remove Church’s Guest Book from the narthex. Invite participants to sign Guest/Memorial book
(provided by the Funeral Home) in the narthex. If there is a reception, place Guest/Memorial
book on book stand (located in the Library) in the Social or Fellowship Hall. Give Book to
immediate family upon completion of the services and/or reception.
12. With family input, consider making an annotation in the Guest/Memorial Book separating
visiting hours from funeral service.
13. Before leaving lock all doors except those to Fellowship/Social Hall which will be done by the
Women’s Fellowship.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
1
DEACONS
Wedding Guidelines
Rv. 03/14/11
It is our goal to help you make your entrance into marriage a memorable occasion. We wish you God’s
grace as you plan your wedding and your life together.
The rites of the Ledyard Congregational Church (LCC) include the conduct of weddings. A wedding is a
service of worship and a public celebration of the commitment two people have made to each other.
Weddings at the Ledyard Congregational Church will be held under the tenets, beliefs, statements and
policies determined by the Congregation.
The church welcomes the opportunity to conduct weddings for members of the Congregation, as well as
non-members. Fees for the use of the Church, its facilities and its professional services are determined
by the Board of Trustees and are available in the Church office.
A wedding service at LCC is both sacred and personal. As a foundation, we use traditional liturgy in
contemporary language in the Christian tradition. The pastor welcomes your input to the ceremony. The
Board of Deacons supports the pastor’s discretion to determine, with the couple, the final format of the
service.
The Church is delighted to help you plan your wedding service, and eager to make the occasion a happy
and memorable one. The following information is provided to assist you in your planning.
SETTING THE DATE
Please call the church and reserve your desired date as soon as possible. Use of the Social Hall or
Fellowship Hall for a reception or rehearsal dinner may also be available if you are interested.
PRE-WEDDING MEETINGS
Recognizing a sense of responsibility to the couple being married and to the Christian understanding of
the marriage covenant, the Board of Deacons supports the Pastor in expecting that a couple wishing to
be married in this church will arrange for pre-wedding counseling and planning sessions with the pastor.
Three meetings should be arranged with the Pastor directly, and begin at least six weeks before the
wedding date.
The couple will meet with the Pastor to discuss the meaning of their relationship and to make plans for
the service. They are encouraged to plan a service that expresses their love and commitment to each
other and asks God’s blessing upon their marriage. These meetings with the Pastor are to plan for the
wedding, consider details, to discuss the meaning of Christian marriage and to determine the couple’s
commitment and spiritual maturity regarding marriage.
The pastor is empowered to refuse to conduct any wedding ceremony, based on his/her firm belief that
the individuals requesting the wedding lack either sufficient commitment or spiritual maturity. Should
the couple have issues with the Pastor’s decisions, the Board of Deacons may be consulted for
mediation and resolution.
LEGAL REQUIREMENTS
State law requires a marriage license but no longer a blood test. You must apply for a license at the
Town Clerk’s Office in the Ledyard Town Hall, as the wedding will take place in Ledyard. There is no
waiting period, but the license must be used within 65 days of issue. The fee for the license is $30.00,
plus an additional $5.00 if you want a certified copy mailed to you. You must bring the marriage license
to the rehearsal. The wedding cannot proceed without the license in the pastor’s hand.
CHURCH POLICIES
A wedding ceremony is a sacred worship service; it is also a time of joy and thanksgiving, a time when
we ask God’s blessings upon your union, and a time of celebration with family and friends witnessing
your vows. When you meet with the Pastor, you will be able to plan a service reflecting the sanctity and
great joy of the occasion.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
1
DEACONS
Wedding Guidelines
Rv. 03/14/11
It is our policy that the spiritual meaning of the wedding is best experienced when the service is not
interrupted by taking pictures. Accordingly, we ask that pictures not be taken between the Processional
and Recessional sections of the liturgy. However a designated photographer may take pictures without a
flash from the sanctuary balcony, or in the narthex at the rear of the sanctuary. (Our sanctuary has large
clear glass windows. For a daytime wedding, the natural light is very good.) Because we place
restrictions on photos during the service, we are happy to re-enact parts of the ceremony after the
service if the bride and groom so desire.
