1. A budget is a statement of an organization’s priorities. Anyone who says “we don’t have the money” is saying “other things take priority.”
2. People who regularly serve the church get paid (clergy, choir director, organist, Christian education director, etc.). Teachers should be paid for their work.
3. The issue of paying teachers is less important, however, than the ability to assess whether is teacher is qualified and prepared to teach. Churches should not accept anyone who offers to teach (whether paid or not), but should have criteria for acceptance (just as we do in schools).
3. The clergy exerts a strong influence (usually unconsciously) over what the congregation values. Clergy tend to devote time to “the members who matter,” or where the money is, and few are those who stay at a given church long enough to see a child through the program. I read that the average tenure of an Episcopal priest is 6 years at a church. Such a short stay is not beneficial to children’s programs.

I once heard a woman being interviewed on TV. She had been a teacher in the public schools, but as a second career had become a financial advisor. When the host asked about her career change, she said, “they’ll pay you to take care of their money, but they won’t pay you to take care of their children.” I believe that says it all.

Mary Jane Wilkie