E. Other professional expenses . The pastor is responsible for costs of tuition, books, supplies, travel and living expenses while on leave. It is recognized that there are persons employed by congregations of the Metropolitan Washington Synod in specialized ministries who, in terms of hours of employment and ministry responsibilities, are functioning as lay ministers, but without being rostered. These salary guidelines may be applied to them as well. The compensation guidance considers both years of service and education level, together with area cost of living, guidance offered by other synods, and state-wide pay scales in secular occupations such as public school teaching, social work, and human services.
Figures are annual and based on a forty-hour work week.
Because of the diversity of skills, jobs and responsibilities, compensation guidelines for Rostered Lay Ministries are of necessity more loosely framed and need to be subjected to a greater degree of interpretation than the clergy guidelines. To qualify, graduate degrees should be in relevant fields. These figures should be considered minimums. Also, as with clergy, Rostered Lay Ministers should be reimbursed for use of a personal automobile for parish business, for continuing education and professional publications, and for attendance at assemblies and conferences. Such business expenses should be displayed separately from compensation in the congregational budget and report.