We also ask that any decorations be in keeping with the dignity of the occasion. Please be considerate of
the religious nature of the service and be respectful of the building and its furnishings. Rice, confetti or
“rose petals” must not be thrown outside since they are impossible to clean up!
Smoking and alcoholic beverages are not allowed at any time on church premises. One champagne toast
is allowed at receptions held in the social or fellowship halls.
ATTIRE
While wedding attire should reflect the taste of the couple and the joy and romance of the occasion, it
should also reflect the sanctity of the event and its location.
FLORAL ARRANGEMENTS IN CHURCH
Simplicity is often best. If you are lighting a unity candle, a simple spray on the altar may suffice. Please
ask your florist to call and coordinate delivery of floral arrangements well in advance.
MUSIC
The church music director has the right of first refusal. If unavailable the music director has a list of
approved organists. If the couple chooses an organist not on that list said organist’s credentials must be
approved by the music director.
PASTOR
Our pastor is the final authority on wedding service and has the right of first refusal. We are happy to
perform weddings in partnership with clergy of other faiths or denominations if the couple arranges it
with both officiants. If you wish to have a guest clergyperson instead of our pastor arrangements must
be made with our pastor.
The Church Wedding Host will see that the Church is open for the wedding and the rehearsal, and will
assure that the Church is closed and locked afterwards.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
2
DEACONS
Welcome Plan
Rv. 11/14/11
-
Submitted by the Deacons and the Deacons’ Welcome Committee Pat Benda, Sue Burns,
Connie Busch), to fulfill 2011 CHURCH GOAL 1
1. Deacon of the Month (DOM) should say a little more at the start. We can use a card
with this introduction and keep it on the table in the narthex (the exact words don’t
need to be spoken). Saying the visitor portions at the end of the announcements is
helpful because a lot of people come late, especially those who don’t know their way
around yet.
2. In
addition
to the
guest
book, use
pew
cards so
that
visitors
can fill
them out
as soon
as the DOM makes the request. If they fill out a card,
transcribe the information into the guest book and put the
card in the Secretary’s mailbox. When we get a new guest
book, be sure it has a phone# line and an email line.
3. The Assistant Deacon welcomes everyone downstairs (Social Hall), reminding members
to wear their name badges and helping visitors make a temporary name tag.
4. Create an official Welcome Team of friendly, outgoing people to:
 Stand at the outside doors (lobby and narthex) and welcome members.
 Escort visitors to the Greeters who are handing out bulletins,
 Help them make temporary nametags, and

Give them an issue of the Church Chatter.
 Remain by doors until the first hymn, to greet latecomers.
Visitors are likely to
be late.
 Escort visitors to coffee hour after worship (if they want to come), so that they
are not alone there. Introduce them to others with similar ages and interests if
possible.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
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DEACONS
Welcome Plan
Rv. 11/14/11
The Assistant DOM handles these tasks for the Social Hall door.
We will have a trial period of 6 months and then the subcommittee will reassess the
program. Two people are needed per Sunday.
5. Put sticky name tags & Sharpies in narthex and Social Hall for visitors.
6. The DOM or Assistant DOM must phone any visitors within 24 hrs. just to say:
Thanks for coming; I hope you’ll come again sometime. What I
like about the church… Do you have any questions? My phone
number is... feel free to call me…
7. Mail a free pancake breakfast coupon (kept in back of guest book), as a way of
reminding them later in the week that we are thinking of them.
8. Greeters should be reminded of the following by the DOM (found on a card on the table
in the narthex):
Greeter reminders:
 Invite visitors to make a temporary name tag.

At least one greeter should remain in the narthex until the first
hymn, to greet latecomers. (Visitors are likely to be late.)

Offer children’s bulletins to those who are able to read, crayons
and/or activity bags to younger children.
