USA > Ohio > Montgomery County > Germantown > Minutes of the session of the Ohio Miami Conference, successor to Miami Conference, of the United Methodist Church, 1968 > Part 10
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TOWN & COUNTRY LEADERSHIP SCHOOL: Michigan State University, July 15-24. It was voted to send two pastors to this school. Cost to be pro- vided by Division of National Missions; transportation by Conference Board of Missions.
ST. MARKS CHURCH: Report of the financial situation of St. Marks Church was given by the Director of Development. It was voted that the Finance Committee of the Commision on Church Construction study this matter with the Finance Committee of St. Marks Church and report their recommenda- tion to the Board of Missions.
METROPOLITAN MINISTRY OF DAYTON: W. K. Messmer reported on the request of our participation in the Metropolitan Ministry of Dayton. It was voted that we cooperate in the work of the Metropolitan Ministry of Dayton providing that NO paid staff be employed.
PARKSIDE HOMES: Dr. C. Willard Fetter gave a verbal report on work of Parkside Homes in Dayton. He made the request that the Board of Missions continue the appropriation of $2,000.00 for the remainder of 1968. He also made the plea for the consideration of an increase in support. It was voted that we approve the continuation of this appropriation in the amount of $2,000.00 for the remainder of 1968. It was voted that we support the re- quest for an increase in appropriation to the Dayton First Church on the ratio of 40 to 60 in accordance with their increased giving toward this project.
BUDGET: It was voted to request an appropriation of $75,000.00 from the Conference budget for the year 1969.
ZION DAYTON: In contemplation of the church merger of Trinity-Zion-Troy Street churches, Zion Church desires to borrow $1,000.00 for a period of six months to enable them to pay all outstanding bills. It was voted to rec- ommend to Conference Trustees that this loan be granted from the Confer- ence Extension Fund for a period of six months at 6% interest.
FAIRVIEW CHURCH: Requests privilege of borrowing $18,000.00 from the Conference Church Extension Fund for additional property purchases. It was voted to recommend to Conference Trustees that they grant a loan of $18,000.00 to Fairview Church for a period of five years at 6% interest, loan to be amortized monthly.
ST. MARKS: The sub-committee of Board of Missions on Finance having studied the financial situation at St. Marks, recommends the following. It was voted to subsidize the church budget of St. Marks to extent of $100.00 per week for remainder of the year 1968 and for the year 1969. It was voted to grant St. Marks the sum of $6,000.00 to liquidate present indebted- ness.
LOUIS O. ODON Executive Secretary
REPORT NO. 15 A Report of Board of Missions
WARE'S CHAPEL: The Board of Missions of the Ohio Miami Conference met on June 5, 1968, to review the new parsonage plans for Ware's Chapel Church. The Plans Committee had reviewed the submitted plans and rec- ommended several minor changes in the plans. Estimated cost of house to be $26,000.00. Amount of pledges to date, $14,850.00. Cash on hand, $2,- 885.00. Request to borrow up to $12,000.00 for a five year period from West Manchester First State Bank at 5% interest.
MOTION: It was voted that these revised parsonage plans be approved. That the Financial Plan be approved, and that the Church Trustees be au-
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thorized to borrow the necessary funds from the West Manchester First State Bank.
LOUIS O. ODON Secretary
REPORT NO. 16 Parkside Parish
The Annual Conference became directly involved in the Parkside Parish Program with the appointment of a full-time pastor-director to the Parish at the 1967 Annual Session. The appointment was under the supervision of the First Evangelical United Brethren Church of Dayton. A budgetary item was granted to the church to supplement the funds set aside for the mission in the local church budget.
The Sunday School program continued throughout the year with volun- teer teaching staff from First Church. One Seminary student served the Youth Department for a major portion of the year. Sunday School classes at First Church supplied funds for emergency relief and food baskets. Used clothing in excellent condition and large quantities were shared for three rummage sales. The funds thus raised is under the care of the Adult Fellow- ship. Divine Worship is held each Sunday morning and adult group meetings are held on one Sunday evening and one Tuesday evening each month. Three general meetings have been sponsored and shared as a part of the Parish program. A number of occasions have afforded trips to youth meetings and recreational activities for the young people.
