South Carolina Conference 2009Orientation for Lay and Clergy

Members

South Carolina Annual Conference

SC Conference Orientation 09 Agenda

General Information Special Events Great Day of Service Worship at Annual Conference Constitutional Amendments Resolutions Nominations Report Standing Rules Report Pensions and Insurance The Proposed Conference Budget

General Information General Information Dates – May 31-June 3, 2009 Registration begins at 1:00 pm Place – Florence Civic Center Host Church – Cumberland UMC Lunch Breaks – try to get back on time (we will

start on time) Consider on-site food (Menu's are found in the

Hospitality Section)

Special EventsSpecial Events (pp iii-v)

Sunday, May 31(5:00 pm)

Lay Orientation – Arena

Clergy Session – Exhibit Hall

Great Day of Service Don’t Forget to Register Tuesday, June 2

2:00 to 5:00 pm To register go to the conference website at umcsc.org To help groups gather, eat, and depart together, lunch will

be available at the Civic Center. The cost for lunch is $10. You will meet with your group for lunch and leave together after lunch for you site.

Members are being asked to invite your congregation to send items of need. You will receive a letter listing the items to bring. You may also find the items on the website.

Worship at Annual ConferenceWorship at Annual Conference Sunday, May 31

Ordination Service – Bishop Mary Virginia Taylor, Preacher – (Offering Bethlehem Bible College)

Monday, June 1Memorial Service – Rev. Mel Arant, PreacherEvening Worship – Rev. Jennifer William, Preacher

(Offering Conference Related Homes) Tuesday, June 2

Recognition of Retiring Ministers – “Passing the Mantle”Evening Worship – Rev. George Ashford, Preacher

(Offering Esperanza UMC, Greenville District) Wednesday, June 3

Sending Forth Service – Bishop Mary Virginia Taylor, Preacher

Constitutional AmendmentsConstitutional Amendments

Section C – Preregistration Packet

General Instructions Materials

1. General Instructions (page C-1)

2. Proposed Constitutional Amendments (pages C-2 to C-20) Two Groups

1. Nine amendments

2. Twenty-three amendments related to Worldwide church Four paragraphs have two amendments each

Constitutional AmendmentsConstitutional AmendmentsSection C – Preregistration PacketGeneral Instructions Materials

3. Amendments with Additions and Deletions (pages C-21 to C-34)

4. Rational Provided by the Secretary of the General Conference (pages C-35 – C-37)

5. Worksheet (Designed to help delegates plan for their votes) (pages C-38 – C-41)

Constitutional AmendmentsConstitutional Amendments

General Instructions How and When will debate be conducted?

After the Mid-morning break – Monday In the order they are printed Debate on all amendments will be one block A single ballot (all 32 amendments)

Constitutional AmendmentsConstitutional AmendmentsGeneral Instructions No Amendments May be Offered Who may vote?

Lay members Clergy members in Full Connection

How will voting be conducted? Eligible members (stand & show credentials) Tellers distribute ballots to eligible members (at

their seat)

Constitutional AmendmentsConstitutional AmendmentsGeneral Instructions How are Constitutional Amendments Proposed and

Approved?Book of Discipline (¶ 59 Article I) 2/3 Vote of General Conference 2/3 Affirmative Vote of Aggregate votes of the Annual

Conferences When will the Results be Known?

The Conference vote (at the end of conference) General vote will be known in 2010

Constitutional Amendments The Amendments dealing with the Worldwide Church

Amendments 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 20, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32

More than a name change “central” to “regional” Currently Annual Conferences, Jurisdictional, and

Central Conferences – can change the BOD on a limited basis

Central Conferences Outside the US – can change anything in the BOD

Passage of the amendments could create US regional conferences who could change the BOD the same way

Constitutional Amendments Possible results (World Wide Church)

1. Negative – diminish connectionalismRegionalize like the Anglican Communion

2. Positive – let U.S. to make own decisions about concerns related to U.S. churchIt will allow overseas conferences to avoid U.S. dominance