9. Add an explicit Welcome message to the top of the web site’s main page.
10. Write articles for Chatter periodically to encourage everyone to practice hospitality by
talking to visitors as well as members, especially in coffee hour. Even if they turn out to
be returning people, don’t be embarrassed: hospitality reaches out.
For new members:
1. Ask them what their interests are (charity/service, study and discussion, church
committee). Repeat for this polling for everyone periodically.
2. Invite them personally to participate in:
-
Special events, such as, Hanging of the Greens, Christmas party, Strawberry Supper,
Pancake Breakfast, other fellowship events.
-
Worship positions – greet, read, etc.
-
Prayer, study and discussion groups
-
Committees
-
Small-group dinners in homes
-
Retreats for spiritual growth
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
2
MISCELLANEOUS
Ledyard Fair Building Agreement
Rv. 03/07/11
This agreement made this 16th day of August 1999 by and between the LEDYARD
CONGREGATIONAL ECCLESIASTICAL SOCIETY and the FIRST CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH OF
LEDYARD, both of the Town of Ledyard Connecticut herein after called “LANDLORD” and
“LEDYARD FAIR, INC.” a non-profit corporation of the Town of Ledyard, Connecticut herein
after called “TENANT.”
WITNESSETH:
1. The Landlord has leased and does hereby lease to the Tenant all that limited and
specific portion and the specific portion and the improvements thereon of a
certain tract or parcel of land known as 722 Colonel Ledyard Highway in the Town
of Ledyard, County of New London, State of Connecticut, which portion and
improvements consists of an approximately 30’x60’ wood structure (6 garage
doors/asphalt shingled roof/historically used as a (Ledyard Fair Food Booth) and
more particularly noted as “Garage” on that portion of the Ledyard Assessors’ Map
(#67) attached hereto and make a part of hereof. Included in said lease is
reasonable access over remaining land of the Landlord to gain access to this
structure.
2. The term of this lease shall be for a period of Ten (10) years commencing in 1999
and terminating. The base rent shall be ONE ($1.00) dollar payable annually.
3. Said premises shall be used for storage of Ledyard Fair and personal property
throughout the year, leaving space available for Landlord use, and permitting
Tenant full use of the entire building during the days of the Ledyard Fair and for a
reasonable period before and or after the annual Ledyard Fair. The Tenant agrees
to maintain the interior and the exterior of the premises. Items stored by the
Church are not covered by Tenant Insurance. Tenant is not liable for damages
incurred by items stored in garage that don’t meet Insurance requirements. The
Fair must be appraised of what is being stored by The Church.
4. The Tenant agrees that it will indemnify and save Landlord harmless from liability,
damage, expense, cause of action, suits, claims, or judgments arising from injury to
person or property on the leased premises which arise out of the act, failure to act
or negligence of Tenant, its agents or employees, or the Tenant’s occupancy of
said premises. The Tenant shall carry liability insurance in an amount not less than
$1,000,000 for injury to or death of any one person, and $2,000,000 for injury to
or death of all persons, and an amount of death of any one person, and an amount
of $25,000 for damage to property, and shall furnish Landlord with certificates
thereof, on an annual basis.
5. The Landlord covenants that Landlord is seized of the leased premises and has full
right to make this lease, and the Tenant shall have quiet and peaceful possession
of the lease premise during all of said term as against lawful act of third parties
and as against the acts of all parties claiming title to, or a right to the possession of
lease premises. The Landlord makes no covenants, warranties or representations,
however, with regard to any ordinances, municipal regulations, zoning regulations,
planning regulations or other public or private laws relating to the use of said
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
1
MISCELLANEOUS
Ledyard Fair Building Agreement
Rv. 03/07/11
premises and Tenant expressly accepts this lease subject to any and all such
ordinances, regulations, etc.
6. The Tenant shall have the right to place upon the premises personal property and
said personal property shall remain the property of the Tenant and the Tenant
shall have the right at the termination of this lease to remove said personal
property provided no damage is caused thereby to any real property.
7. Tenant shall have the right to grant the use of the building to other non-profit
groups for one or two day events. No other assignments or subleases shall be
made without the express written permission of the Landlord.
