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Thursday, August 13, 2026

Financial Best Practices for churches. The following are some real challenges which we discussed in our recent Treasurer’s Workshop and Internal Controls for the Local Church, which were provided through our SPIRE Center. While these may not be happening at your church, all churches should be aware of best financial practices. My top five "ones to watch" are included below.

The purpose of this article is to bring awareness to our churches of possible ways to avoid risky financial practices; to safeguard the church against theft; and to protect our church staff members (both paid and volunteers) of being wrongfully accused of financial discrepancies.

One person is handling all of the duties of the office. Opening mail, counting offerings, making deposits, posting into the finance program, paying the bills, and signing the checks!

This has disaster written all over it, either for the church or for the person who is handling all of these duties. To protect the church and its staff members, there has to be a separation of duties. The person making the deposits should not be able to sign the checks. Offerings should be counted in teams of two who are not related to each other. Checks should be signed by a Council/Consistory member or Finance Team member, but never a staff member. Thought should be given to having two signatures on checks.

Too many people have the combination to the office safe.

Change the code and only give it to 2-3 people (preferably the Treasurer and another Council/Consistory member or Finance Committee member), none of which is a staff member. This protects the church as well as the staff members. If the staff needs to be able to put checks in from the mail, get a safe that has a slot so that they are able to drop them in.

There seems to be so many scams out there, and they sound so real. How can we warn our members and/or staff members?

ALWAYS check the email address from the sender.  This is usually a dead give-away, but most people react without checking. Some come from what appears to be the Pastor or other staff member saying they are in a meeting but need you to make a mission withdrawal (usually in gift cards). Another recent one is an employee who asks you to make a change to their personal bank account for the direct deposit of their payroll.

It seems like a lot of cash is passing through the office, either offerings dropped off in cash (not in offering envelopes) or slid under the door from groups meeting in the building who take up offerings to pay for the room usage.

Put up a drop box outside the church office so that groups can drop their envelopes into it after hours. The keys to the box should go to the same folks who have the code to the safe. Anyone walking cash offerings into the church office should be given an envelope to put their name and offering amount on. After they finish, the staff member should drop it into the safe. A receipt book can also be used.

No internal controls for Accounts Payable and Reimbursements have been established, and there never seems to be much of a paper trail for these disbursements.

Invoices should always be required for all payments and reimbursements, and those invoices should be approved by the Finance Committee. No blank checks should ever be signed ahead! The Treasurer should have access to the bank statements so that they can randomly compare payments processed to the check that clears the bank.

Machelle Miller
Association Financial Administrator

Healthy Practices for Ministry

Wednesday, September 23, 9am-2pm

In Person at Lakewood Congregational UCC, online option available

Facilitator: Rev. Barry Chance

Registration: $50 for Active Authorized Ministers

$25 for Retired Authorized Ministers

MIDS attend free

Is your congregation hosting, sponsoring or partnering with others for a local Vacation Bible School, camp, mission trip, or Pride event? Send us your photos for a future newsletter! (As always, please send only if you have permission from the participants and/or their grown ups)

Ordination

Katie Howe

Sunday, August 30, 3pm

Lakewood Congregational Church

1375 W. Clifton Blvd

Lakewood, OH 44107

Come to Christ United Church on Friday, August 28, at 6:30 p.m. to see The Sheep Detectives, a charming mystery about a flock of sheep who set out to solve the murder of their beloved shepherd.  It will be an evening of food, film, and conversation. The address is 23114 West Road, Olmsted Falls, Ohio 44138. Pizza and popcorn will be provided, so just come as you are—all are welcome!  Learn more about the film and watch the trailer here: The Sheep Detectives (IMDb)

CARE (Christian Allies for Racial Equity) Presents Free Theater Performance Aug. 29 at First Congregational Church of Hudson

CARE, in partnership with First Serve, is pleased to sponsor a free theater performance for the Hudson community on August 29 at 7:00 p.m.

To My White Friends Who Know Me is a play written and directed by Dr. Deborah Plummer and presented in three acts. The production is brought to organizations, universities, and communities by Getting To We, Inc., an organization committed to creatively embrace the tensions that result from managing the dynamics of human differences. To My White Friends Who Know Me takes apart theories of those differences in practical terms, helping audiences achieve racial equity one friend at a time. Immediately following the performance, attendees are invited to enjoy light refreshments and a Q & A with Dr. Plummer.