The appearance of a full-time pastor at the Parish was welcomed by the management of the Housing Project and the many social workers who serve the people of the area. He has been invited to serve as an advisory member of the Day Care Center, Latch Key and Boy Scouts. He is a member of the Social Workers Guild and was elected to the Board of Directors of the Miami Valley Child Development Centers. He works in close harmony with the Day- ton Boys Club and the Youth Department of the YMCA in furnishing recrea- tion for 85 boys of the community. Opportunities are afforded for pastoral counseling by referals by case workers. Referals are also exchanged with pastors of the city. The pastor has visited the Juvenile and Domestic Courts with members of the Parish. Fine relationships are held with the faculties of McGuffy and Kiser Schools.
A profile of the Parish, though sketchy will help to evaluate the mission of the Church in this area. Parkside Homes, a Metropolitan Housing Project for low income families, is located in North Dayton. It was built in 1939 and has 604 dwelling units on a 38 acre plot. There are 1,965 residents, 1,126 of whom are under 18 years of age. The larger number of these are of families where the mother is the head of the house. McGuffy provides school facilities for 580 children and 42 attend Kiser High School. There are 227 senior citi- zens who have no local activities offered outside of the Parish Program. The stresses are great upon them with such a large number of small children in such a confined area. The project is circumscribed by express way, athletic field and business and industrial area. It is a ready target for vandals.
Upon the invitation of the management of the project the pastor sub- mitted a request for space for expansion of the program. This is encouraged by the Federal Department of Health and Welfare in its new legislation favoring Metropolitan Housing under Extended Services Program. Applica- tion was made for 788 sq. feet for office workshop and storage space and 6176 sq. feet for assembly and class rooms to be shared with other social agencies.
It is recommended that the Conference Board of Missions appoint a com- mittee to project for the benefit of the pastor-director an image of the Church in a subculture of dependency. This can be conceived as a program of in- fluencing behavior patterns and motivating hope for persons who receive below subsistance incomes, have limited 'know-how' and are subjected to harassment from many sources. The adjustment from a mountain area culture to urban culture heavily taxes the resourcefulness of most people. Add to this the
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changing urban culture which will result in frustrations and animosity to person and society. Can the Church rise above the image of the 'unfavorable establishment' to a role of selfless agent of the Spirit of Christ? Shall the Church be a servant to express compassion and understanding or will it en- courage the formation of a militant power block of the poor?
Respectfully, GEORGE H. McAHREN
REPORT NO. 17 Report of the Board of Pensions of Ohio Miami Conference
I. ACTIVITIES OF BOARD
The changes brought about by church union have made this a year of in- tensive study for the Board of Pensions. In addition to two regular meetings of the Board, the members met once with the General Pension officers in No- vember 1967 for a briefing on the impending changes. The board appointed their chairman, Howard L. Hahn, and the Administrative Secretary of Group Insurance, Demi Edwards, as their representatives to a special Study Com- mittee on Pensions made up of representatives of the four conferences in- volved in the proposed merger involving Ohio Miami. Charles Messmer was appointed by the superintendent as the staff person representing Ohio Miami Conference on this study committee. Two meetings of this committee have been held in Columbus, in an effort to determine the adjustments that must be made to bring together equitably the pension annuity, the life insurance, and the medical insurance programs of these conferences as they unite. Some of this committee's recommendations will be reported in other areas of this re- port. This committee's amenability is to the larger Committee on Conference Union. The Board will also be sending representatives to a Regional Pension Conference at Evanston in October, 1968.
II. PENSION PROGRAM
In order to have a clear picture of what lies immediately ahead in terms of pensions, we should note that our transition to a United Methodist pensions system and to an Ohio Conference pension system center around two different dates, both of great importance.
The first date is December 31, 1968. Until that date, our pension program continues to operate essentially as during the past. Below are the names of recipients of Conference Ministerial Aid for the year and the amount each is to receive.
