Honorarium / Donation Minimum
An honorarium is the amount your church or organization desires to give the Guest Minister and is taken from the budget of the church/ organization before giving the congregation/ audience an opportunity to sow a love offering for the Guest Minister.
Love Offerings
The opportunity to be financially involved in the Guest Minister’s ministry is referred to as a love offering. It is quite proper to gift a love offering to support the ministry of your Guest Minister.
Travel
As soon as the Guest Minister steps into his/ her car or boards a plane, he/ she becomes your guest. Please plan to cover the flight and/ or driving expenses. The IRS’ current standard mileage rate is $0.56 per mile. We recommend reimbursing at a rate between $0.44 - $0.56 per mile. Depending on the anticipated mileage, you may consider offering the Guest Minister a rental car; or limo service.
Meals
The Guest Minister is YOUR Guest, and YOU ARE THE HOST. A good Host will have already taken care of any food arrangements prior to the date of the event. If you are eating out with the Guest Minister, be hospitable and cover the cost. If the Guest Minister has purchased his/ her own meal; have him/ her send you the receipt for reimbursement. A food allowance of $20.00 - $50.00 is also acceptable. Note: Please take into consideration that some Guest Minister’s adhere to special diet’s i.e.: vegan, no read meat, no pork.
Accommodations
If the Guest Minister has to stay overnight, it is your responsibility as the Host to pay for the accommodations. Having to stay overnight is not a perk for a Guest Minister. It is a sacrifice he/ she makes to speak at your event. Most would much rather be at home with their family. As a professional and hospitable Host be sure to make arrangements to cover any overnight hotel costs in advance.
Promote
Requesting a Guest Minister to visit your church or event demands time, efforts, preparation, and prayer/ meditation. The very least you can do; as the event Host, is to get the word out. Most media outlets will accept press releases for free publicity. Some will print a picture of the Guest Minister with the event details to publicize the event. Radio and television stations often provide spot promotions at a reasonable cost as well. A letter or card to local churches announcing the event could be beneficial. Neatly printed brochures or handbills (flyers) could also be handed out to people in your community. In other words, promote the event effectively to achieve desired results.
Thank You … Your Support Matters!