8. The Tenant covenants with the Landlord to hire said premises and to pay the rent
therefor as aforesaid, that it will commit no waste, nor suffer same to be
committed thereon, nor injure nor misuse the same; and also that it will not us the
same for any purpose but that hereinbefore authorized, without written
permission from said Landlord but will deliver up the same at the expiration or
sooner termination of its tenancy in as good condition as it is now in, ordinary
wear, fire and other unavoidable casualties expected. Provided, however, and it is
further agreed, that if the tenant shall us the premises for any purpose but the
hereinbefore authorized, or shall commit waste or suffer the same to be
committed on said premised, or injure or misuse the same, and said condition has
not been cured within ten (10) days after receipt by Tenant of written notice by
mail of such breach, then this lease shall thereupon, by virtue of the express
stipulation, expire and terminate, and the Landlord may, at any time thereafter,
re-enter said premises and have and possess as of its former estate, and without
such re-entry may recover possession thereof in the manner prescribed be the
statue relating to the summary process; it being understood that no re-entry for
condition broken, as at common law, shall be necessary to enable the Landlord to
recover such possession pursuant to said statute relating to summary process, but
that all right to any such demand, or any such re-entry is hereby expressly waived
by the said Tenant.
9. This lease agreement shall be binding upon the parties hereto and their respective
successors and assigns.
10. And it is further agreed between the parties hereto that the Tenant is to comply
with and to conform to all the laws of the United States of America, The state of
Connecticut, and the by-laws, rules and regulations of the Town of Ledyard
relating to zoning, heath, nuisance, and fire so far as the premises hereby leased
are or may be concerned; and to save the Landlord harmless from all fines,
penalties and costs for violation of or non-compliance with, the same and that the
premises shall be, at all reasonable times, open to the inspection of said Landlord.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
2
MISCELLANEOUS
Memorial Garden Policy
Rv. 11/21/12
Background and Purpose
Cemeteries have been associated with churches from its early beginnings up until very recent
times. The strong connection between death and the continuing spiritual life of a person with
the church remains fundamental to our faith. We recognize the preciousness of life and the
meaning of existence after physical death.
In recent years cemetery plots are becoming harder to acquire and are more costly. Greater
numbers of people are choosing cremation, but still seek a meaningful place for the ashes to
rest. Many churches, therefore, are creating memorial gardens where the ashes of loved ones
may be “at home” in a place they have loved. Flowers and trees wax and wane with the
seasons, speaking always of the promise of resurrection; children’s laughter rings in the
hallways; worship is on-going just inside the walls, with hymns of praise, songs of thanksgiving,
words of hope, attitudes of love, forgiveness and compassion. A memorial garden is a
reminder of life, ongoing and eternal.
Policies and Procedures
We are fortunate to have a Memorial Garden already in place. This beautiful spot was created
lovingly with gifts from the past, and is tended with care and dedication by volunteers of the
Church.
Cremated ashes, according to state law, of deceased members, non-members with an affiliation
to Ledyard Congregational Church, and their families may be buried in the Garden. Cremated
ashes of others may be buried with the approval of the Board of Deacons.
Burial of ashes may be arranged through the Pastor, who shall preside at each committal.
Ashes will be returned directly to God’s earth with no containers or markers.
No particular space may be reserved. There shall be no permanent objects or decorations
permitted at any particular spot.
A permanent, outdoor plaque shall be mounted inside the Garden, where names of those
whose ashes are buried in the Garden shall be engraved. Names may also be engraved of
members whose ashes have been scattered in the waters, to be so designated by an anchor
engraved next to the name.
A Book of Life shall be kept in an appropriate place within the building. Each individual who is
listed on the outdoor plaque may have a “pocket” page inside the Book. The front of each page
shall list particulars about the individual, with a spot for a picture. The back is available for a
testimonial written by family or friends. Small remembrances may be placed between the
pages, with their description written on the back page.
A donation will be asked to cover the costs of the plaque, the Book of Life, and maintenance of
the Garden. ($75-$100 is suggested.)