Harvey Clark $900
Earl Stockslager 900
Ira Clark 900
W. I. Underwood 900
W. I. Comfort 900
L. B. Venatta 900
George Duckwall 900
Henry Snapp 870
Don E. Gillespie 900
W. J. Fox
660
J. P. Hendrix 900
A. S. Wolf 600
Ivan Jenkins 900
LeRoy Smelker 360
Murn Klepinger 900
E. H. Dailey 270
Robert V. Pelton 900
Joseph B. Henry 660
Walter Sinks 900
Harley Brown 600
C. S. Smith $900
Maurice Parsons 540
To receive aid on the basis of disability : Raymond Merz $900
Conference widows:
Mrs. Lorin Stine $250
Mrs. E. R. Turner 250
Mrs. J. L. Armstrong 250
Mrs. S. L. Brill 250
Mrs. Walter N. Roberts 125
Mrs. E. S. Comrey 250
Mrs. J. A. Robinson 125
Mrs. Fred L. Dennis 250
Mrs. Walter Schutz 125
Mrs. W. Bryan Green 250
Mrs. A. C. Witham 125
Mrs. E. H. Hammon 250
Mrs. J. W. Wurtz 125
Mrs. Frank S. McEntire 250
Mrs. Edgar Schrader 125
Mrs. Ambrose Aegerter $250
Mrs. O. L. Barngrover 125
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As of December 31, 1968, the first important point of change in our pen- sion program, the following changes are anticipated: (1) The Board of Pen- sions of the former Evangelical United Brethren Church will cease to function at Dayton, Ohio; (2) Therefore, as of January 1, 1969 funds previously designated for the denomination Board of Pensions through Christian Service Fund and local church 9% payments will be channeled into the Annual Con- ference treasury for administration by the Conference Board of Pensions. The minister's 3% payment will go direct to the General Board of Pensions at Evanston, Illinois; (3) There will no longer be two separate pension pro- grams (denominational and annual conference) as before, but the pension rights of the two will be combined. In order to simplify this transition, the Conference Board of Pensions has voted to eliminate the thirty year limita- tion on the $30.00 per year of service Ministerial Aid now paid by the con- ference, this change to be effective as of January 1, 1969. We recommend that Item #3 of the standing resolutions appearing on P. 28 of the 1967 Confer- ence Journal be eliminated in order to implement this change. The Conference Board of Pensions also requests permission to restudy the remaining Stand- ing Resolutions in Regard to Ministerial Aid to align them with the changing patterns of the Pensions program, and present these recommended changes to the Conference Council of Administration with power to act.
The second key date will in all probability be December 31, 1969, marking the merger of the Ohio Miami Conferene with the other conferences in the proposed area to form the new united conference. Some of the changes which can be contemplated at this point are (1) All prior pension rights will be- come the responsibility of the new conference. (2) The pattern of the former Methodist Church in which the ministers cares for his 3% pension payment personally will apparently prevail, since there is a distinct separation be- tween the funds contributed by him personally and those contributed by his church or salary paying unit. However, at the present time, in order to avoid confusion and hardship, the board is recommending the continuation of pay- ment of the entire 12% by the churches where this has been the custom, to the General Board of Pensions at Dayton for the remainder of 1968. Begin- ning January 1, 1969 the local church's 9% payment is to be sent to the con- ference office and the minister's 3% payment is to be sent direct to the General Board of Pensions at Evanston, Illinois. The board, meanwhile, wishes to have the opportunity to explore more fully the opportunities for application of this 3% payment under the new pension system.
III. LIFE INSURANCE PROGRAM
The three former E.U.B. Conferences involved in our conference merger all have the Prudential Group Life Insurance Plan which the Ohio confer- ences have carried for a number of years. The Ohio (Methodist) Conference has had a self-insurance benefit integrated into their conference pension pro- gram. However, it has lower benefits, with a constantly decreasing value for each year of increasing age. There has been feeling that both of the former life insurance programs represent inadequate coverage, yet each has certain strong features that augment the other. Therefore, the Pension Study Com- mittee has recommended that both systems be retained and broadened to in- clude all ministers in the new conference.
With very few exceptions, payments on our life insurance premiums as well as the medical insurance have been kept current. This will become doubly important as we move through the outlined phases of union.
IV. MEDICAL INSURANCE PROGRAM
A rate increase of $10.77 per quarter for a family policy under our Pru- dential Group Major Medical Plan became effective October 1, 1967. This increase will be cared for from October 1, 1967, the effective date of the in- crease to December 31, 1968 from the Group Insurance Fund. As of Janu- ary 1, 1969 the premium for a Family Policy will be $66.00 per quarter. Salary paying units or individuals paying these premiums will be alerted of this change.
The recommendation of the unit of the Pensions Study Committee work-
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CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
ing in the area of Medical Insurance was that a professional insurance con- sultant be engaged to study the present plans of the merging conferences (which include Prudential Extended Medical and Blue Cross-Blue Shield with extended medical written by another company) and make an unbiased recom- mendation concerning the future of this insurance in the united conference.
