Submitted by:
The Rev. Alicia Hager
Vice Chair, Diocesan Council of the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes
Rector, Emmanuel Episcopal Church, Hastings
Editor’s Note: This is the first installment of what will be regular updates from our Diocesan Council. The Diocesan Council is our elected governing body that is responsible for making the financial and legal decisions that impact our diocese and it comprises both lay and clergy members.
The elected Joint Councils of the Episcopal Dioceses of Eastern and Western Michigan held their regular meeting in September of 2024, a Special Council Meeting on October 1, 2024, and a meeting in November of 2024. As part of those meetings there is really important news for all parishes in the new Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes:
- The Joint Councils elected that the following base plan be offered to all diocesan employees and clergy, as well as eligible staff and clergy of parishes: BC/BS CDHP HSA 20 (with an employer fully funded deductible) or the traditional PPO 80 plan. The Delta Dental Comprehensive plan is also to be included as a standard coverage. Any person eligible for coverage may choose a more expensive or comprehensive plan, however, the additional cost would be out of pocket for that employee or negotiable with the employer. This applies across the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes. Please note: According to parity requirements in our canons, if a more expensive or comprehensive plan is offered to one employee at the employer’s expense, it must be offered to all employees, at the employer’s expense.
- The Clergy Compensation Standards, including the Supply Clergy Rates have been updated and go into effect on January 1, 2025. They can be viewed here.
- Finally, at the November meeting of the newly constituted Diocesan Council of The Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes a policy was set for minimum property and cyber liability insurance. That approved motion reads:
Lara, seconded by Cramer, moves that the Council adopt the minimum standards for Property Insurance and Cyber Liability Insurance as provided in Appendix J of this meeting as the minimum standards for insurance coverage for each parish. As these are automatically the minimums if a parish insures with Church Insurance, Council further resolves that if a parish chooses to insure with another carrier, the parish is required to submit proof of their coverage demonstrating that it meets these minimums to the CFO who shall report to Council on any issues with inadequate coverage. Council also resolves that for any parish that insures with Church Insurance, the report from Church Insurance to the diocese shall be considered as fulfillment of the canonical provision for providing a certificate of insurance.
