Minimum Clergy Compensation Guidelines

At its most recent meeting the Conference Council affirmed Minimum Clergy Compensation Guidelines for our Conference congregations and ministers. When a church calls a pastoral leader, it enters into a shared mutual ministry, a stewardship of caring for each other. Part of that caring provides that the church has a responsibility, a covenant, to provide for the financial support of its pastor(s) and their family.

2021-2022 Pastoral Leaders Minimum Compensation Guidelines Handbook

2022 Pastoral Leaders Minimum Compensation Guidelines Handbook

(updated to reflect the 2022 cost of living increase)

Each church is urged to consult these guidelines to best understand 1) where the congregation's compensation is in comparison to standardized recommendations, 2) to discern if they are compensating for full or part-time services, and 3) to consider the place and value of ministerial compensation in the financial well-being of the church.

These guidelines for minimum ministerial compensation are proposed for all authorized ministers serving as pastors in the Hawai‘i Conference. The Conference recognizes the challenges faced by local congregations in meeting operational budgets while continuing to do God's work. Your congregation is urged to prayerfully consider how to meet the minimum compensation guidelines outlined in the handbook to the best of their abilities.

The Conference recognizes the unique challenges faced by smaller churches and immigrant communities and is happy to continue to work with you to suggest ways in which you can make use of the guidelines in compensating pastoral staff.

David K. Popham Conference Minister