Tickets are free via Eventbrite. To help offset costs, however, members of the community can make a donation with or without reserving a ticket.

Dr. Plummer is a psychologist, international thought leader, author and speaker on topics central to racial equality, inclusion and mutual respect. Dr. Plummer founded the non-profit Getting To We, Inc. to focus on learning together and enhancing social trust as the bedrock of a healthy society. She says, “What’s needed…is social trust, a belief that we share a core identity as humans, can relate to each other without fear, and work to be better humans for each other.”

About CARE and First Congregational Church of Hudson 

CARE is dedicated to improving racial understanding and reconciliation within First Congregational Church of Hudson (FCCH) and the broader community through education and partnership with other faith communities and organizations. FCCH believes every person is a valued, beloved child of God and seeks to see, understand, welcome, and embrace all, where they are, just as they are. Affiliated with the Protestant denomination of the United Church of Christ, First Congregational Church is a growing, thriving congregation with a wide variety of opportunities for adults, children and youth to learn, grow and serve in faith. 

Need someone to fill in on a Sunday? Check out the pulpit supply list! Recommended compensation: $200 for one service (minimum $175); $275 for two services (minimum $250); mileage at 72.5¢ or current IRS rate.

Planning your program year now? Build a mission-focused plan to include a week in Cincinnati’s Urban Core

The Summer Immersion Program at Washington UCC is a loving and engaging experience that builds empathy, courage and hope in your team through service to children and young teens. Mission teams facilitate a fun and impactful summer experience for the children of Washington UCC’s ministries. Mission Teams experience life-changing joy through deep connection with these children and other non-profit partnerships. 



Teams that reserve a spot before Jan. 1 receive 2 free adults!

Planned in the spring and fall each year by women of the Heartland Conference of the United Church of Christ, Lantern Fellowship is a time when women of all generations come together to enjoy faith, fun, and friends. The retreat will be held at Camp Christian with housing in Monroe Lodge and other nearby cabins. Camp Christian is a place where the spirit can find renewal. The Steering Committee hopes you will invite a few friends and loved ones to share in the wonderful experience of Lantern Fellowship. You can learn more about Camp Christian with this link.

Click the banner below and scroll down to view the current

Heartland Conference Networks!

How can we move beyond a narrow menu of familiar options when it comes to advancing change? What can we do after sending the email, attending the march, or casting the ballot? What can we do in community with others to live out a calling to advance God's beloved community? These are some of the essential questions we seek to answer in Climate Hope Affiliates (CHA). Join us to learn about how you can drive nationwide change through local action when it comes to addressing the interconnected crises of climate change and societal injustice. We have started 15 chapters across the country since we began last year. Already, we have participated in our first successful advocacy campaign when Congress rejected the Trump administration's proposal to cut the EPA budget by 55%. Now, we are addressing the pollution caused by data centers. In this webinar, we will cover the basics about how we affect change and how anyone can start a chapter in their community. Register to join us either on Tuesday, August 18^th at 2 pm ET or Wednesday, August 19^th at 8 pm ET.

Two devastating earthquakes struck Venezuela in late June 2026, triggering a rapidly escalating humanitarian crisis. Aftershocks continue to shake the region, including a magnitude 4.6 tremor recorded as recently as Monday morning.

The impact is staggering:

• More than 1,940 lives lost
• More than 5,000 people injured
• Nearly 16,000 displaced from their homes
• An estimated 46,000 people still missing
• UNICEF estimates that 1.8 million people, including 680,000 children, need humanitarian assistance

The search for survivors continues.

In response, the United Church of Christ is launching an urgent appeal to support both immediate life-saving aid and long-term recovery. Working through our trusted partners on the ground like Global Ministries and ACT Alliance, we are delivering emergency relief to displaced families, distributing food and water, and offering pastoral care to those facing profound loss and trauma.

Please consider making a gift today. Be a source of hope in the midst of crisis and help rebuild communities for the long term. Your support is essential. Together, we can provide hope, healing, and love to our neighbors in Venezuela.

We also ask you and your families to pray for everyone affected. Your generosity is a witness of compassion in action. We deeply appreciate your consideration.

Click on the logos below for information and registration details for upcoming continuing education and lifelong learning opportunities provided by our partner schools and centers of learning!

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