LeaderLab

Money Matters Resources

Part of The Congregational Handbook

Photo of books on church finance

Consulting

  • Stewardship for Us has been supporting UU congregations in both capital campaigns and operating pledge drives for over 20 years.

  • Congregational Finance LLC for free and paid subscriptions to access excellent resources, including the webinar she led last winter for the New England Region UUA: Financial Management for Your Congregation led by Rev. Karen McArthur (Slides (PDF))

Publications

  • Financial Management in the Church by Peter Henrickson. Written from a Unitiarian Universalist Perspective, this book mostly about money in the church: getting it, using it, and accounting for it - an extremely useful resource for church treasurers and other finance volunteers! His website has a lot of free resources.

  • The Business of the Church: the Uncomfortable Truth That Faithful Ministry Requires Effective Management by John W. Wimberly, Jr. The book begins with a foundational discussion of how a systems approach helps congregational managers identify areas of dysfunction and effective solutions. Managing the critical 'inputs' of people, facilities, and finances has a direct bearing on the desired 'outputs' of proclamation, pastoral care, and mission. A strategic plan, through which a congregation sets its goals and identifies and prioritizes resources, is an essential management tool for both pastors and lay leaders.

  • The Church Money Manual: Best Practices for Finance and Stewardship by J. Clif Christopher. An easy-to-use handbook for churches seeking better ways to manage finances. Brief and straightforward chapters each focus on a specific problem or issue. The book covers topics of day-to-day operation and the perennially critical themes related to church money management and stewardship.

  • Unrelated Business Income - The General Rules, by Michael Batts. A comprehensive, easy-to-understand analysis of how unrelated business income works for churches, from Church Law & Tax Store

  • Church Finance: The Church Leader's Guide to Financial Operations, by Michael Batts. For treasurers, accountants, controllers, CFOs, business administrators, executive pastors, finance committee members, or in any other role responsible for church financial operations, from Church Law & Tax Store

  • Internal Financial Review Guidelines (PDF): A starting point to assist treasurers and finance teams in conducting an internal review of financial operations

  • Congregational Data and Computer Security Guidelines to help keep your congregation's data and computers safe

Connections