Allowed for deduction are the following: The cost of buying new permanent furnishings for the church. Examples: pews and chairs used for worship purposes, communion table, pulpit, etc; and The initial cost of buying computers, electronic music and amplification systems, projectors and other electronic equipment utilised for worship which are permanently installed and are included on the fixed assets register of the congregation. (Replacement of these items will not qualify for assessment relief.) The following deductions are NOT allowed: The cost of movable furnishings such as chairs other than those used for worship, curtains etc. Amounts, with the prior approval of the Presbytery and the relevant General Assembly Committee, spent on approved UPCSA Church Development Projects; Grants made by the congregations to a Church Development Project of the Presbytery or General Assembly; eg to nuclear or transitional congregations within the bounds of the Presbytery; and Any expenses of a Church Development Project paid by the congregation; e.g. repayment of bond; contribution towards a minister’s stipend, or towards cost of a building. DEDUCTION NOT REQUIRING APPROVAL The income and expenditure items that do not require the approval of Presbytery and General Assembly’s Finance Committee MUST be stipulated individually in the Audited Financial Statements for these deductions to be allowed. LONG TERM BUILDING PROJECTS A congregation may apply for assessment relief approval in principle from the General Assembly’s Finance Committee through their Presbyteries for building projects spanning more than one financial year. This is NOT a carte blanche application. The initial application must be accompanied by full details and an estimation or a quote for the project. Invoices for actual expenses for the project for that financial year must then be submitted together with the Approval in Principal to the General Assembly’s Finance Committee for approval for assessment relief for that year.
Allowed for deduction are the following: The cost of buying new permanent furnishings for the church. Examples: pews and chairs used for worship purposes, communion table, pulpit, etc; and The initial cost of buying computers, electronic music and amplification systems, projectors and other electronic equipment utilised for worship which are permanently installed and are included on the fixed assets register of the congregation. (Replacement of these items will not qualify for assessment relief.) The following deductions are NOT allowed: The cost of movable furnishings such as chairs other than those used for worship, curtains etc. Amounts, with the prior approval of the Presbytery and the relevant General Assembly Committee, spent on approved UPCSA Church Development Projects; Grants made by the congregations to a Church Development Project of the Presbytery or General Assembly; eg to nuclear or transitional congregations within the bounds of the Presbytery; and Any expenses of a Church Development Project paid by the congregation; e.g. repayment of bond; contribution towards a minister’s stipend, or towards cost of a building. DEDUCTION NOT REQUIRING APPROVAL The income and expenditure items that do not require the approval of Presbytery and General Assembly’s Finance Committee MUST be stipulated individually in the Audited Financial Statements for these deductions to be allowed. LONG TERM BUILDING PROJECTS A congregation may apply for assessment relief approval in principle from the General Assembly’s Finance Committee through their Presbyteries for building projects spanning more than one financial year. This is NOT a carte blanche application. The initial application must be accompanied by full details and an estimation or a quote for the project. Invoices for actual expenses for the project for that financial year must then be submitted together with the Approval in Principal to the General Assembly’s Finance Committee for approval for assessment relief for that year.
Rules-of-Assessment-July-2016.docx