Although Ledyard Congregational Church has no intention of ever moving, unforeseen events
might necessitate a move in the distant future. If this should ever happen, the plaque, the Book
of Life, and symbolic parcels of soil would all be taken to a new location, where a new Memorial
Garden would be established and dedicated.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
1
MISCELLANEOUS
Bill Library Parking Agreement
Rv. 03/07/11
Joint Resolution for parking with Bill Library
First Congregational Church of Ledyard, Inc. and the Bill Library Association
Whereas, the Bill Library, with about 30 lines parking spaces, and the First Congregational
Church, with about 70 unlined parking spaces, share both adjoining property and common
access road of Colonel Ledyard Highway.
Whereas, the Bill Library and First Congregational Church generally have needs for high
occupancy at different times, thus allowing sharing of parking spaces at the best means for
limiting the total number of parking spaces between the two facilities. This optimal utilization
benefits both organizations as well as the Town of Ledyard in that less area paved, this reducing
environmental impact, and enhancing the size of the Town Green.
Be it resolved that the First Congregational Church and Bill Library will mutually allow utilization
of adjacent parking areas to patrons of each facility. This agreement will remain in effect until
any change of property rights, ownership, or boundary is executed by either party, or by the
mutual agreement of both the Library and Church.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
1
MISCELLANEOUS
Church Office Administrative Assistant
Rv. 07/10/14
JOB TITLE:
DATE:
POSITION:
CHURCH OFFICE ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
Revised March 1992, June 1993, June 1997, 1999, February 2003, JULY 2014
Permanent, Part-time, Hourly
SCHEDULE: Normal schedule is Monday through Thursday. Regular Office Hours are 8:00 a.m. to 12:00
Noon (16 hours per week) and as modified by the office closing procedures noted below. Certain times
of the year may require additional work hours to meet job requirements, such as the preparation of the
annual report. Additional hours are to be approved by the secretarial liaison.
JOB PURPOSE/PHILOSOPHY: The Church Office Administrative Assistant is to be the hub of
communication flow for the ministries of the church. The Church Administrative Assistant must work
with absolute confidentiality and is cordial and professional in all interactions.
The Church
Administrative Assistant is viewed as executive assistant to the Minister and works with the Council,
boards committees, and other staff members. The Church Administrative Assistant is responsible for
efficient office management and should seek to be creative in order to improve procedures and
practice.
RESPONSIBLE TO: The Church Council through the secretarial liaison as appointed by the Church
Council. The secretarial liaison will approve all voucher expenses required by the Church Office.
WORKS IN COOPERATION WITH: The Minister, Officers of the Church, Chairmen of the various Boards
and Committees, the Ecclesiastical Society, Women’s Fellowship Church Staff. All church members must
go through the appropriate board or committee. The Church Administrative Assistant does not work for
sponsored organizations.
QUALIFICATIONS:
A. PERSONAL
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
A person of good reputation
Trustworthy
Relates well to people
Able to organize and administer information
Able to follow through with details
B. JOB SKILLS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Typing (50+ wpm) with accuracy
Receptionist skills
Office management skills
Word processing skill / computer skills
a. Windows – Word Perfect or equivalent
b. Membership Plus (directory, mailing lists, etc.)
c. FAX and e-mail, sending and receiving
Record keeping/filing/retrieving
Basic telephone etiquette
Able to operate a copier and other office equipment
Able to organize and handle scheduling
Mail sorting and distribution
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
1
MISCELLANEOUS
Church Administrative Assistant
Rv. 07/10/14
RESPONSIBILITIES:
1. Acts as receptionist for office by greeting and assisting visitors and providing proper
referrals.
2. Prepares correspondence, reports and related documents for the Minister pertaining to
the Minister's programs and activities.
3. Picks up and routes incoming mail, and handles outgoing mail for the Church Council,
Boards, and Committees.
4. Maintains and publishes the church directory, mailing lists, and telephone list on the
computer.
