Parish Officer Handbook

Please refer to this page for information and synod polices, regulations and directives particularly relevant to parish corporations.

Parish Roles, Statistical and Financial Returns

The annual parish return indicating those assigned to specific parish roles are due by March 15 by entry in DIMS. The deadline for statistics and financial returns is suspended until further notice.  Please review this page for further details on the changes this year.

Policy A-4 Obtaining Financial Assistance

e-Offering Program

DIMS - Diocesan Information Management System

DIMS is used in the Diocese of Fredericton to effectively maintain accurate real-time contact and role information for ordained and lay people and well as provide a simple method for capturing and reporting annual statistical and financial parish return information. If you have misplaced, forgotten or need the parish username and password, contact the Bishop's Office.  Always keep your username and password secure. For a basic overview, please refer to this view in pictures.

Parish Annual Meetings

Parishes are required to hold their Annual Meetings in January or February.  Please refer to this page for further information and resources.

Insurance Questions

Contact the Synod Comptroller (appointment pending) or Barbara McGuire of Marsh Canada at (902) 490-2106

Purchase or Selling/Leasing of Property

Please read the following policies and then contact the Property Committee:

Corporation Papers (e.g., for request from bank)

We are receiving more enquiries that banks wish to see corporation papers in order to change signing officers.  Parishes do not have corporate papers in the ordinary sense, but are incorporated by special act of the Legislature, the Anglican Church Act, particularly a combination of s. 2 (4) and the list of parishes in the Schedule.  You will also need to provide a Vestry resolution naming financial signing officers, which are the ones provided for in Canon Six.

Episcopal Visitation Form

Once Archbishop David has been scheduled to visit your parish, please complete this form to provide his office with worship and other details. 

Political Activity

Parish corporations are reminded that their charitable status requires them to stay out of partisan political activity. 

The Income Tax Act defines the partisan activity as “the direct or indirect support of, or opposition to, any political party or candidate for public office” (Income Tax Act, s. 149.1). Accordingly, parishes should not be renting their facilities to or allowing them to be used by political parties or candidates. The pertinent Canada Revenue Agency guidance bulletin indicates that a charity’s failure to treat political candidates with fairly precise equality would amount to the prohibited “support” of some candidate or party. It would seem, then, that renting parish facilities to one candidate among several would be caught by the prohibition. On the other hand, it would not violate the Income Tax Act to rent parish facilities for use as a polling place. It would also seem acceptable to host an all-candidates meeting provided all candidates were treated equally.

Video from the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada on what churches can and cannot do

On Fundraising Methods 

The 128th Diocesan Synod passed the following motion (#128‐17, 2005):
That this Diocesan Synod reiterate its official position on the detrimental effects of gambling and lotteries, both inside the Church and in wider society. These activities often bring harm to the less fortunate and seldom prove to enhance the lives of those more fortunate who experience financial gain by them. In the interest of keeping our moral house in order, this Synod affirms that such means of fundraising are against the tradition and teaching upheld by the Diocese of Fredericton and parishes are to be encouraged to promote good stewardship and direct giving as the highest method of Church support. 

Food Safety

Church Building Signs

Need a new standard Anglican Church of Canada sign for your building?  Five06 Signs in Fredericton offers a good product for about $85.

Parish Officer Day Presentations