Welcome to our resource page for congregations. Our synod consists of 133 congregations across south-central Wisconsin. This page includes various resources for congregation leaders, councils, and staff. Our resources for congregations include supply pastor lists, human resource resources, links for treasurers and more.
Resources
Pastoral Supply List
Pastoral Supply List provides an updated listing of the names of pastors & rostered lay leaders available for supply preaching and worship leadership when a called rostered minister is absent. Visit the pulpit supply page to learn more and for our current list of available ministers.
Pulpit Supply Information & List
Congregational Financial Reporting Resources
Remittance Form & Mission Support Letter of Intent for congregational treasurers – Each congregation has a congregational ID number to include on this form. It is important to include the remittance form with each remittance to the synod office.
Remittance Form: (PDF) (Word)
2024 Mission Support Statement of Intent: English – (PDF) Español – (PDF)
Certification of Audit and Blanket Insurance Forms – Each year in late January, each congregation’s treasurer is asked to complete these forms to ensure we have accurate documentation on financial and insurance plans. Forms should be sent to the synod office by end of March each year.
Audit Certificate: (PDF)
Compensation Guidelines
The SCSW Compensation Guidelines and Recommendations are downloadable and available for your use as you do your budget planning for the coming year. These are suggested minimum guidelines.
2024 Guidelines: (PDF) – version November 14, 2023
2025 Guidelines: (New Compensation Resource Page)
Portico Benefits & Resources
For further information on Board of Pensions/Portico rates, calculators and details visit the Portico Benefits website.
Synod Endowment Fund
The purpose of the Endowment Fund is to: “enhance God’s mission and ministry in the territory of the South-Central Synod of Wisconsin in addition to, and apart from, its yearly operating budget, with emphasis on fostering innovation that leads to creative, financially sustainable ministries.”
Synod Endowment Fund 2024 Grant Application: SCSW Endowment Fund
Shared Resources
The Office of the Bishop is providing a “Synod Resource List” made for congregations by congregations. The resource list is made up of vendors congregations have used before and wished to recommend to others. This list is available on the page below along with a form to submit new resources for review.
Synod Shared Resources: Shared Resources Repository
ELCA Model Constitution for Congregations
Each of this church’s expressions—congregations, synods and the churchwide organization—has a constitution. This model is the minimum standard for congregations. Any congregation that wishes to update their constitution should consult the synod secretary for guidance and approval.
Resources for Congregation Constitutions: ELCA Constitution Resources
Synod & Parish Protection Handbook
This handbook contains guidelines for screening staff and volunteers and recommendations of appropriate behaviors for adults who work with children and youth.
PPP Handbook (2017) PDF
Model Sexual Harassment & Misconduct Policy
This policy document may be used as a guide for congregations in drafting their own congregation specific Sexual Harassment & Misconduct Policy in consultation with the synod and other local resources. This model should be seen as the minimum standard for congregations.
Model Sexual Harassment & Misconduct Policy PDF
Equipping the Saints Webinars
Our Equipping the Saints webinars were one of the ways we connected with our congregations, leaders, and members over a variety of topics and discussions in 2020 and 2021. Whether you were on a particular webinar and would like to review the information shared, or you were unable to attend live, recordings of most of our past webinars are available on the archived webinars page via the link below.