Frequently Asked Questions

Youth


FAQs - Pastoral Relations
An occasional newsletter of *Frequently Asked Questions* in the area of Pastoral Relations … QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR MINISTRY PERSONNEL CONSIDERING RETIREMENT When can I retire? You may retire any time after your 65 th birthday. However, the normal retirement date for ministers in our church is the June 30 following your 65 th birthday. This allows you and the pastoral charge to finish the church year together, and to prepare for appropriate celebrations there and at the annual meeting of Conference. Can I retire earlier than that if I wish? Yes, the United Church offers two options for early retirement. You may retire with no penalty to your pension at or after the age of 60, if you have completed 35 years of ministry service in our church. 2. You may retire as early as the age of 55, but your pension will be discounted. What process do I follow for retiring? Here are the steps that you must follow. 1. Inform the pastoral charge that you are serving of your intention to retire. As with all changes in pastoral relationship, you must give the pastoral charge at least 90 days notice. Of course, the more notice you give the charge, the more time they will have to do a thorough needs assessment and search for your successor – and the more time they will have to plan a party for you. 2. At the same time, inform your Presbytery Pastoral Relations convenor of your desire to retire. The Presbytery will then pass a motion approving your retirement. The Pastoral Relations convenor will also give you a Saskatchewan Conference retirement form to complete and return. 3. Inform the Conference Office. Your name will be added to those whose ministries will be celebrated at the next Annual Meeting. The Executive Secretary will contact you as the meeting nears about your biography, the retirees’ banquet, your retirement speech and your participation in the Service of Praise. How do I arrange to draw my pension? You can contact the new United Church Pension and Benefits Centre at 1-888-657-4607 or on the web at www.united-church.hroffice.ca. This is a third-party administration service provided by the firm of Morneau Sobeco for our church. There are five full-time people working on United Church pension and benefits issues, and they will walk you through the process of applying for your pension. Each individual’s pension benefits will be different. It is a wise idea to begin examining your potential benefits prior to making any other retirement decisions. The value of your pension benefit may have an influence on whether you choose to retire or to postpone retirement for a few years. Can I retire at 65 and continue to work in the same pastoral charge? Yes. However, the constitution of the pension plan requires that if you continue to work in the same place following your retirement, there must be a “genuine change in status and function. You, the Presbytery and the pastoral charge will need to negotiate a change in your job description and hours of work. What if I don’t want to retire when I am 65? You are able to postpone your retirement until you are 69, if you wish. You may do that one year at a time, by making the request of the pastoral charge you are serving, and of the Presbytery. The Presbytery will consult with the pastoral charge, and then may make a recommendation to the Conference that your retirement be postponed for one year. If the Conference approves, you may continue to work for one year in the same pastoral charge, or seek a call or appointment to another pastoral charge. You will need to ask again on an annual basis for approval to postpone your retirement. You will continue to make contributions to the pension plan for each year that you postpone retirement. What if I retire, and then change my mind? Can I return to active status? Yes, you can apply to the Conference through your Presbytery to be returned to active standing. If your application is approved, you will be able to accept a call and you will resume contributing to the pension plan until your mandatory retirement age of 69. Why do I have to retire when I am 69? Our pension plan constitution requires that you retire and draw your pension at the age of 69. Am I able to work after the age of 69? Yes, you may continue to seek annual appointments as “Retired Supply”. If you wish to continue as Retired Supply in the charge you were serving prior to retirement, our pension plan requires that there be a “genuine change in status and function”. Again, you, the Presbytery and the pastoral charge will need to negotiate a change in your job description and hours of work. You may also seek annual appointments as Retired Supply in other pastoral charges. Because you have retired, you will no longer make contributions to the pension plan. Please see The Manual 2007, sections 55 (b) and 365.1 for more information.

FAQs - Pastoral Relations

An occasional newsletter of Frequently Asked Questions in the area of Pastoral Relations …

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR MINISTRY PERSONNEL CONSIDERING RETIREMENT

When can I retire?

You may retire any time after your 65 th birthday. However, the normal retirement date for ministers in our church is the June 30 following your 65 th birthday. This allows you and the pastoral charge to finish the church year together, and to prepare for appropriate celebrations there and at the annual meeting of Conference.

Can I retire earlier than that if I wish?

Yes, the United Church offers two options for early retirement.

You may retire with no penalty to your pension at or after the age of 60, if you have completed 35 years of ministry service in our church.

2. You may retire as early as the age of 55, but your pension will be discounted.

What process do I follow for retiring?

Here are the steps that you must follow.

1. Inform the pastoral charge that you are serving of your intention to retire. As with all changes in pastoral relationship, you must give the pastoral charge at least 90 days notice. Of course, the more notice you give the charge, the more time they will have to do a thorough needs assessment and search for your successor – and the more time they will have to plan a party for you.

2. At the same time, inform your Presbytery Pastoral Relations convenor of your desire to retire. The Presbytery will then pass a motion approving your retirement. The Pastoral Relations convenor will also give you a Saskatchewan Conference retirement form to complete and return.

3. Inform the Conference Office. Your name will be added to those whose ministries will be celebrated at the next Annual Meeting. The Executive Secretary will contact you as the meeting nears about your biography, the retirees’ banquet, your retirement speech and your participation in the Service of Praise.

How do I arrange to draw my pension?

You can contact the new United Church Pension and Benefits Centre at 1-888-657-4607 or on the web at www.united-church.hroffice.ca. This is a third-party administration service provided by the firm of Morneau Sobeco for our church. There are five full-time people working on United Church pension and benefits issues, and they will walk you through the process of applying for your pension.

Each individual’s pension benefits will be different. It is a wise idea to begin examining your potential benefits prior to making any other retirement decisions. The value of your pension benefit may have an influence on whether you choose to retire or to postpone retirement for a few years.

Can I retire at 65 and continue to work in the same pastoral charge?

Yes. However, the constitution of the pension plan requires that if you continue to work in the same place following your retirement, there must be a “genuine change in status and function. You, the Presbytery and the pastoral charge will need to negotiate a change in your job description and hours of work.

What if I don’t want to retire when I am 65?

You are able to postpone your retirement until you are 69, if you wish. You may do that one year at a time, by making the request of the pastoral charge you are serving, and of the Presbytery. The Presbytery will consult with the pastoral charge, and then may make a recommendation to the Conference that your retirement be postponed for one year.

If the Conference approves, you may continue to work for one year in the same pastoral charge, or seek a call or appointment to another pastoral charge. You will need to ask again on an annual basis for approval to postpone your retirement.

You will continue to make contributions to the pension plan for each year that you postpone retirement.

What if I retire, and then change my mind? Can I return to active status?

Yes, you can apply to the Conference through your Presbytery to be returned to active standing. If your application is approved, you will be able to accept a call and you will resume contributing to the pension plan until your mandatory retirement age of 69.

Why do I have to retire when I am 69?

Our pension plan constitution requires that you retire and draw your pension at the age of 69.

Am I able to work after the age of 69?

Yes, you may continue to seek annual appointments as “Retired Supply”. If you wish to continue as Retired Supply in the charge you were serving prior to retirement, our pension plan requires that there be a “genuine change in status and function”. Again, you, the Presbytery and the pastoral charge will need to negotiate a change in your job description and hours of work.

You may also seek annual appointments as Retired Supply in other pastoral charges.

Because you have retired, you will no longer make contributions to the pension plan.

Please see The Manual 2007, sections 55 (b) and 365.1 for more information.