Church Treasurer’s Handbook – Robert Leach
This book does what it says on the cover. It is an excellent resource for anyone involved in the stewardship of any local church’s finances. There is comprehensive advice on all manner of aspects of this work, including record keeping, legacies, budgeting and expenses, contracts, tax and trusts. There is additional help for treasurers of larger churches which may have to deal with payroll matters and the requirements of charity law. Subjects such as annual reports and auditing are given their own separate section. An appendix to the book gives a useful comprehensive guide to accounting terms.
Throughout this book, being a treasurer is treated as an important ministry in itself. This approach is to be welcomed wholeheartedly. The author of this book, Robert Leach FCCA is himself an accountant and also a member of the General Synod of the Church of England. Care needs to be taken that some of the details all apply in Scotland as they do in England, however, there is wise advice for treasurers of any denomination in these pages. Clergy should not be left out either – this book might be useful to them too. One occasionally suspects that dealing with the financial side of running a local congregation is a topic which not all ordinands are offered adequate help with during their training. This book would go a long way to improving good practice and good relations between clergy and treasurers. It is good to see publishers producing helpful books on basic local church management.
Highly recommended.
(Guest reviewer – Alan Pont)
Speak Your Mind