3. A Further MatterA study committee has been appointed to study our worldwide structure to present findings 2012.Approval would preempt their work

Constitutional Amendments Other Amendments Amendment One - ¶4 BOD – Inclusiveness of

all in membership and ministry of the church Consequences – may effect a pastor’s discretion

for church membership and participate in the ministries of the church

Amendment Two - ¶5 BOD – Ethics and Conflict of Interest Policies for church groups Consequences – every church group will be

required to write policies on ethics, conflict of interest and fiduciary accountability

Constitutional Amendments Amendment Six - ¶ 15 BOD – Proportional

representation at General Conference – This amendment would allow transitional conferences to have at least two delegates to general conference (currently a conference must have 225,000 members and 25 clergy. Consequence – takes away delegates from

other conferences Amendment Eight - ¶ 16 BOD – Adds the

words “gender” to the responsibility of General Boards and Agencies (for inclusiveness sake)

Constitutional Amendments Amendment Nine – ¶ 23 BOD – Representation

to General Conference – No jurisdiction shall have fewer than 100 delegates to General Conference – Protects declining jurisdictions from going below 100 representatives to General Conference (protects the ability to elect Bishops)

Amendment Fifteen - ¶ 32 – Shortens the list of who (for inclusiveness sake) will be members of the Annual Conference and shortens the requirement that a person must be a member of the UMC to one year (from two years)

Constitutional Amendments Amendment Seventeen - ¶ 33 BOD – Allows

lay persons to be members of the committee on investigation (currently only clergy persons are allowed)

Amendment Nineteen - ¶ 35 BOD – Allows provisional members and local pastors (who have served two consecutive years and have completed the course of study or an MDiv) to vote on delegates to General and Jurisdictional Conference. They will still not be eligible to be elected.

Constitutional Amendments Amendment Twenty-Two - ¶ 37 BOD – Adds

Bermuda to the Northeast Jurisdiction.

ResolutionsResolutions Board of Church and Society (page 14) –

presentation Wednesday MorningWednesday Morning A Resolution to Begin Combating Human

Trafficking Resolutions and Appeals – presentation – First

presentation Monday AfternoonMonday Afternoon – approval Wednesday Morning Wednesday Morning (dealing with resolutions brought directly to Annual Conference)

Nominations Report Nominations Report (Registration Packet) The report will be presented on Monday

afternoon and approved on Wednesday morning

Consent Calendar Consent Calendar (pages 79-80) Items may be removed from the consent

calendar by filling out the “Petition to Remove” found on page 81

Standing Rules Standing Rules Changes of standing rules are presented by the

Committee on Standing Rules Monday MorningMonday Morning The Report will be found in the Registration

Packet

Report of Board of Pension and Health

BenefitsPension

And

Health Insurance

(pages 37-48)

Purpose To provide for financial stability in

retirement for South Carolina Annual Conference Clergy

To provide health care for all eligible active and retired clergy of the South Carolina Annual Conference

Protection for people who have given their lives in service to God and God’s people

Pension Clergy Retirement Security Plan (Pensions) Made of three parts

Defined Benefit = Pension benefit defined as 1.25% of the Denominational Average Compensation at Retirement per year of service after January 1, 2007.

Defined Contribution = 3 % contribution and interest earned during work determines benefit.

Comprehensive Protection Plan – Death benefit and disability

Pension Costs Defined Benefit = $535/month for each full

time clergy (part time is prorated by quarters)

Defined Contribution = 3 % of total compensation (Cash + value of housing or allowance)

CPP = 3% of total compensation

Health Insurance Health Insurance Medicare Companion Benefits Changes Medicare Companion Benefits Changes (for Retirees)(for Retirees)

Current 2010

Deductible $250 $250

Coinsurance 80% 80%

Out of Pocket Maximum

$1,250 $1,500

All Health Benefits PlansPharmacy Plan Changes

2010 Plan Retail (30 day) Mail Order

(90 Day)

Generic $10 $20

Formulary $20 $50

Non Formulary $35 $88

Retail Deductible

$ 50/$ 100 N/A

Out of Pocket Maximum

$2,000/$4,000 $2,000/$4,000

Health Insurance 2010 Rates

Active Premiums will increase 9% for the year 2010.