The Prudential representatives inform us that a minister is automatically dropped from the Group Medical Insurance Plan at age 65, whether or not he retires. Thus it is wise for a man approaching 65 to enroll for Medicare at least 3 to 4 months in advance, to assure protection immediately upon his 65th birthday. At that time, he can enroll in a Medicare Supplement Plan with Prudential, which covers those areas where Medicare gives inadequate protection. The present cost of this protection is $6.90 per person per month. If a minister reaches his 65th birthday before his wife, the wife may remain in the Group Plan until she reaches age 65.
RESOLUTIONS OF AUTHORIZATION
I. BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ohio Miami Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church in annual session at Germantown, Ohio on June 6, 1968 hereby authorize the Conference Board of Pensions of the Ohio Miami Conference of The United Methodist Church to deposit funds beginning Janu- ary 1, 1969 with the General Board of Pensions of The United Methodist Church, 1200 Davis Street, Evanston, Illinois 60201, to provide the following pension benefits for claimants in the Ohio Miami Conference:
('1) $18.00 per year of service required for financing $30.00 per year of service for all superannuated ministers in the Ohio Miami Confer- ence enrolled in The Senior Pension Plan.
(2) $11.00 per year of service required to finance $18.00 (60% of $30.00) for widows of deceased ministers in the Ohio Miami Conference en- rolled in The Senior Pension Plan.
(3) $30.00 per year of service paid by the Board of Pensions of the Ohio Ohio Miami Confernce to retired ministers in the Ohio Miami Con- ference.
(4) $10.00 per year of service paid by the Board of Pensions of the Ohio Miami Conference to widows of retired ministers in the Ohio Miami Conference, with a minimum of $125.00 for present recipients.
II. FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, that the Ohio Miami Conference of The United Methodist Church requests and authorizes the General Board of Pen- sions of The United Methodist Church, 1200 Davis Street, Evanston, IlInois 60201, to act as the paying agent of the Ohio Miami Conference and to make monthly payments of these pension benefits to the aforesaid claimants of the Ohio Miami Conference of The United Methodist Church, beginning January 1, 1969.
Comparison of Conference Board of Pensions' Financial Responsibilities 1968 and 1969
(These are partly estimated figures; not intended to be a balance sheet)
Receipts
1968
1969
Appropriations from Conference Budget
$ 4,000.00
$14,500.00
Publishing House Dividends
12,971.78
6,297.00
Printing Establishment
5,353.30
5,000.00?
Christian Service Fund allocation for Pensions
0.00
18,528.00?
Pension Payments from Churches
(11/2% designated to help fund Senior Plan) *
0.00
7,259.00
$22,325.08
$51,584.00
Expenditures
Annual Conference Pension Benefits
$21,545.00
$23,500.00?
Elimination of 30 year limit on years
of credit in Conference Pensions
0.00
3,500.00?
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CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
Changing Annual Conference Pension for widows to years of service basis 0.00
3,000.00
Denominational Pension Fund responsibilities (To fully fund unfunded portion of Senior Plan: $18.00 per year of service for ministers ; $11.00 for widows.)
0.00
21,000.00?
$21,545.00
$51,000.00
*This figure does not include the remaining portion of Pension payments by churches or the payments by, or on behalf of, ministers, as it is anticipated that the receipts and expenditures related to these funds will balance out and will not appreciably affect the picture we are presenting here, which is the change in the Conference Board of Pensions' financial responsibiilites. Respectfully submitted, Ohio Miami Conference Board of Pensions HOWARD L. HAHN, Chairman
REPORT NO. 18 Report of Program Council
Summary of Reports and Actions: (Meetings: 9-27-67, 11-29-67, 4-17-68)
1. Election of James Flinchbaugh, chairman and Owen Delp, secretary.
2. Empowered joint committee from the Department of Stewardship and Board of Ministry to plan a Minister's Retreat. Fifty ministers partici- pated at Hueston Woods Lodge on January 9 and 10, 1968.
3. Authorized the Board of Evangelism to carry out the "Impact for Christ" program. This involved the minister exchange program February 3-7 and February 24-28 and three retreat days with Rev. Wallace Chappell of Nashville, Tennessee on February 5, 6, and 7.
