National Reply to National-no-reply (Stipends)
The email dropped in from Tommy, our FAPLT leader, to inform us that the Assembly Trustees have agreed new stipend scales for 2027, giving ministers an increase of 2.6%. Not sure why the AT left Tommy to do the informing, but no matter, the email came stating “national-no-reply” which I completely understand, for who would want to hear from any minister who had just found out that their stipend was being increased less than inflation for the umpteenth time in the last ELEVEN years. Inflation for 2026 is projected at 3.2%. This is my national reply!
Please see my previous blog for more info on stipends generally:
The email starts by “thanking you most sincerely for your continued service to our church, its people, and its mission. Your leadership in congregations and communities is deeply appreciated and valued.” If the approach to stipends is anything to go by, then no, ministers are not deeply appreciated nor valued.
I admit a conflict of interest. I am a minister. But one who is aging and approaching retirement (you may be glad to hear) so I write this little piece for those contemplating ministry and those with many years still to serve, assuming the Church of Scotland survives. I want us to deeply appreciate and value our ministers. I do not know the state of morale amongst ministers throughout Scotland but our chunky mid-Scottish Presbytery of Forth Valley and Clydesdale has heard loud and clear that morale amongst ministers is low. There may be many reasons for this – large scale cutbacks and painful Presbytery Planning – enormous parishes where you’re not quite sure where to start – demands from congregations with expectations that still belong to the 1990s and further back – the call to be an Interim Moderator and Convener of a Presbytery Committee – several schools asking you to be chaplain – nursing homes wanting monthly services – oh, and funerals. Spinning plates in ministry is nothing new, it is sadly left to each of us to control our diaries as best we can and do as much as we can without killing ourselves and still make time for family and relaxation, whilst trying to turn a deaf ear to those who demand we should be all things to all people.
One thing the Assembly Trustees and FAPLT could do is not simply increase stipends but give us a strategy for setting stipends. At the moment we are told that a “range of factors including inflation and the church’s current financial position” were considered. Inflation may have been considered but for over a decade now has been ignored. If the Church is hard up for cash and we can’t afford to increase stipends any more then tell us that simply, we can take it. But don’t in the same breath then tell me that we can afford to pay some ministers in some positions within the Kirk more than double what the rest of us manage on. With respect, they do not have any more responsibility than a parish minister.
And what about a strategy for ministers as well as stipends? If the cash is running low, then work out what would be a reasonable stipend for ministers (I have previously advocated aligning with the teaching profession, but that would mean a hike of ten grand or more for even the basics) – but could we work towards a new scheme like that, say over the next five years? And having set our aims higher, let us then work out how many ministers we can afford according to our income – it’s really simple, any calculator can help you, or keep your mind sharp and do an old long division sum!
I don’t know how many ministers we have. I don’t know how many vacancies we have. I don’t know how many ministers are looking for a first charge. I don’t know how much we’ve got in the bank. I don’t know therefore how many ministers we could afford if we set our stipends higher. But someone in the Assembly Trustees knows because they set the stipend level for 2027. A level that continues to see ministerial income decline in real terms. At a time when it is increasingly costly to heat one of those huge manses that we have the “responsibility” to live in, when there is little evidence that manses are being responsibly looked after. The present cost of living crisis in the UK only makes matters worse, for stipends have been largely neglected for over a decade now.
Those who worked tirelessly in previous generations to make sure stipends were improved would be sad to see their efforts dwindling away. Is there no one with vision and courage to stand up again in these difficult days? I tell you what, my dear Church of Scotland, I would go as far to say you owe an apology to your ministers!
For further information on stipends, see my previous blogs:
Comments