general secretary’s report to synod 2011 april 26 – 27 knox college norbert d. stephens

Slide 1

The United Church in Jamaica and the Cayman IslandsGeneral Secretarys Report to Synod 2011April 26 27

Knox College

Norbert D. StephensThis report: Covers pages 62 108 of the Synod Papers 2011 The Supplementary Report The Finance Reports

Overview of Standing CommitteesChurch and Ministry Personnel (statistics)50 inducted Ministers10 Ministers on Settlement 9 Ministers in specialized ministry2 Ministers on Study Leave45 Lay Pastors

Church and Ministry (contd) Personnel (statistics)8 Commissioned Ministers2 Ordained Missionaries5 Ministerial Students

Church and Ministry (contd) PersonnelPerformance Evaluation Form and Procedures developedOrdinations (Revds. Valerine Reynolds, Selvin Gray, David Tucker)Rev. Dr. Marjorie Lewis appointed president of UTCWI

- Rev. Dr. Collin I. Cowan appointed General Secretary CWM- the passing of Revds. Robert Longmore; Samuel Smellie; Eugene Bonner; Anthony Eldemire; Pierce JonesLay Pastor Donald StephensonMrs. Gloria DonaldsMrs. Jacqueline McNameeMrs. Thelma Bent

Congratulations to those who have added to their family and or married

Ministerial FormationInterns: Novlyn Hanson, Norlene Jackson, Kimberly HinesStudents: Kraig DeLeon Deidrick, Carlene WalfordRev. Earl Thames appointed to coordinate discernment and preliminary year of Ministerial Education

Inter-church and Ecumenical Relationsongoing prayerful support for Nurse Joan Page-Bainstrengthening of relationship and partnerships with JEMM; JCC; JCSC; CANACOM and CANAC; UCC; PRCC; PCUSA; URC; CoS; CWM; WCC; WCRC

JEMM - Jamaica Ecumenical Mutual MissionJCC - Jamaica Council of ChurchesJCSC - Jamaica Civil Society CoalitionCANACOM - Caribbean and North America Council for MissionCANAAC - Caribbean and North American Area CouncilUCC - United Church of CanadaPRCC - Presbyterian Reformed Church of CubaPCUSA - Presbyterian Church of the USAURC - United Reformed ChurchCoS - Church of ScotlandCWM Council for Wold MissionWCRC World Communion of Reformed Churches

9 Constitution and Doctrine- several amendments to the Constitution and are before this Synod (Womens Fellowship, Principles governing Office of the Lay Pastor, Policy on Ordination when a Minister is disciplined) Property PoliciesHousingLand Sales and development- Sales proceeds exceeded $40m target from Madge Saunders Villas and Chalky Hill lands

Property (contd)subdivisions for some properties completed, others are underwaysome titles have been registered, the remaining 152 titles are being pursuedLot 219 A New Forrest sold to occupantsProperty (contd)sale of one unit at Madge Saunders Villas completed, purchase money of remaining two held by Attorney pending resolution$820 000 accepted for 1-acre plot at Somerton, portion allowed for repairing church roof

Property (contd) Church Building/Plantingplans for expansion of St. Andrews underwaySt. Pauls United, Montego Bay, refurbishedMineral Heights being relocated due to Governments highway construction

Property (contd)UCJCI agreed to lease 6 acres of Knox landsGovernment expressed interest in use of 114 acres of lands at Clarendon College to address squatter situation unresolved boundary issues at 32 Villa Road1. 6 acres of land to be leased to Mr. Easton Bennett15Property (contd)section of property at Brainerd United to be used by North-East Health Authority renovation work completed on cottages 1 and 6 at the UTCWI awaiting approval from KSAC for Claro to construct cell site on the roof of the Synod Administrative Centre

Section of land at Brainerd to be used to establish Health Centre

Cottages 1 and 6 are occupied by Rev. Henley Bernard and Rev. Verna Cassells respectively

First payment of US$6500 received16Property (contd) Convention Centresubdivision plan completedthirteen and a half acres reserved for Convention Centre remaining 97 acres to be sold

Strategic Planning Tithing Resource- resource book on Stewardship with an emphasis on Tithing as an Expression of Worship has been produced and congregations are in receipt of copies

Public Education Commissionestablished to focus collaboration with Government in establishing secondary school placesThe place of worship and Religious Education in Public Schools Finance Committed to a debt-free Church Total Income 2011 - $155M Total Expenditure 2011 - $151M

Expected Surplus of $3.7M

Mr. Courtney Campbell, Chair of Finance Committee, will make a separate presentation on the Budget and Financing.20Proposed Formula for Central Fund Contributions (CFCs) formerly Assessment, CFCs is the primary source of funding CFCs is a formula for sharing based on relative size of congregationsCongregations increase contributions by same % each year

some congregations assessed for greater than total budgeted income resulting in no funds to support congregational ministries Proposalproportional giving based on tithing principle i.e. CFC to reflect a percentage of congregations budgeted incomeA three-tiered system - Large 300 and over members - mid-sized 101 to 299 members - small under 100 members

Three-tiered System (contd)large congregations contributing 25%mid-sized contributing 30%small contributing 60% (gradual reduction to 40%) Advantagessimple formula eliminates need for annual negotiationsmore equitable as congregations of the similar size will contribute similar amountssmall congregations will have funds to support ministry programmesAdvantages (contd)encourages congregations to grow to the higher bands

Challengesome congregations will find it difficult to contribute the new amounts immediately

Transition Period and Next Steps2 years during which congregations in the 25% and 30% asked to continue contributing the same amountCongregations with steep increases asked to agree to a programme of adjustment2011 Synod to support the conceptdetails of the proposed new system to be worked out by the Finance Committee with input from the Regional Mission Councils and finalized by June 30, 2011implementation plan for 2012 to require RMCs to receive 2012 budgets by September 30, 2011 application of formula and any necessary adjustment steps to be agreed by RDGSs and Regional Chairs

Implementation Plan 2011 Evangelism through the Word Stewardship with emphasis on Tithing Ministry to Children Social Outreach Congregational Administrationnull695439.6