Updated and Revised 2025 Compensation and Benefits Handbook

Council has approved an updated and revised Compensation and Benefits Handbook.

You’ll find a link to the revised and updated Compensation and Benefits Handbook by clicking here. The Personnel Committee, a subcommittee of Council, has worked to ensure that this document accurately reflects best practices and the most updated and thorough policies.

There are four portions of this document that have been changed since Council’s last update in 2022.

First - The floor for clergy compensation has been increased. This proposed increase to the base salary of a clergy person working for a faith community was the result of a thorough compensation analysis by the Personnel Committee, taking into consideration an increase in the Cost of Living due to inflation over the past several years, as well as analysis of similar diocese and similar employment sectors. The base rate set by this policy in 2022 was $60,000, and it is proposed in the current policy that it be raised to $64,000.

Second - The policy passed by Council in 2024 to increase the rates for Supply Clergy are now reflected in this handbook.)

Third - An updated and expanded policy regarding sabbaticals. This policy has been extended to cover both lay and clergy employees, and provides a clearer pathway for both the person taking the sabbatical as well as the Diocese to managing the process of requesting, preparing for and coming back from a sabbatical. This policy was drafted based on other sabbatical policies from Episcopal Dioceses.

Fourth - A policy that was created in response to a General Convention recommendation that creates a pathway for non-stipendiary clergy (priests and deacons) to be included in the Church Pension Fund. You can find more information about the rationale for this policy and how faith communities and clergy can take their next steps below:

The General Convention Resolution requires a minimum honorarium of $25 per month in order to enroll in these benefits. The pension assessment amount for that nominal amount would be $4.50 to Church Pension Group (for a total honorarium amount of $300 plus total pension contribution $54 annually).

In order to be eligible, clergy must meet the following criteria:

Canonically resident in ECMN.
Actively serving or expected to be actively serving the same faith community for five or more consecutive months.
Under the age of 72 as of the date of this policy.

Actively Serving is defined as meeting any one of the five following criteria:

Has a Letter of Agreement with the faith community or
Is duly called by the Bishop, Vestry or Rector or
The position has a formal title indicating an ongoing substantial relationship with the faith community or
The clergy person receives a Form W-2 or equivalent from the faith community or
The clergy person is scheduled to work at least 20 hours per week

There are many benefits that clergy can receive as a result of being admitted to CPG. These include:

Cleric earns a full month of Credited Service (CS) for pension benefit when Eligibility criteria are met, and Full Assessments are paid on 1/12th of the cleric’s Total Assessable Compensation (no minimum dollar limitation, no CS is earned for partial assessment payment)
While active, the cleric has short-term, long-term and life insurance benefits along with pre-retirement death benefits for their survivors and eligible children.
Upon retirement, they will have a pension distribution, ongoing Christmas benefit, one-time resettlement benefit, retiree life insurance benefit along with other discretionary benefits.
Access to CREDO conference - to support personal well-being, a healthy life, and vibrant ministry

How to Participate

If you have a clergy person who is eligible for this benefit, your next step is to enroll them in the CPG system. You can find a link to the employment change form here.

If you do not have any other employees enrolled in the CPG system, please fill out the form and submit it to Jennifer Gamberg at jennifer.g@episcopalmn.org.