Strong financial and administrative practices are essential to the health and effectiveness of every local church. To support church leaders in these important areas, the Northern Illinois Conference Finance and Administration Office offers free webinars designed to provide practical tools, helpful resources and timely guidance.

These sessions are intended for pastors, treasurers, finance committee members, trustees, church administrators and other leaders who help oversee the financial, administrative and risk-management responsibilities of their congregations. Topics address both recurring responsibilities and emerging needs, giving leaders the information they need to make informed decisions and confidently carry out their roles.

Whether you are new to a church leadership role or looking for a refresher on important responsibilities, these webinars offer an opportunity to learn, ask questions and strengthen the practices that support your congregation’s ministry. Explore the upcoming sessions below, or browse the previous webinars for additional resources.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to David W. Quinn, NIC Administrative Manager.

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Upcoming Webinars (2026-2027)

• 2027 Budget Information, Sept. 15, 7 p.m.
  Prepare your church’s 2027 budget with an overview of apportionments, clergy pension and health care changes, clergy flat rate and property insurance, with SPRC and Finance Committee members especially encouraged to attend.
• Protecting Your Church: Preventing the Most Common Property Insurance Claims, Sept. 22, 6:30 p.m.
  Learn from real-world restoration examples about common property losses—including wind, roof and water damage, frozen pipes, sump pump failures and fallen trees—and practical steps your church can take to prevent and reduce damage.
• Benefits Enrollment, Sept. 23, 11:30 a.m.
  Get an overview of 2027 benefits plan changes before Open Enrollment begins in late October and have your questions answered by a representative from Wespath.
• Charge Conference Forms, Sept. 29. 7 p.m.
  Get everything you need to prepare for this year’s Charge Conference, including an overview of required forms, reporting in BrickRiver and best practices for completing the process.
• Benefits Conversation, Oct. 13, 7 p.m.
  Explore clergy benefit options and 2027 plan changes, including automatic escalation, how to de-escalate and options for declining coverage.
• Leadership Essentials, Oct. 15, 11:30 a.m.
  Learn practical strategies for effective leadership, performance coaching, documentation and handling employee issues with confidence and consistency.
• Protecting Your Church, Preventing the Most Common Liability Insurance Claims, Oct. 27, 7 p.m.
  Explore common church liability risks—from slips and falls and facility hazards to youth activities, volunteers, transportation and special events—and learn practical ways to strengthen safety and risk management.
• Statistical Reporting, Dec. 15, 7 p.m.
  Walk through the 2026 statistical reporting process and learn how clergy and church administrative and finance teams can prepare for accurate and timely reporting.
• Statistical Reporting – Questions and Answers, Jan. 12, 7 p.m.
  Bring your questions about 2026 statistical reporting and receive guidance from the NIC Finance team on completing the process accurately and effectively.

Previous Webinars

• Pastoral Transitions 101, recorded Feb. 3, 2026
  A practical and informative webinar designed for SPRC members and anyone in the local church who wants to better understand pastoral transitions.
• Fund Balance Report Webinar, recorded Jan. 27, 2026
  Learn about the Fund Balance Report and how to submit it.
• What is Your Money Doing? Webinar, recorded Jan. 20, 2026
  Learn about church finances; how to best manage it and how you can invest your church's funds for greater impact.
• 2026 Prosper Webinar, recorded Jan. 13, 2026
  An informative webinar about  Prosper billing and how to make the most of the NIC Billing System.
• 2025 Statistical Reporting and the New Apportionment Formula Webinar, recorded Dec. 16, 2025
  To help churches prepare for 2024 statistical reporting and the new apportionment formula.
• Local Board of Trustees 101, recorded Oct. 14, 2025
  Webinar to help the local church Board of Trustees understand their responsibilities as described in paragraph 2533 of the Board of Discipline.
• Compass Retirement Plan, recorded Sept. 30, 2025
  Information about the Compass Retirement plan that went into effect on Jan. 1, 2026.
• 2026 Budget Information, recorded Sept. 23, 2025
  Information for creating your 2026 Budget including the new aportionment formula, as well as changes in clergy pension and healthcare.
• Signs of Struggle, recorded Sept. 16, 2025
  Learn about the church life cycle, signs to watch for and resources that are available to churches from the NIC and WI annual conference.
• Budgeting 101: Building a Church Budget from Scratch, recorded Sept. 8 2025
  Walk through the process for creating a spending plan, understanding income, and then building a faithful budget.
• Church Property Insurance 101, recorded Aug. 26, 2025
  Information to help churches understand the NIC Church Property Insurance
• 2025 Clergy Compensation Form Training, recorded Aug. 20, 2025
  Understanding the Conference Clergy Compensation form.
• 2025 Charge Conference Reporting, recorded Aug. 19, 2025
  Understanding 2025 Charge Conference Reporting.
• Church Property Taxes, recorded July 15, 2025
  To help churches that are sharing space in their building, whether it is free or paid, and how it effects property taxes.
• Brick River People Portal and Church Dashboard, recorded Feb. 11, 2025
  Understanding the Brick River People Portal and Church Dashboard.
• Human Resources & Finances, recorded Jan. 16, 2025
  An hour long informative online webinar on Human Resources and Finances. The HR session cover sessential topics like health benefits, clergy flat rates, pensions, taxes, W-2 forms, and exempt vs. hourly considerations. The Finance session dives into payroll management (QuickBooks, vendors, etc.), clergy personal responsibility portions, apportionments, and Prosper-related matters.
• Ministry with the Houseless: Hospitality & Liability, recorded Jan. 9, 2025
  Some churches wrestle with the dilemma of wanting to show hospitality to houseless neighbors while addressing liability concerns. Two attorneys will talk about what to consider when making these decisions.

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