Conference News & Views

FOR YOUR INFORMATION

During the 2005 meeting of the Tennessee Annual Conference, a motion was passed that asked the Judicial Council for a declaratory decision on the meaning, application and effect of paragraphs 705.5.e, 705.6.a, and 706.1 of the 2004 Book of Discipline regarding the allocation by the Secretary of the General Conference of additional (at-large) members of the general program boards and general agencies. The Judicial Council will consider our request during its Fall Meeting in late October or early November. Last week a brief in support of our motion was submitted on behalf of the Legislative Committee on General Administration of the 2004 General Conference of The United Methodist Church by Rev. Dr. K. Edward Tomlinson, Chair (North Georgia Conference); Mary Brooke Casad, Secretary (North Texas Conference); and Rev. R. Carl Frazier, Jr., Subcommittee Chair (North Carolina Conference).

Joe Williams
Conference Lay Leader

A NEW AND DIFFERENT EVENT FOR THE TENNESSEE CONFERENCE

Sponsored by the Conference Committee on Sexual Ethics

SAFE SANCTUARIES AND SEXUAL ETHICS

September 8 & 9, 2005
9:00 am – 4:00 pm
Brentwood United Methodist Church
(New building – bottom floor – youth area)


This is an opportunity for all clergy and interested laypersons in the Tennessee Conference to gain new insights into personal and professional sexual ethics and how to help congregations provide safe and nurturing ministries for children and youth.

The leaders will be the Rev. Joy Melton, a Christian educator and a lawyer and Dr. Patti van Eys, a clinical psychologist.

Joy’s practice is focused on issues facing churches as well as children and families. An ordained deacon in the North Georgia Conference, she has written the Safe Sanctuaries materials.

Patti is Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology at Vanderbilt University and Clinical Director of the Center of Excellence for Children in State Custody. Her expertise is in the treatment of children who have been maltreated.

Together, they bring to this training a wealth of practical and personal experience in dealing with issues confronting clergy and lay people in churches today.

Bishop Dick Wills writes, “I am delighted our Conference is having this important training. It is my expectation every pastor in the Conference will take this opportunity to make our churches safer for people of all ages. We live in a time when our own training and awareness as pastors is vital if our churches are to be safe places and our own lives are to reflect the very character of Jesus.
Every pastor in the Conference is to have completed this training within the next 2 years. It is important each pastor take this mandatory training as soon as possible.”

To register, send a check for $40. made payable to the TN Conf BOM to
Rev. Susan Padgett
1808 West End Avenue, Suite 501
Nashville, TN 37203-2581

Space is limited to 200 people.
This is a two-day event!

by David Hawkins*
With the approved General Conference 2004 legislation calling on churches to consider providing retirement benefits for eligible lay employees beginning January 1, 2006, several conferences are taking proactive measures to get the word out regarding the General Board of Pension’s new lay retirement plan, the United Methodist Personal Investment Plan (UMPIP). What do the churches of the Tennessee Conference need to know about this? What message do we want to send regarding lay employees and the work they do in our local churches?
First, let’s look at the directive from the General Conference legislation to local church Staff Parish Relations Committees, as stated in the 2004 Discipline paragraph 259.2g(12): “the committee shall recommend that the church council provide, effective on and after January 1, 2006, 100 percent vested pension benefits of at least three percent of compensation for lay employees of the local church who work at least 1040 hours per year, are at least 21 years of age, and have at least one year of permanent service. The church council shall have authority to provide such pension benefits through either a denominational pension program administered by the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits or another pension program administered by another pension provider.” In other words, the recommendation of lay retirement benefits is now a part of the official duties of the SPR Committee.
Therefore, the SPR Committee should help the church determine what lay staff the church employs that work at least 20 hours per week, are at least 21 years of age, and have at least 1 year of permanent service. Then, the SPR Committee should bring a recommendation to the church council to provide a retirement benefit for these eligible employees. If the church council approves then the church becomes the plan sponsor for these benefits through a pension provider. The General Board of Pension administers pension plans for lay employees, but local churches are free to contract with a pension provider of their choice. The General Board sent two UMPIP postcard mailings earlier this year and will send out one more this September to those churches that have not responded. Postcard responses to the General Board need to be sent by November 1 in order to adopt UMPIP by January 1, 2006.
Based on the minimum level of 3%, a local church lay employee earning $20,000 per year would receive from the church an annual contribution of $600 ($50/month) into his or her retirement account. An employee earning $12,000 per year would receive a contribution of $360 ($30/month) into his or her retirement account.
Even though providing a lay retirement benefit is not strictly mandatory, it certainly would send a message of respect and appreciation for the work that lay employees do in our local churches. If you need more information about the Lay Employee Retirement Plan, please contact the General Board of Pension 1-800-851-2201,or the Tennessee Conference Benefits Officer (Director of Administrative Services, David B. Hawkins) 1-800-359-1162.
*David B. Hawkins is Director of Administrative Services for the Tennessee Annual Conference.