The supply clergy compensation rates for 2025 are as follows:

Sunday/primary liturgy* with preaching: One liturgy $323.10; additional consecutive liturgies $73.53 each.

Sunday/primary liturgy* without preaching: One liturgy $190.18; additional consecutive liturgies $73.53 each.

Weekday/evening liturgy: $125.47.

*Sunday/primary liturgy includes liturgies falling on other days that require significant preparation and duties, such as Christmas, Holy Week liturgies, parish feast days, significant Saturday or Sunday evening liturgies. Congregations and supply clergy should clarify for such liturgies when making an agreement for service.

Educational/Pastoral Duties (preparation and performance) minimum per hour: $37.58.

• Standard IRS business mileage rates and direct transportation costs, such as ferries, etc. shall be reimbursed.
• Reimbursement for lodging and meals must be negotiated in advance.
• Negotiation of rates below this minimum under special circumstances requires approval of the Bishop.
• These are minimum standards. Supply clergy and congregations may negotiate a higher compensation rate.
• Nothing herein precludes supply clergy from donating their services.
• Rate changes shall be tied to the annual COLA (3.8% passed in 2024 reflected above).

For additional questions please contact the Canon to the Ordinary, or 206.325.4200 ext. 2040.

This is the 2025 Parochial Clergy compensation schedule passed at convention. This document outlines clergy compensation based on congregational grade.

The following policies and procedures relate to records that are confidential, private or privileged. These records are created in the course of conducting business for the Diocese of Olympia. The offices of record for these records include (but are not limited to) the Bishop's Office, the Bishop Suffragan’s Office, the Canon to the Ordinary, Faith Formation, Huston Camp & Conference Center, Refugee Resettlement Ministry, Evangelism and Planned Giving/Stewardship and the Treasurer's/Comptroller's Office.

Schedule of retention for various documents

All records created or received by the employees or agents of the Diocese of Olympia within the scope of their employment or responsibilities will be considered the records of the diocese. The Diocese of Olympia establishes a Records Policy, together with approved procedures for the management, retention, disposition, and preservation of its records in all formats and media, including electronic records and communication, in accordance with statutory and regulatory standards, and appropriate administrative standards and best practices.

This manual of records management guidelines is designed for parish officers and administrators, including the custodian of records and archives or the parish archivist. It includes a general records retention schedule that may be modified and adopted by congregations for their particular situations.

This is the 2024 Parochial Clergy compensation schedule passed at convention. This document outlines clergy compensation based on congregational grade.

Click here for the Spanish version.

Este es el calendario de compensación del clero parroquial de 2024 aprobado en la convención. Este documento describe la compensación del clero según el grado congregacional.

Haz clic aquí para la versión en inglés.

In March 2022, the Diocesan Council, upon recommendation of the diocesan Personnel Commission, froze congregation grades at 2022 levels through at least the end of 2023.

Congregational grades for 2023/2024 for parishes and missions. This refers to the congregation grade for churches which helps to determine clergy compensation and assessment values.  The congregational grade is updated every year. Those churches that are in bolded text have changed grades from the previous year.

The Global Mission Grant Utilization form is the documentation used to confirm that the money given in the Global Mission Grant process is being used in the way that the applicant said it would be.  Once a grant is made, the receiving parish needs to fill out a Grant Utilization form before they can apply for another grant.

Deadline is September 30, 2023.

NOTE: This form does not autosave, so download the PDF file and fill out on your local computer, then email when completed.

The 2019 final audited 2019 James F. Hodges Diocesan Investment Fund (DIF) Report.

Este es el calendario de compensación del clero parroquial de 2023 aprobado en la convención. Este documento describe la compensación del clero según el grado congregacional al precio a hora.

Haz clic aquí para la versión en inglés.

This is the 2023 Parochial Clergy compensation schedule passed at convention. This document outlines clergy compensation based on congregational grade at an hourly rate.

Click here for the Spanish version.

Este es el calendario de compensación del clero parroquial de 2023 aprobado en la convención. Este documento describe la compensación del clero según el grado congregacional.

Haz clic aquí para la versión en inglés.

This is the 2023 Parochial Clergy compensation schedule passed at convention. This document outlines clergy compensation based on congregational grade.

Click here for the Spanish version.

