2026 Budget Guidelines
Including clergy compensation and benefits, common mission share guidelines, and other congregational budget information
Health and Dental Insurance
Medical insurance, up to the cost of the High Deductible Health Plan (CDHP-20) with a Health Savings Account funded at 75% of the deductible and Delta Dental Comprehensive family plans are required to be paid by the employer. A more expensive plan may be selected and the additional cost may be paid by the clergy or granted as an additional benefit by the employer.
Learn more and please contact Graicey Van Spankeren, Director of HR and Finance Associate, at 312.751.4202 for more information.
New: Additional Wellness Benefits
Active clergy employees enrolled in health & dental benefits generally have access to these additional benefits at no additional cost.
Life and Disability Insurance
Life insurance is provided to all clergy enrolled in the Clergy Pension Plan. Should you die before you retire, your beneficiary will receive a benefit equal to six times your current Total Assessable Compensation, up to a maximum of $150,000. Supplemental group life coverage may be purchased within 31 days of hire. Learn more about life insurance on the CPG website here.
The insured must pay income tax on the value of life insurance in excess of $50,000. Imputed income amounts are emailed to clergy in early December. This amount must be reflected on the clergy W-2.
Disability insurance is provided to all clergy enrolled in the Clergy Pension Plan. Learn more about disability insurance on the CPG website here.
Pension
The formula for calculating the clergy pension assessment is 18% applied to the total of cash salary, Social Security tax reimbursement, utilities, and housing. Changes in compensation must be reported to the Church Pension Fund via My Admin Portal or by submitting an Employee Change Form. For assistance, contact Graicey Van Spankeren, Director of HR and Finance Associate, at 312.751.4202.
Learn more about the clergy pension plan on the CPG website here. You may also download A Guide to Benefits Under the Clergy Pension Plan as a resource.
Compensation
Cash salary is the stipend paid including bonuses, fees, one-time cash payments, severance and any salary reduction arrangements used to fund an annuity such as a 403 (b) tax deferred annuity.
Minimum clergy compensation is set each year by Diocesan Convention. The clergy minimum compensation for 2026 for full-time clergy is:
- $76,476 which includes: Cash Stipend, Self Employment Tax and Cash Housing allowance
- $55,757 which includes: Cash Stipend and Self Employment Tax and assumes a residence and utilities are provided.
Congregations are expected to consider additional cash stipend based on such criteria as longevity, scope of responsibility, and performance. Changes in compensation must be reported to the Church Pension Fund. For more information on the 2024 average Priest Compensation (diocesan-wide), download the 2024 Priest Compensation Report.2024 Priest Compensation Report.
Annual wage adjustment percentage
Each year at annual convention, the diocese votes on a priest minimum compensation resolution This resolution contains a wage adjustment for priest minimum compensation based on the Consumer Price Index that congregations can also apply for annual staff compensation increases. See the past several years of adjustment percentages listed below along with the linked resolutions packets from the associated annual convention.
- 2026: 2% (English/Spanish)
- 2024: 3.5% (English)
- 2023: 4.6% (English)
- 2022: 3.5% (English/ Spanish)
- 2021: 1% (English)
For more information on clergy compensation, please call Graicey Van Spankeren (312.751.4202).
Continuing Education
A minimum of $1,000 must be provided for full-time clergy for actual expenses. Receipts should be turned in to the employer for reimbursement.
Housing Allowance
Clergy can designate a portion of their compensation as a housing allowance which is exempt from taxes. For more information about housing allowances, consult this e-learning course from CPG and these presentation slides. Blank templates for housing allowance resolutions can be found here:
For assistance with housing allowances, contact Graicey Van Spankeren, Director of HR and Finance Associate, at 312.751.4202.
Letter of Agreement
Mileage Reimbursement
Effective July 1, 2026, automobile mileage can be reimbursed at the rate of $0.76 per mile. Beginning and ending mileage must be noted from your odometer. Reimbursement from home to office may not be submitted.
Sabbaticals
It is expected that clergy will take up to one month (4 weeks and 5 Sundays) of vacation time per year. Clergy sabbaticals are different from vacations.
Sabbaticals are typically from one to four months in length. Each congregation and/or supporting agency in the Diocese is urged to set aside a minimum of $250 each year in an interest bearing account to be added to its normal clergy support for the period of the sabbatical leave. This may be used to offset the cost of supply clergy.
A full description of procedures, protocols and expectations around clergy sabbaticals are available in the Guidelines for Clerical Sabbatical Leave.
Travel Reimbursement
Clergy must be reimbursed for actual travel expenses. Receipts and documentation should be turned in to the employer on a monthly basis. If payment to clergy for transportation is an allowance or flat amount and the actual travel cost is not accounted for, it must be included as a part of the cash stipend.