Selling the Manse for the Minister

I am surprised to find I have not blogged about this. There was a perception, at the close of my city ministry: "They sold the manse to pay the minister." In fact, if one looks at what I was actually paid, the payment could have been made with (a rough estimate) a 10% bond on the manse -- if that had been necessary. This payment, too, had been anticipated for years. At the time, Church officers demanded that I sign a statement "endorsing the sale of the manse". I said this would not be correct. In the Congregational Church, I am an equal among equals. The Church itself endorses such things. That document did not finally pass. OBSERVATION: However, even with the sale of the manse, the Church withheld the payment of many years of pension -- which stood at the top of our memorandum of agreement. I continue to insist on it. The photo shows the manse, since demolished.