20-Church Records

CHAPTER XX

CHURCH RECORDS AN important part of the work of administration is to keep accurate records of all transactions. In a great department store every sale, however small, is recorded in such detail that, years after, the management can quickly discover the nature of the sale, the date, and the clerk who made It. All that comes in and goes out is carefully checked whether goods, cash, or employees so that at the end of the year everything and everyone is accounted for. Only by giving attention thus to accurate accounting is it possible to carry on any organized business. While this is being written, a man, reputed two years ago to be a multimillionaire, is going into bankruptcy in Chicago unexpectedly to himself! He says he thought he was making money until a few weeks ago. This ignorance on his part is due primarily to his failure to keep proper records.

Ideally, the local Methodist Episcopal Church is supposed to have a good accounting department. “Are the church records properly kept?” is an inquiry made annually in the Quarterly Conference. A Committee on Church Records is appointed and required to report annually on the condition of all record books (not financial) of each organization in the church. Furthermore, an Auditing Committee is required to audit the accounts of all financial officers. But these seldom function or tell the whole truth when they do attempt to discharge their duties. So “church records” have come to be a symbol for confusion and unintelligibility. Church reports and statistics can almost never be taken at their face value. If the State were to call for such an accounting from religious organizations as is demanded of banks and life-insurance companies, the community is rare indeed, that would escape without an ecde

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CHURCH RECORDS siastical scandal. Such carelessness puts a sore temptation in the way of church officers charged with the care of church money. And to be careless in accounting for the people intrusted to the church is a greater sin! The General Conference of 1920 gave careful consideration to records, and approved certain forms for Quarterly Conference and official-board business. The official board is responsible for (i) church members, and (2) church funds. The pastor represents them in caring for the former, and the financial secretary and two treasurers for the latter. And the General Conference is very clear about the kind of records that are to be kept by every such officer in any Methodist Church. No better investment of money can be made than to secure from the nearest depository of The Methodist Book Concern these new forms if they are not already in use in the local church. i. RECOM>S TO BE KEPT BY THE PASTOR, a. A Permanent Membership Roll which constitutes the fundamental record of personnel. The names should be arranged alphabetically and grouped by families. The only way this record can be kept up-to-date without rewriting frequently is to use a loose-leaf book. A page should be given to each name, the lower part providing for the names of other members of the family. In case of death or removal, the leaf can be taken out of the active list and reinserted in the same book under the guide “Removed” or “Died!* The data should be very full, including head of family; occupation; business address; telephone number, family and Christian names; state in life; official position in the church; when, how, where received; when, how, where removed; other members of family; baptized children; birthday (if under 21); organizations in which active, as Sunday school, Epworth League, W. F. M. S, W. H.

M. S, etc. This roll should contain the Est of preparatory and nonresident members as well as those in full resident membership.

222 THE PASTORAL OFFICE

&. Card Index. Membership and Constituency Roll The permanent loose-leaf roll is not practicable for daily reference. A card index should be prepared containing the names of full members, probationers, and constituents.

Cards of different colors may be used for different classifications, for example, full members, white; probationers, yellow; constituents, blue. This index will be in use constantly in pastoral and evangelistic work. It also has great value as a “mailing list” for circularizing the church. The data may be much less full than on the permanent roll, including only such facts as are especially useful in everyday work and experience full name, residence and business addresses, telephone number, organizations in which the individuals are shown to be active, official relation, for example, steward, trustee, president Ladies’ Aid, teacher in Sunday school, etc, c. Historical Record. Certain matters of permanent interest, not provided for above, should be recorded in a bound volume of board covers. This book should contain (i) A history of the local organization, brought up to date annually; (2) A record of pastors and terms of service;

(3) The official members from the time of organization;

(4) The statistical and benevolent reports made yearly to the Annual Conference; (5) Baptisms; (6) Marriages; and (7) Deaths. d. Calling List. In addition to the card index, the pastor should have a “street list” of members and constituents in compact form which he carries with him constantly. This should be revised frequently and left with his successor on removing from the charge.

2. OFFICIAL BOARD RECORDS. a. Record Book for Secretary of the Official Board containing full minutes of all actions by the board. b. Record Books for Secretaries of Boards of Trustees and Stewards, respectively, when separately organized, containing full minutes of proceedings.

CHURCH RECORDS 223 c. Financial Secretary’s Record, containing (i) Detailed weekly account with each individual subscriber to the two budgets, and a (2) Weekly summary of cash received on subscriptions and special collections, and deposited with the two treasurers. d. Record of the Treasurer of Benevolences should contain (i) The amounts apportioned for the several causes;

(2) Cash received, source and purpose; (3) Cash disbursed, and vouchers for the same; (4) Blanks for yearly report to the Annual Conference with carbon copies for permanent record. e. Record of Treasurer of Local Expense Fund should contain (i) Cash received from subscriptions and special collections; (2) Cash disbursed, and warrants for same;

(3) Ledger accounts with the pastor, district superintendent, janitor, and others as necessary; (4) Monthly summary and report.

3. SUNDAY-SCHOOL RECORDS.

Great variety is found in the matter of Sunday-school records. A large school, closely graded by departments and classes, will necessarily work out a system of accounting more complicated than is desirable for a small school. It would appear, however, that the following records are essential in any school if people and money are to be accounted for satisfactorily, a. Sunday-School Secretary (1) Permanent Register in which every new member is enrolled on joining the school, containing name, address, date of birth, date of enrollment.

(2) Card Index of officers, teachers, and pupils, arranged alphabetically by departments and classes, with fuller data than is asked for in permanent register, such as members of church; baptized; attendance (by month or quarter); parents or other members of family; activities, when, why, and how removed, etc.

(3) Class Boots containing names of teachers and each 224 THE PASTORAL OFFICE member of the several classes to mark attendance, collection, study of lesson, etc.

(4) Summaries of attendance and collections by week, month, quarter, and year. b. Sunday-School Treasurer (1) Weekly Record of cash received by classes.

(2) Cash disbursed warrants and vouchers for same.

4. OTHER ORGANIZATIONS. The Secretaries of other organizations, such as the Epworth League, Ladies’ Aid Society, and the Women’s Missionary Societies, should keep (i) accurate membership records of their respective organizations and (2) complete minutes of all meetings. These should be submitted to the Committee on Church Records for inspection each year. The Treasurers of these organizations should keep careful records of all moneys received and disbursed by them, and submit their accounts to the Auditing Committee of the official board annually, as well as reporting to their own organizations. For the official board has responsibility for their oversight by virtue of the fact that all these organizations have representation in that body.

Note: The necessary books and supplies are all obtainable from The Methodist Book Concern, 150 Fifth Avenue, New York city.