Resolved, That the 176th Convention of the Diocese of California declares it to be the policy of this Diocese that all active non-stipendiary clergy shall receive financial support sufficient to enable participation in programs offered by the Church Pension Fund;

Resolved, That beginning in fiscal year 2026, all congregations and organizations in this Diocese served by active non-stipendiary clergy with a current letter of agreement, excluding those listed as retired in the parochial report, must pay such clergy a nominal honorarium of at least twenty-five dollars ($25) per month and the corresponding Church Pension Fund contribution of eighteen percent (18%); 

Resolved, That compensation paid under this resolution shall not replace or reduce payment by the congregation or the diocese for other expenses customarily covered under the clergy’s letter of agreement, including but not limited to: Diocesan Convention, Clergy Conference, continuing education, discretionary fund, mileage, or similar expenses; and

Resolved, That a cleric may decline the honorarium and corresponding Church Pension Fund contribution, provided it is documented in the letter of agreement.

This resolution will give non-stipendiary clergy access to the Church Pension Group.  It is in response to Resolution A135 of the 81st General Convention, which encourages each diocese to provide all active, currently non-stipendiary clergy of any order, under the age of 72, canonically resident and serving in the Episcopal Church with a current letter of agreement, a minimum honorarium of $25 per month and to pay assessments to the Church Pension Fund on their behalf, beginning January 1, 2025.

By entering the Church Pension Group system as an active participant, these clergy will have access to some of the following:

• CREDO: A week-long wellness retreat for active clergy at various stages of ministry
• Church record of ordination and position
• Financial planning
• Access to member-funded Retirement Savings Plan (RSVP)
• Life insurance benefit
• Pre-retirement survivor benefit
• Eligible child’s benefit
• Short-term disability
• Long-term disability
• Access to Medicare supplement plan at the cleric’s expense. 

The cost to a congregation for this resolution would be $354 per year per non-stipendiary cleric ($25 per month plus the 18% CPG assessment). While modest, this investment provides non-stipendiary clergy with access to valuable supports otherwise unavailable to them. For example, clergy may attend a highly subsidized CREDO wellness retreat, which focuses on spiritual, vocational, financial, and physical health. In addition, for non-stipendiary clergy who later become stipendiary, these years of credited service will count toward their pension calculation. Even a relatively small number of credited years can make a meaningful difference in a pension, especially when combined with later stipendiary service.

To note: Since 2018, more than 20 dioceses, including the dioceses of Arizona, Washington, Atlanta, and Virginia, have passed similar resolutions to support non-stipendiary clergy’s participation in Church Pension Group programs, many with a focus on diaconal service and participation.  The passage of this resolution would bring the Diocese of California into a positive movement toward further equity for clergy in The Episcopal Church.

General Convention base resolution:
General Convention 81. Resolution A135, Compensation for Non-Stipendiary Clergy.  

List of dioceses with resolutions on Church Pension Group participation for non-stipendiary clergy, including links for the resolutions and explanation:
Association for Episcopal Deacons: Deacon Compensation – Convention Resolutions.

Church Pension Fund slide deck with benefits for compensated deacons: A presentation outlining the benefits available through the Clergy Pension Fund for compensated deacons, including health and wellness resources, retirement planning, and access to CPG programs.
The Church Pension Fund Clergy Pension Fund: Webinar for Deacons, December 8, 2020.

Study guide for diaconal participation in the Church Pension Group, with an historical overview of General Convention legislation:
FAQs: Resolution for Compensation for Non-Stipendiary Clergy. 136th Convention of the Diocese of Oregon. October 4, 2024.

An in-depth discussion of resolutions for deacon participation in the Church Pension Plan and implications for deacons, dioceses, and the Church Pension Group:
Mill-Curran, Lori, A Primer About Minimal Diaconal Compensation Resolutions (2021).

The Rev. Dr. Jonathan Owens, Deacon, Christ Episcopal Church, Sausalito (contact: owensj2016@fau.edu); The Rev. Rebekah Hays Estera, Deacon, Church of the Advent of Christ the King, San Francisco (contact: rh.estera@gmail.com)

Donna Alexander (SEA deanery delegate), The Rev. Paul Allick, The Rev. Jac Cherry, The Rev. Hannah Elyse Cornthwaite, The Rev. David Erickson, The Rev. Jureck Fernandez, The Rev Dede Jamison, The Rev. David Grant Smith, The Rev. Bob Kossler, The Rev. Ruth Meyers, Karma Quick-Panwala, The Rev. Stephen Siptroth.