M.O.M Pay. Need Advise

[westbrooks1961]

I am one of two M.O.M at my church. For quite some time I was the only one for my church. A few months ago a musican (a good friend of the pastor) jioned the church that was able to play some of the music I could not play. So we decided to split playing time. I would play 1st & 3rd sunday, and the new musican would play 2nd & 4th sunday. My salary was 400. a month, but now it's 200. a month because of the number of sundays I play. My problem is that I commute an hour one way to church for rehersal every week. I am the chior director, I play when the chior is invited to all prgrams / functions. The sundays the other musican plays she just shows up and play (No chior, No rehersal).
My problem is that I don't feel that this is fair. I feel that I'm putting in the bulk of the work, and getting the short end of the stick. I feel like I need to bring this up to the pastor. I don't want it to be about money, but fair is fair, and with the time I travel and what's expected of me I seem it's fair to ask for more money.

Can I get some honest feed back

thanks       

[T-Block]

Go talk to your pastor in a nice a respectful way.  Voice your concerns about things and see what happens.  You never know what may happen until u ask.

[under13]

Go talk to your pastor in a nice a respectful way.  Voice your concerns about things and see what happens.  You never know what may happen until u ask.

Ditto. You have not because you ask not.

It makes me mad to see outside people brought in, and treated better than the members

[Lildrummaboy66]

Go talk to your pastor in a nice a respectful way.  Voice your concerns about things and see what happens.  You never know what may happen until u ask.

Co-sign! At my church, I play the drums, and we have an organist and a pianist/keyboardist who receive no pay, but our youth musician(a 19 yr old kid) is paid and just shows up for practice and youth sunday when he plays.  We were paid at one time, but give up our salaries, due to some of the same members who voted to pay us scrutinizing why we were paid, but never ceased to stop paying the youth musician.
There are times I wanted to quit and also re-visit my options about my salary, but God is helping me to realize that I should "give back" this talent He has given me.
Now,I am not saying you should do this for free; that's your choice and if your church is going to pay you, they should br fair about it, but for me, the way things have turned out, although I originally was not pleased with the way things went down, I'm learning to become content because God continues to provide.

[Formuzik]

I think you do need to sit down and speak with the Pastor about your responsibilities and clarify whether your salary was just for playing or for the other responsibilities you assumed.  After making that clarification, then you should address the split of salary in half when it should have been cut by one quarter or one third.  I would be calm, but also be prepared for the worst.  Your pastor may become angry or even ask you not to play at all.  You need to really be prepared to deal with that as well should that be the outcome.  Ultimately, you have to weigh out how important this is to you.  Also, if you were not being paid, would you still be going to these events as a singer, musician, or choir member?  Sometimes, if you are a member of the church, gas and mileage are not considered in your salary because the pastor assumes you are coming to those events either way, and the salary is nothing more than tokens of appreciations, not compensation for services rendered.  This is a matter of philosophy that you will figure out once you begin the dialogue with the pastor.

Pastor Starkovich

[westbrooks1961]

Thank you very much for the response. My pastor and I have a good relationship. I will speak with my pastor on this issue. I also have to remind myself that it's not about me, it's not about the chior, it's about God.

Thanks

[Docdb04]

If you haven't already, pray about the situation.  God may reveal somethings that you may not see.  If you have and is being led in speaking with your Pastor then do so.  I understand what you are feeling.  I had or still have a similar situation.  After praying and talking to God, I've realized somethings that I didn't before.  Sometimes we are put into ministries to do the behind the scenes work.  It may never get recognition or awards, but God knows your heart and will honor your faithfulness.  You have reminded yourself that it isn't about you, nor the choir, but it is about God. 

Check out Matthew 20:1-16