Diocese hosts financial training workshops
Last Updated on Tuesday, 26 June 2012 17:18 21 June 2012
CHARLOTTE — Parish finance personnel from around the Diocese of Charlotte recently attended financial workshops presented by the diocese's Chief Financial Officer William Weldon, Development Director Jim Kelley, and Wells Fargo Advisors consultant John Granzow. The purpose of the workshops was to review internal control procedures prescribed by the diocese, as well as explain how investments such as endowments, annuities and other planned giving strategies could help strengthen parishes' finances over the long term by providing additional sources of income.
The Diocese of Charlotte Foundation has made more than $6 million available to the various entities that have endowments, but parishes themselves can set up endowments to boost existing operations or fund future projects. Critical to the success of that, Kelley noted, is simply making people aware that gifts to a specific church or school can be made through estate planning, and that many options exist for these planned gifts.
The diocesan Finance Office sponsors parish financial workshops annually. "The meetings are a unique opportunity for parish financial staff to get together to discuss common issues," Weldon said. "We cover issues ranging from offertory count procedures to financial reporting, tax compliance and diocesan financial policies."
The workshops are offered in multiple locations throughout the diocese so they are accessible to all parishes. This year's meetings were held in Asheville, Kernersville and Charlotte.
— Patricia L. Guilfoyle, editor