5. Types, makes copies and collates worship bulletins.
6. Keeps church calendars current (activity and scheduling calendars)
7. Files records and/or correspondence in a timely manner.
8. Inventories and orders church office supplies.
9. Contacts service companies for office equipment maintenance and/or repair.
10. Prepares news releases for newspapers as needed.
11. Keeps church bulletin board current.
12. Compiles the Annual Report.
13. Coordinates volunteer office help when necessary.
14. In charge of building use and rentals: scheduling, record keeping, fees, keys, etc.
15. Annual Building Use Meeting coordinator.
16. Sends and receives e-mail for the Church's address ([email protected])
17. Picks up and distributes daily mail from the RFD box and the Post Office.
18. Conducts a walk around of the church facility on a regular basis noting any conditions
requiring attention by the custodian or Board of Trustees.
19. Other related duties as required.
TERMS OF EMPLOYMENT:
A. JOB REVIEW: The work of the Church Administrative Assistant shall be reviewed in
person at least annually each October. The salary will be reviewed at the October job review,
with a recommendation going to Council for their October meeting.
The salary
recommendation for the budget will be made by the Council. The review shall be conducted
by the secretarial liaison after consultation with the Church Council at their September
meeting. A form will be used which will include space for the Secretary's comments.
B. TERMINATION OF POSITION: At least two weeks’ notice expected, and a month's
notice is preferred, for the termination of this position by either party.
OFFICE CLOSING: The office shall be open every week, Monday through Thursday with the
exception of the following days:
New Year’s Day
Memorial Day
th
Martin Luther King Jr. Day
July 4
Presidents Day
Labor Day
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
Veterans’ Day
Thanksgiving Day
Friday following
2
MISCELLANEOUS
Church Administrative Assistant
Rv. 07/10/14
Thanksgiving
Good Friday
Columbus Day
Christmas Day
TIMEKEEPING: An hourly time sheet is to be updated daily by the church secretary with dates
and hours worked, including any time off with reasons comments as necessary and sent to the
Treasurer on the last day of each week.
HOLIDAYS: The Church Secretary receives 11 holidays per year as recognized by the Federal
Government (the same days that the office is officially closed as noted above with the
exception of the day after Thanksgiving). If the federally-recognized holiday falls on a day the
Church Secretary is regularly scheduled to work, the Church Secretary will be paid 4 hours at
the regular hourly rate.
VACATION: The Church Secretary will receive two weeks of paid vacation per year, to be
coordinated with the Pastor totaling 32 hours (10 days times 4 hours per day). Vacation may
not be carried forward into a following year, and must be taken in the year it is earned.
SICK DAYS: The Church Secretary will receive 1 paid sick day (4 hours) per year. Sick days may
not be carried forward into a following year.
PERSONAL DAYS: The Church Secretary may take 1 paid personal day per year (4 hours) and up
to 16 unpaid personal days per year when the office is to be normally open, coordinated with
the Church Council Liaison. The Secretary will assist the Church Council Liaison by coordinating
alternate office coverage personnel when taking personal days. Personal days may not be
carried forward into a following year.
WAGES: The Church Council will establish an hourly rate of pay consistent with the Church
budget process outlined in the Church Financial Manual. Extra hours required to complete
assigned tasks will be paid at the standard hourly rate.
Ledyard Congregational Church Policies
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MISCELLANEOUS
Solicitation Policy
Rv. 01/01/10
At the November 22nd 2010 meeting of the Church Council, the following Solicitation Policy was
established:
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The Ledyard Congregational Church encourages solicitations for worthy causes during our
Sunday coffee hours. This should be done by setting up tables and displaying materials rather
than individual approaches.
These solicitations may be done by non-profit groups or by individuals who have organized in an
ad-hoc way for specific charitable or noble purpose. Causes that are identified with established
political movements, ideaologies, or candidacies are not appropriate.
Announcements of solicitations may be made during worship service provided that the
announcer uses a short factual description than extensive promotional discourse.
Groups and individuals should contact the church office in advance.