4. W.S.W.S. reported participation in the School of Religion at Illinois Wesleyan, joint retreat with Council from Southeast Ohio and a mean- inful series of Fall Institutes. The Annual Convention was held May 14 and 15 at Camp Miaim.
5. Childrens Workers Institutes were held on October 12 and 15, 1967. The theme was, "Growing Up In Mission."
6. Youth Kampference considered the theme, "Youth and Morality" and was attended by 88 persons. Plans were initiated by the youth for the International Christian Youth Exchange. A student from France will be with one of our families during 1968-69. About 500 youth participated in the Hootenanny on October 22, 1967. The Winter Kamp had 101 par- ticipants on January 5, 6, 7, discussion the theme, "Heaven or Bust!" The Fine Arts Festival on February 18, 1968, was attended by 400 per- sons. A new and vital experience for the participants was the Kirchentag held at Camp Miami on May 5, 1968.
7. The 1967 Season of Camping involved 138 more participants than in 1966. List of attendance is as follows:
Kampference
88 4 Junior Camps 482
Senior High
44 4 Junior High Camps 196
Freshman-Sophomore
23 5 Laymen Family Camps 615
Music 81 Minister's Family Camp 89 full-time 34 part-time
8. A meeting with Dr. Mark Gibbs of England was held in the Dayton area in the interest of adult education on October 9, 1967.
9. Authorized our participation in the Ohio Laboratory Enterprise in West- erville, July 7-12, 1968. A subsidy of $100 was granted. The laboratory is a joint effort with the two former Methodist conferences and the four former EUB conferences of Ohio. We will continue our policy of granting ten registration scholarships to individuals requesting same. The school will provide opportunity for leaders of all age groups this year.
10. Workshops for orientation in the new curriculum materials were held for
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CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
the children's leaders on February 24 and March 2. Makeup workshops are being held in a dozen different areas during May and June. A Church School Superintendent's Workshop was held January 14th.
11. Training experiences for workers with youth were held with former Methodist and EUB leaders in January and May at Camp Miami. A similar joint training experience for leaders of adults was held in May. These training experiences prepared leadership for district and sub- district workshops.
12. The Department of Christian Social Action continues to act as a catalyst for local church action. A cadre of persons for communication and action has been formed from local churches. In cooperation with a committee from the Board of Missions, a committee from the department helped create and distribute materials for study and action on the "Crisis in the Nation" program.
13. Camp Miami Capital Improvement Program was divided into two phases: I. Additional bathrooms on second and third floors. Refurbish kitchen and dining room ceiling.
II. Additional bathroom on first floor and extension of Dining Hall. Phase I was to be initiated as soon as possible. Harold Delaney is chairman of the capital funds drive which is in progress at this time.
14. Suggested that group discussions at Annual Conference this year be on the subjects of the "National Crisis" and "Implications of Church Union" rather than proposed program suggestions. Requested the program coun- cil report to be mailed to delegates in advance.
Program Suggestions
The Quadrennial Emphasis for 1968-1972 is in recognition of the world of accelerated technology, increased urbanization and continuing tensions. The church's response to the world is expressed in the theme: "A New Church for a New World: and the text is II Corinthians 5:17, 18, "If any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the minis- try of reconciliation."
Three inter-related responses will be:
1. The Church and the Word-A study of the Sermon on the Mount and these words of Jesus as they become relevant for today. New curricu- lum resources will bring a strong accent on studying the scriptures and relating the Bible to life situations.
2. The Church and its Work-Proposed new structure at all levels to en- able the local church to carry out ministry to individuals.
3. The Church and the World-To effectively share the Good News, through reconciling love, so it can be heard intelligently, believed glad- ly, obeyed willingly and received convincingly.
The Program Council encourages voluntary cooperation with the former Methodist Church on the conference, district and local levels.
We recognize the Board of Missions is actively involved in a number of areas of urban and non-metropolitan ministry. We urge the continuing support of local churches to these ministries.
In recognition of new and growing opportunities, we approve of the Board of Christian Education's efforts in training leadership of all ages with special emphasis during the coming year on adult education.
We urge the Department of Christian Social Concerns to respond to the critical needs of the National Crisis by encouraging and assisting strategic persons in our conference area to receive training and skills for action in their communities.
The date of September 15, 1968, will be the services sponsored by the Historical Society at our Five Mile Church site. As we anticipate union with other conferences the writing of the history of Ohio Miami Conference be-
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CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS
comes more important and we encourage its completion.
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