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Apportionments Ministerial Support

When we face a crisis-a major illness, a serious accident, a death in the family, marriage and family problems-we turn to our pastor for support. At happy times-marriage, baptism, confirmation, graduation, anniversa­ries-the pastor is often a significant presence. In the Oklahoma Conference we have chosen to care for our ministers in three ways.

The Health Benefits Fund pays for approximately one-half of health insurance costs for ministers and their families, with the other half paid by the ministers. Ministers must serve at least 30 hours per week to be eligible. This apportionment provides health insurance at a reduced rate for surviv­ing spouses of ministers. It also covers the total cost of life insurance for ministers and their families. The health insurance program began in 1972. In recent years, with spiraling medical costs, this apportionment has become the largest in the conference budget.

In 1975, the annual conference established the Ministers' Moving Fund to assist with the financial burden that comes with moving. It pays an al­lowance of $1 ,500 plus $1 per mile for pastors when they are appointed to a new church. The allowance has increased as pastors have been required to furnish more rooms in the parsonage.

Years ago, it was a common practice for an offering to be received at the annual conference session for worn-out preachers. The amount received was divided among those retiring, and that was the extent of their pension. Retired ministers were shamefully impoverished.

The Pension Fund is part of a much broader program to right this wrong. Many persons will remember the Pension Fund Crusade conducted by our conference in the early 1980s to underwrite the unfunded obligation to those who served prior to 1982. In 1982 the Ministerial Pension Plan (MPP), a defined contribution plan, was adopted, and each local church made monthly payments for its pastor in relation to the pastor's compensation. In 2007, we entered into a new plan-the Clergy Retirement Security Plan (CRSP)-that has both a defined contribution and a defined benefit element. This fund will be used for post-retirement clergy benefits.