Apply for 2022 Green Grant, deadline is October 19, 2022

Planning guide for church earthquake preparedness.

Instructions for completing the Net  Disposable Income (NDI) forms for 2022.

New salary thresholds are among the changes to the state’s overtime rules.

Congregational grades for 2021 for parishes and missions. This refers to the congregation grade for churches which helps to determine clergy compensation and assessment values.  The congregational grade is updated every year. Those churches that are in bolded text have changed grades from the previous year.

Donations can now be made to individual churches through the main Diocese of Olympia giving account. The diocese will manage sending each church whatever funds are donated to them along with a report of giver, amount, designation information and date of transaction.

Below are the list of churches and their links. Copy the particular giving link and use this on your website, email notifications, brochures, etc. to allow people to donate to your faith community.

The 2015 final audited 2105 James F. Hodges Diocesan Investment Fund Report.

The 2018 final audited 2018 James F. Hodges Diocesan Investment Fund (DIF) Report.

Word file for the simple financial church audit

The supply clergy compensation rates for 2025 are as follows:

Sunday/primary liturgy* with preaching: One liturgy $323.10; additional consecutive liturgies $73.53 each.

Sunday/primary liturgy* without preaching: One liturgy $190.18; additional consecutive liturgies $73.53 each.

Weekday/evening liturgy: $125.47.

*Sunday/primary liturgy includes liturgies falling on other days that require significant preparation and duties, such as Christmas, Holy Week liturgies, parish feast days, significant Saturday or Sunday evening liturgies. Congregations and supply clergy should clarify for such liturgies when making an agreement for service.

Educational/Pastoral Duties (preparation and performance) minimum per hour: $37.58.

• Standard IRS business mileage rates and direct transportation costs, such as ferries, etc. shall be reimbursed
• Reimbursement for lodging and meals must be negotiated in advance.
• Negotiation of rates below this minimum under special circumstances requires approval of the Bishop.
• These are minimum standards. Supply clergy and congregations may negotiate a higher compensation rate.
• Nothing herein precludes supply clergy from donating their services.
• Rate changes shall be tied to the annual COLA (3.8% passed in 2024 reflected above).

For additional questions please contact the Canon to the Ordinary, or 206.325.4200 ext. 2032

The 2017 final audited 2017 James F. Hodges Diocesan Investment Fund (DIF) Report.

The following guidelines, objectives and restrictions have been recommended by the INVESTMENT COMMITTEE to establish parameters for the investment management of the THE JAMES F. HODGES DIOCESAN INVESTMENT FUND.

Due by June 15

An annual financial audit is a canonical requirement of The Episcopal Church.

Title 1, Canon 7, Sec. 1(f)-(g):

(f) All accounts of the Diocese shall be audited annually by an independent Certified Public Accountant. All accounts of Parishes, Missions or other institutions shall be audited annually by an independent Certified Public Accountant, or independent Licensed Public Accountant, or such audit committee as shall be authorized by the Finance Committee, Department of Finance, or other appropriate diocesan authority.

(g) All reports of such audits, including any memorandum issued by the auditors or audit committee regarding internal controls or other accounting matters, together with a summary of action taken or proposed to be taken to correct deficiencies or implement recommendations contained in any such memorandum, shall be filed with the Bishop or Ecclesiastical Authority not later than 30 days following the date of such report, and in no event, not later than September 1 of each year, covering the financial reports of the previous calendar year.

Audit Process and Submissions
The Diocese of Olympia has approved the use of a Simplified Audit Worksheet to be used by Congregational Audit Committees. Congregational Audit Committees should use the internal audit program which is based on the Manual of Business Methods in Church Affairs. Congregations that currently have audits performed by independent CPAs or an outside audit firm are encouraged to continue with conducting audits in this manner.

The Simplified Audit Worksheet is linked below:

• Simplified Audit Worksheet - Microsoft Word

Congregations with income of less than $200,000 may use the Alternative Audit Worksheet linked below:

• Alternative Audit Worksheet - Fillable PDF

Congregations should submit a full report from a Certified Public Accountant, or, if a congregation chooses to use it's own Internal Audit Committee, the appropriate worksheet above should be submitted. Please note that a letter saying the audit has been completed is insufficient.

