No. As an employee you are not eligible to deduct any of your expenses.
However, there is no reason the church could not pay you on a 1099-NEC instead of a W2 provided the church itself is not dictating your schedule. If you are deciding the when and where as far as your time goes then you can be paid as a contract employee. They aren't taking any taxes out anyway. Go to whoever is handling the payroll and ask them to submit an amended W2 that zeroes out your income and then issue you a 1099-NEC for the money you were paid. It won't cost the church anything but the time required to make the change and it will allow you to deduct your expenses in order to reduce your taxable income.
[Edited 03/24/25 07:20 AM PST]
@stherio1
@stherio1
**Say "Thanks" by clicking the thumb icon in a post
**Mark the post that answers your question by clicking on "Mark as Best Answer"