Retiree Premiums will increase 10% for the year 2010.

Health Insurance 2010Rates

Coverage Participant (30%)

Church Share (70%)

Participant $185 $429

Part & Spouse $387 $901

Part & Child $258 $602

Part/Children $350 $818

Full Family $516 $1,204

Medicare Part $122 $284

Med Part/Sp $244 $568

Retiree Health Liability Funding Plan(General Conference Mandate)

1.The Annual Conference is required by Accounting Rule changes adopted by the General Conference (§1506.25 Book of Discipline 2008.

2.The original estimate of the Accumulated Liability was $63,275,000.

3.Subsequent actions by Annual Conference reduced this to $44,512,000.

4.SC BOPHB identified $8,500,00 to fund part of this liability.

Retiree Health Liability Funding Plan (cont)5. Reduce retiree subsidy capping maximum at

$5,000 per year beginning in 2012. Each year following reducing by 5% until 2015 which will reduce the subsidy to 50%.

6. Funding the remaining liability with a surcharge on premium to be phased in beginning in 2011 over five years fully funding the liability in 2030.

7. What this means:Premiums will increase in order to keep the retiree health benefits solvent.

Proposed Conference Budget The Proposed Conference Budget

Found on Pages 1-10 Report Number One Two Types of Funds In the Budget

Funds we have control over (Items 1-12) Apportioned by Annual Conference Action

Funds we do not have control over (Items 13-20)

Apportioned by General Conference Action

Proposed Conference BudgetImportant to KnowGeneral and Jurisdictional ApportionmentsAre passed on to our Annual Conference Items 13-20

World Service FundEpiscopal FundGeneral Conference Administration FundMinisterial EducationInterdenominational Cooperation FundBlack College FundAfrica University FundJurisdictional Mission/Ministry Fund

The Annual Conference cannot change these items Those items are rising 2.5% overall

Proposed Conference BudgetApproved by Annual Conference Action Line Item #3 – District Superintendents Salary

District Superintendents voluntarily requested 2% decrease

Line Item #5 – District Administration Approved as requested

District Administration has been drawing down reserves for two years

Expenses are being held down as much as possibleDS will try to reduce travel as a cost cutting matter

Rest are lower than requested

Proposed Conference Budget Line Item #1 Detail of Conference Benevolences (Report #2)

Page 2 – Reduction 6.7% Cuts come from Connectional Ministries

$164,128 in reductionsWill come from program and staff

reductions Other decreases in budget come from drawing down

reserves

Proposed Conference Budget Item # 2 Retiree Health/Transition/Contingency

Significant increase due to retiree premiums

An increase was granted but only ½ of what

was requested Item # 4 Equitable Compensation requested an

increaseGrant requests will increaseCF&A is asking the draw down its

reserves

Proposed Conference Budget Item Seven

Conference Administration has also been drawing down reserves

However, the Reserve is necessarySome funds are guaranteed 100%

payment (salaries)Conference Journal Committee is being asked

to use digital options

Proposed Conference Budget (Item Seven) Camps & Retreats

(Item Nine) Senior College Scholarships(Item Ten) Spartanburg Methodist College(Item Twelve) Methodist Homes Residents

Assistance While importantHave other sources of income for support

(See Report #7)

Proposed Conference Budget Item Eight Congregational Development

Being asked to drawn down reserves Item Eleven Campus Ministry

Employs clergy whose salary is below the conference median

Could not reduce requestBut increase was denied

Proposed Conference BudgetTop 12 items = 5.1% Decrease

(Conference Approved Funds)Bottom 8 Items = 2.5% Increase

(General and Jurisdictional Approved Funds)Total budget = 3.3% decrease

Proposed Conference Budget Report #7 is new

Asking to make up for reductions forSenior CollegeSpartanburg Methodist College

Completely voluntary Will be noted as a apportionment remittance

with Lake Junaluska Dam asking