The Mission Shaped Future Clergy Excellence Team has been working for several months to draft a plan for how clergy are supported in helping us reach our goal to re-energize a Christian movement that begins with grace, offers abundant life, and reclaims the life-changing love of Jesus Christ for all people. This ambitious goal is only possible through God and by following the leading of the Holy Spirit. We strove to bathe our work in prayer and look not just for the easiest answer but the most faithful answer.
Today, our team is glad to present the first part of our work to the Mountain Sky Area. In the plan below, you will find details about the following areas:
Appointment Values of the Mountain Sky Cabinet, including itinerancy in the new geography
Minimum Compensation Standards
Pension & Health Benefits
Moving Allowances
Parsonage Standards
Throughout our work we strove to balance several values. We realized we could not ask our local churches to take on much additional financial burden. We also did not want our clergy to be burdened with decreased benefits. Finally, we wanted to maintain our current commitments to active and retired clergy. In addition, the Book of Discipline limited us in several areas. With those values and constraints in mind we believe our team did very good work that will benefit the new conference.
A few people from the team recorded a video that helps you better understand the process that lead up to the recommendations we are making. It’s important to know that these recommendations are not written in stone. We are releasing them now so that everyone who wishes can provide feedback and ask questions. In addition, a recording of the town hall meeting hosted Feb. 20 is available online.
Our team invites you to continue to hold this process in your prayers. Together we will create a new conference that focuses on the health and vitality of our local congregations.
