Records, Registers, Etc.

Congregation Register
Section 3 of National Canon 15 (Title III) describe how to update the church register. It is the duty of every member of the clergy to record all baptisms, confirmations, marriages, burials, and the names of all communicants within his or her care. When properly certified, the data contained in the register can be used as legal proof of birth, marriage, and death. The register is open to the bishop for inspection during Episcopal visits to the parish.
 
Register of Services
A register of services is a record of all services (worship, baptism, marriages, and burials), and includes the date of the service, the names of the officiant, lay reader(s), the number of communicants at the Eucharist, comments, and special circumstances pertinent to a given service. It is the responsibility of the priest or warden to see that proper entries are made.
 
List of Memorials
Provision should be made for recording all memorials. This list should contain such details as by whom the memorial was presented and for whom, the date, the designation, and any restrictions which may apply. Memorials are to be accepted by the vestry or bishop’s committee and recorded by the secretary.
 
Congregation Records
A database should be maintained containing a record for each family. This information is to contain data on each family: names, addresses, telephone numbers, the names and dates of birth of all children; how and when received into communion (transferred/confirmed); status (Baptized, Confirmed, Communicant) of each family member; occupations; date of marriage or blessing; whether removed by transfer, death, etc., and date.
 
It may also contain a record of visitations, vocational skills and interests, information as to where transferred, and other notations not contained in the register. Information may also be used to develop a resource bank for the congregation, to keep in touch with visitors, as calling cards for the every-member canvass, and other needs as a given congregation might find appropriate.
 
Information contained in parish records is privileged information, and should therefore be used with pastoral care and sensitivity.
 
The data should contain information on the children of the Sunday school: names, addresses, names of parents, age of child, status as to baptized and confirmed, and other information teachers or the superintendent would find useful.
 
Mailing List/Parish Directory
For good communication it is important that an up-to-date mailing list and church directory be kept. When appropriate in the judgment of the clergy and governance, a copy of the directory containing names, addresses, and telephone numbers of each family may be made available to members of the parish.

 
Files
Rectors and priests-in-charge may find it useful to organize their files along the following guidelines. Many of these can be stored electronically.

Tickler File: contains items marked ahead for a given date.
 
Temporary File: contains items where the decision to place in the regular subject file is postponed. The temporary file is reviewed at the end of the second month. (Experience shows that at least 95% of the items are discarded at that time.)
 
Hold File: contains items for review once a week.
 
Chrono File: contains, in binders, one copy of each outgoing letter and memo, in chronological order (Invaluable, when an item cannot be found anywhere else.)
 
Circulating File: a packet of copies of non-confidential letters and memos, circulated daily among staff members for their information.
 
Confidential File: kept in a separate and secure place.
 
Regular Subject Files: active, and in storage.
 

Retention Periods for Records
There is some flexibility possible in the establishment of the minimum length of time certain classes of records should be retained. Each congregation should set a formal retention program. The retention periods suggested below commerce on January 1 of the year in which the class of records becomes non-current.
 
Retain Permanently
For this class of records, storage is recommended in a fireproof safe, fireproof vault, or fireproof filing cabinet.

  • Books of original entry   
  • By-laws     
  • Cash receipts records  
  • Certificates of incorporation
  • Certified financial statements
  • Charter        
  • Check disbursement records
  • Constitution
  • Deeds
  • Documents establishing endowments
  • Easements
  • Insurance policies
  • Minutes, including resolutions, of vestry or bishop’s committee meetings
  • Pension/retirement plan records, including deduction authorizations
  • Plans
  • Property
  • Purchases
  • Sales
  • Specifications
  • Title papers


 
Retain 10 Years

  • After Cancellation/Termination:
    • Agreements
    • Contracts
  • Voucher registers   
  • Workers’ Compensation reports

 
Retain 7 Years

  • Accident reports.    
  • Brokerage slips for securities.
  • Building repair records.   
  • Cancelled notes.    
  • After termination:
    • Individual employee earnings records
    • Employee applications
    • Payments and reports to all levels of Government, including for taxes
    • Employee contracts
    • Employee service records
  • Purchase invoices     
  • Group insurance records
  • Uncollectible accounts records   
  • Individual employee personnel files
  • W-2 forms   
  • Salary and wage rate changes
  • Unemployment claims
  • Withholding exemption certificates


 
Retain 6 Years

  • Disability records
  • After expiration/cancellation:
    • Fire damage reports    
    • Leases
    • Sick benefit records
  • After expiration/termination:
    • Contracts with vendors
    • Mortgages

 
Retain 5 Years

  •  Records of pledges.

 
Retain 4 Years

  • Accounts payable:     
    • Employee expense reports
    • Invoices
    • Old Age Benefit reports
    • Credits     
    • Payroll registers, gross and net
    • Cancelled voucher checks
    • Purchase orders, filled and unfilled
    • Drafts paid

 
Retain 3 Years

  • After expiration:    
    • Expenditure appropriations
    • Equipment repair records
    • Expenditure authorizations
    • Surety bonds
    • Monthly financial statements
  •  After termination:    
    • Petty cash records
    • Fidelity bonds of employees
    • Receiving reports

 
Retain 2 Years

  • Bank statements    
  • Void checks
  • Bank reconciliations
  • After settlement/termination:
    • Budgets
    • Assignments of payroll
  • Cancelled payroll checks
  • Attachments of payroll
  • Comparison budgets
  • Garnishments of payroll
  • Deposit books
  • After termination:
    • Deposit slips
    • Employee deduction authorizations
  • Expense analyses
  • “Add to payroll” notices
  • Stop payment notices
  • Discharges
  • Time cards
  • Time sheets

 
Retain 1 Year

  •  After termination:    
    • Quotations acted upon
    • Licenses

 
Retain Until Completion

  •  Acknowledgments of orders