A Humorous Look at Fiduciary Responsibilities

David Troublefield

Prelude

David Troublefield read a comment on XPastor that said, "And if you want to forget all your troubles, eat a cherry popsicle while running through the sprinklers barefoot!" So, David put on his administrator thinking hat and saw all sorts of problems of doing this at church.

Some questions to consider if planning such an event at your church:

• Where are Accident/Injury Report forms being kept now?
• What is our liability if toes are broken while running among the sprinklers in the yard?
• Was the required Health Information and Release from Liability form completed by the runner and notarized prior to this event?
• Is the runner (and any associates) bonded and insured for this event, and is his supporting documentation on file?
• Has our insurance agent been notified that this running event actually was a spontaneous one for which permission was neither sought nor granted?
• Has the Medical Ministry Team (MMT) been notified to attend this running event?
• Are the MMT's Red Cross life-saving certifications current?
• Does anyone on the MMT have prior experience using a portable defibrillator?
• Is it possible for the MMT to practice using the defibrillator prior to the running event?
• Have traffic control officers been hired for this event (what is their per-hour rate of pay)?
• In the event of rain, has an alternate date for this running event been calendared?
• If a death occurs as a result of this running event, must a memorial plaque be erected?
• How long will it take the Grounds Crew to replace sprinkler heads broken by running among them, or by being fallen upon (and to mow around a memorial monument erected), in the yard?
• What has become of the "Keep Off the Grass" signs we posted last year?
• Whose idea was this running event?
• Should oversight of this event be included in some staff member's annual review?
• Will a loss of wages occur if the running event is not considered a success?
• Are our grievance policies up-to-date?
• Was the popsicle purchased individually or did we get a volume discount?
• Was the popsicle obtained via an approved purchase order referencing a specific general fund budget account or a designated account, and was a Check Request Form completed in triplicate as required? Was a purchase receipt returned following the purchase? Were we charged a sales tax?
• Is the runner in this event actually the Student Minister, and did he take a popsicle from the freezer in the Preschool area--again?
• After the popsicle is eaten, can its stick be sanitized and placed in storage with other such sticks in the Preschool Supplies Closet?
• If the stick is broken during a fall, can any of its pieces still somehow be used for preschool crafts or as an object lesson for a Bible story?
• Does use of the word "popsicle" in any of our publications require the notation of our CCLI number?
• Will this running through the yard among the sprinklers become an annual event?
• Can tickets be sold for this event, and the funds gathered be given to missions (after expenses)?
• Can we just sit on the sidewalk and imagine running instead?

David Troublefield is the Minister of Education and Administration at Lamar Baptist Church in Wichita Falls, Texas. He has had 25 years of pastoral experience in various positions including children, youth, missions and Senior Pastor. He and his wife, Terri, have two daughters.