All audits, whether using the simplified audit or a certified public accountant, must be submitted online at this link or a hard copy may be mailed to Diocese of Olympia, Attn: Financial Audit, 1551 Tenth Ave E, Seattle, WA 98102. DO NOT SUBMIT VIA EMAIL.

Contact the Executive Assistant to the Office of the Bishop for submission support.

Contact the Canon for Finance for questions on the church audit process.

The 2016 final audited 2106 James F. Hodges Diocesan Investment Fund Report.

Procedure for Documentation of Sale or Other Disposable of Moveable Assets by Missions of Diocesan Organizations.

Annual report for accounting of diaconal/priestly activity during a calendar year can be found HERE.

The Episcopal Church has adopted “Five Marks of Mission” to guide the work of its congregations.  The marks are:

• To proclaim the Good News of the Kingdom;
• To teach, baptize and nurture new believers;
• To respond to human need by loving service;
• To seek to transform unjust structures of society,
• To challenge violence of every kind and to pursue peace and reconciliation;
• To strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth.

We believe there is a sixth mark of mission that is essential if congregations hope to achieve any of the original five marks of mission.  The sixth mark is to build financially sustainable congregations.

In an effort to help existing congregations think about and plan for financial stability and sustainability, here are some questions for congregational leaders to ask during their long-range planning meetings.

Info for Vestry/Bishop's Committee, Treasurers

Diocesan policy on unpaid assessments

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has specific guidelines that define Small
Employers and who to consider as an employee.

Medicare Secondary Payer - Small Employer Exception Eligibility Certification Form

Medicare Secondary Payer - Small Employer Exception

The Canons and Constitution of the Diocese of Olympia describe various approvals required for certain financial transactions in congregations, including property transactions (buying, selling, remodeling, etc.), and loans (from the Diocese or from a bank).  The Diocese has had a policy in place for many years that describe these transactions and the required approvals (from the Board of Directors and/or the Standing Committee).  That policy was called the “Congregational Authority to Act”.

Over the last 18 months, the Board of Directors and the Standing Committee have been revising this policy. The new policy is called the “Guide to Congregational Financial Transactions”.  There were two primary reasons for rewriting this policy. 

First, the old policy was hard to read. The requirements for parishes and missions are different, and the old policy made it hard to see those differences.  The new policy separates out transactions that parishes and missions do.

Second, the Joint Finance Panel (JFP), which has existed for ten years, has taken on a new role. JFP is made up of members from the four governing bodies (Diocesan Council, Standing Committee, Board of Directors, and the Office of the Bishop).  Because JFP can bring to bear information from all four governing bodies, it is now one of the first steps in the process of getting approval for any of these financial transactions. JFP reviews the request and makes a recommendation to the Standing Committee and/or the Board of Directors (depending on the request and whether it is from a parish or a mission). The new policy makes it clear when requests must be referred to JFP.

Any parish or mission wishing to engage in any financial transaction should consult this Guide to find out what approvals are required and the steps to take to get those approvals.

Risk Management Inventory.  A workbook for doing your inventory.

For declination to participate on Diocesan health insurance benefits.

Explanation of the Clergy Pension Plan.

Church Insurance Company of Vermont contact information, including certificate of insurance request form.

Report for retired and non parochial clergy listing services that have officiating at during the year

Form for submitting clergy housing allowance requests.

2022 Mileage Reimbursement Rates

• The IRS reimbursement rate for business miles is 58.5 cents/mile
• The IRS reimbursement rate for volunteer miles remains at 14 cents/mile

Business Methods in Church Affairs (link to the main Episcopal church website).  Updated Dec., 2019.

Manual de Métodos Comerciales en Asuntos de la Iglesia (enlace al sitio web de la iglesia episcopal). Actualizado diciembre 2019.

This manual addresses the business methods prescribed for every diocese, parish, mission, and institution subject to the authority of the Episcopal Church.  It identifies requirements and seeks to provide helpful advice on sound, practical internal controls, accounting guidelines and business practices.

Section topics include Financial Management, Internal Controls, Taxes and the Episcopal Church, Bookkeeping, Clergy Discretionary Funds, Audit Guidelines for Congregations, Risk Management and Insurance, Parochial Reports, and Records Management.

This manual is not online. For further information or questions, please contact the Canon to the Ordinary.