Salary and Allowances Schedules

The United Church cares deeply about the well-being of its ministry personnel as they live among and serve God's people. The church has enacted policies concerning minimum annual salaries and allowances (housing, continuing education, travel, and moving) due to those providing remunerated leadership in

pastoral charges and missions
outreach ministries
incorporated ministries

The ability and willingness of a pastoral charge, mission, or outreach ministry to offer compensation in excess of these amounts is both commendable and welcome.

The Salary and Allowances Schedule is updated in the May before the year in which the salary minimums take effect. All salary increases take effect at January 1. Cost of living percentages used to calculate increases in salary minimums are taken from the Statistics Canada Consumer Price Index at the December preceding the May release date.

To assist with explanations of various allowances and salary based increases with regard to housing allowances and benefits, the Salary and Allowances Schedule 2011 contains links to the Financial Handbook for Congregations.

The Financial Handbook is posted on the United Church website (see link below) and can be saved locally to your computer. It has been constructed to allow users to search for terms or sections and to include current payroll practices, as well as traditional payroll guidelines.

Using the links from the Salary and Allowances Schedule to the Financial Handbook for Congregations will require you to keep two windows on your computer open. Alternatively, you can use the Section numbers (example: 4.8.2) to find information in the Financial Handbook from the Salary and Allowances Schedule either on a computer, or using paper copies of both resources.

The Financial Handbook for Congregations 2010 [PDF: 222 pp/1.9 MB] is the current resource. Older versions should be discarded.