THE CLERK'S CORNER

By Rev. Scott DeCaro

September 2026

It’s That Time Again!

It feels like the year was just beginning yesterday, and now we’re here. The kids are back in school, summer has come to a close, and in our churches, this is the time that our programs begin anew. It’s one of the busiest times of the year, and in many ways, that’s true in the life of the Presbytery too. Because of that, I know that looking ahead right now is hard to do, especially when that leads to an even busier season – Advent and Christmas are right around the corner as far as pastors are concerned. If it’s difficult to look ahead, it can feel impossible to look beyond those seasons in the church. Yet that’s exactly what I’m going to do here, because it is indeed that time again – it’s time to look ahead in terms of polity too! Advent and Christmas aren’t the only things right around the corner in the life of your church if you’re paying attention to polity.

Chances are that your church’s annual congregational meeting is coming up in a few short months as well. That means that it is time to begin preparing for that meeting now in various ways. First and foremost, if you have not begun working on an annual budget for next year, this is the perfect time to do so. As part of an annual budget, Session should begin to discuss Terms of Call for 2027; if you are a pastor, you should have your housing allowance declared prior to the beginning of the year. For guidance here, the Committee on Church Orders has recommended a cost-of-living increase of 4% this year; the minimum terms of call recommendation will $66,170 for Teaching Elder with a full-time call (this is not official until it is voted on at the November Assembly). Additionally, if you have not considered mission giving as part of your annual budget, let me take this opportunity to suggest you do so; part of being a community of faith is stewardship within our budgets as we strive not simply to survive but to grow in faith and ministry. Of course, I would encourage you to direct a portion of your mission giving to the Presbytery as we work to help our congregations grow in mission and ministry together.

An annual budget is not the only thing to consider during an annual congregational meeting. If you need to update your bylaws, manual of operations, and church policies this is the perfect opportunity to do so. These policies can easily be forgotten or ignored, but should be updated on a regular basis. When is the last time you looked at your child protection policy? Do you have a vulnerable adult protection policy? Have you implemented an anti-racism and anti-harassment policy yet? This is the time to draft or update those policies before Advent and Christmas, so they are ready to go for the annual meeting in the new year.

Speaking of the new year, this is also the perfect time to plan for reporting requirements that come each year. Statistical reporting opens around January 1, with a limited window for reporting updated membership numbers. Around the same time, your clerks of Session will be hearing from me requesting necrology reports, updated contact information, and reporting on Presbytery commissioners for the new year. Finally, this a great time for clerks and Sessions to look over the minute review form from last year to ensure that anything required at a congregational meeting or that can be done at the first Session meeting of the year is taken care of.

As always, I am available to look over any policies and bylaws you are updating and to answer any questions you may have about what is required in terms of reporting, best practices at congregational meetings, and to provide support to clerks, pastors, and Sessions. May we continue to grow together in faith and in service to our Lord.

In Grace and Peace,

Rev. Scott DeCaro

Stated Clerk – Mountain Laurel Presbytery