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MISCELLANEOUS
“Special” Fundraisers
Rv. 03/07/11
POLICY FOR THE APPROVAL OF “SPECIAL” FUNDRAISERS
(And their non-use for the LCC’s Annual Budget)
1. Definition: “Special” Fundraisers are those held for a specific purpose, on a non-recurring
basis. Examples of special fundraisers include efforts to raise money for: a new Sunday
School education series, new chairs for the library, etc. They do not include the “Standing”
Fundraisers which are held on an annual basis (e.g. Strawberry Supper, Talent Auction,
Christmas Bazaar, etc.; these are considered to be “grand fathered” as institutionalized
fundraisers.
2. All special fundraisers shall be approved by the LCC Council.
3. All special fundraisers shall be for a specific purpose, sponsored by a specific board or
committee and shall have a specific monetary goal.
4. Special fundraiser proposals shall be submitted to the LCC Council, in writing, at least four
months (as soon as possible) before the proposed commencement of the fundraiser.
Proposals shall provide the following information:
a. Purpose of the Special Fundraiser
b. Sponsoring Board (i.e., Christian Education, Missions, etc.).
c. Church member(s) responsible for the Special Fundraiser.
d. When the Special Fundraiser will be conducted (specific date or dates).
e. Monetary goal in dollars. Provide plan for funds collected in excess of goal.
f. Details on the Special Fundraiser (i.e., what specifically will be done to raise the money).
g. Impact of:
i. The special fundraiser not attaining its monetary goal
ii. The special fundraiser not being approved by the LCC Council.
5. As a general rule, special fundraisers should not be a planned portion of the annual church
budget. This is because of the unpredictable nature of the income. If the monetary goal is
not attained, then it builds an immediate deficit.
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MISCELLANEOUS
Pancake Breakfast Guidelines
Rv. unknown
Purpose: To provide a time for fellowship for the community and a means for raising funds for outreach
by individuals or groups on behalf of the church.
1. Any Board or Committee of the Church can utilize Pancake Breakfast to raise funds by speaking to the
Pancake Breakfast Coordinator and filling in the Pancake Breakfast sign-up sheet in the Social Hall.
Any individual may ask any Board or Committee to sponsor their charity.
a. When using Pancake Breakfast as a fundraiser, advertising can be provided if a plan is made a
few months ahead of the breakfast.
b. All donations collected at the breakfast should be counted and deposited by the Pancake
Breakfast coordinator or representative.
c. Pancake Breakfast will donate a minimum of $200 to the group; more money will be donated if
more than $260 is raised at the breakfast. The coordinator will deduct a portion for expenses.
d. The group sponsoring the fundraiser will provide helpers on the day of Pancake Breakfast.
2. Fund Dispersal: 1.) to group signing up to do the Pancake Breakfast; 2.) by requesting non-designated
pancake breakfast funds at Church Council.
a. A form shall be maintained and made available to groups for the purpose of documenting funds
raised at the Pancake Breakfast. This form will document how much money was earned at the
breakfast. This form shall be signed by at least two individuals at the breakfast (one representing
the sponsoring group and on the Pancake Breakfast coordinator or representative.)
b. A deposit slip will be filled out and deposit made on the day of the Pancake Breakfast. The
deposit receipt will be given to the Church Treasurer with a copy of above form. A copy of the
above form will be given to the sponsoring group.
3. People needed for Breakfast: (If short of volunteers, 3-4 people can serve breakfast family style.)
Kitchen Help:
a. 2-3 cooks to prepare pancakes, eggs and sausages; chipped beef is prepared before breakfast
starts.
b. Dish Washer
c. Kitchen Organizer: takes orders from wait staff, tracks orders for cooks, prepares orders for wait
staff and calls wait staff to send orders to customers.
d. Wait Staff: 3-5 people
e. Cashier and/or Greeter:
f. Clean-up: (maybe same staff as above)
g. Kitchen: shut off gas, wash all surfaces, clean-up stove, shut down dish washer per instructions,
and put away everything taken out for breakfast and mop floor.
h. Dining Room: put away tables and chairs, sweep and mop floor, reset as necessary.
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