Frequently Asked Questions

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FAQs - Pastoral Relations
An occasional newsletter of *Frequently Asked Questions* in the area of Pastoral Relations … MISCELLANEOUS MINISTRY PERSONNEL QUESTIONS I understand there were changes to some policies at the General Council held this past August. When do those policy changes come into effect? Any policy changes effected by a decision made at General Council 39 will come into effect 90 days after the publication of the Record of Proceedings from the General Council. Generally the new manual (The Manual 2007) is published at the same time as the Record of Proceedings. The time required to write and print these publications will take several months so we can expect them to come out sometime in 2007. Our minister was away on vacation and we held a meeting of the Official Board. One of the members said it wasn't ‘legal' without the minister-- is that correct? That member is correct. The Manual 2004, Section 182.1 states, “The Quorum for the Official Board shall require the attendance of: a member of the Order of Ministry settled in or appointed to the Pastoral Charge; a Lay Pastoral Minister appointed to the Pastoral Charge; the Pastoral Charge Supervisor or an appointee of the Presbytery.” If your minister was absent you did not have a quorum and so the meeting was not in order. If the Board is aware that the minister is going to be absent and the meeting is necessary then the Board must ask the Presbytery to appoint someone from the Presbytery to be present. But, we have a retired minister in our congregation who comes to our meetings doesn't that make it ‘legal'? Only if the Presbytery had been advised that your minister was to be absent and the Presbytery appointed the retired minister in that role. The Manual 2004 states that it shall be the settled or appointed minister or the appointed Lay Pastoral Minister to the charge. When a pastoral charge is without ministry personnel the Presbytery names a Pastoral Charge Supervisor to attend meetings. Are there changes to the requirements for Police Records Checks for Ministry Personnel? Yes. Ministry Personnel are now required to have a Police Record Check that includes the vulnerable sector (Level 2). Currently, the Police Record checks have been required every three years but that will change to a maximum of every 6 years for those in a continuous pastoral relationship whether by call or appointment. There will also be a change in requirements for retired ministry personnel who serve short-term appointments. Currently they require a police records check at the beginning of a new appointment. The new policy will state that their police records check will be valid for a six year period providing they take appointments within the same Presbytery. This policy, like all policy changes, will come into effect 90 days after the publication of the General Council Record of Proceedings. You will be interested to know that the Conference is investigating securing the services of an agency to provide Police Records Checks for individuals. The details and necessary form for this will be provided on the Conference web page. Our minister has told us that she will be 65 this year but that she will not be retiring. Is there an age requirement for retirement? The Manual 2004, Section 365.1 (b) states “The normal retirement of a member of the Order of Minister shall be the attaining of the age sixty-five (65) or the following June 30 th .” However, a recent change to provincial/federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of age and prohibits mandatory retirement. The Manual 2007 will be changed to comply with the current legislation. In other words, in future there will be no age attached to retirement for United Church Ministry personnel. That being said, The United Church Pension Plan does require members to begin to draw their pension at the age of 69. The pension member may continue to work after he/she begins to draw the pension however the Pension plan does specify that the individual may not continue to work in the same pastoral relationship as prior to the initiation of receiving their pension. Our Pastoral charge is searching for a new minister. We have a minister filling in for us on a Sunday-by-Sunday basis and this has been going on for a few months. We are paying him $150 per Sunday and the Treasurer wonders if we need take deductions from his pay? Weekend Supply and Sunday/Pulpit Supply are irregular and occasional (casual) pieces of work that have neither expectation of nor obligation to on-going employment on the part of either the pastoral charge or the person providing the supply. As such, they do not require the pastoral charge to make payroll deductions for Employment Insurance, Canada Pension or income tax. However, if the supply position is "regularized" through an agreement to provide the service on a regular and on-going basis then it becomes an employment relationship, and EI and CPP must be deducted.

FAQs - Pastoral Relations

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

MISCELLANEOUS MINISTRY PERSONNEL QUESTIONS

I understand there were changes to some policies at the General Council held this past August. When do those policy changes come into effect?

Any policy changes effected by a decision made at General Council 39 will come into effect 90 days after the publication of the Record of Proceedings from the General Council. Generally the new manual (The Manual 2007) is published at the same time as the Record of Proceedings. The time required to write and print these publications will take several months so we can expect them to come out sometime in 2007.

Our minister was away on vacation and we held a meeting of the Official Board. One of the members said it wasn't ‘legal' without the minister-- is that correct?

That member is correct. The Manual 2004, Section 182.1 states, “The Quorum for the Official Board shall require the attendance of: a member of the Order of Ministry settled in or appointed to the Pastoral Charge; a Lay Pastoral Minister appointed to the Pastoral Charge; the Pastoral Charge Supervisor or an appointee of the Presbytery.” If your minister was absent you did not have a quorum and so the meeting was not in order. If the Board is aware that the minister is going to be absent and the meeting is necessary then the Board must ask the Presbytery to appoint someone from the Presbytery to be present.

But, we have a retired minister in our congregation who comes to our meetings doesn't that make it ‘legal'?

Only if the Presbytery had been advised that your minister was to be absent and the Presbytery appointed the retired minister in that role. The Manual 2004 states that it shall be the settled or appointed minister or the appointed Lay Pastoral Minister to the charge. When a pastoral charge is without ministry personnel the Presbytery names a Pastoral Charge Supervisor to attend meetings.

Are there changes to the requirements for Police Records Checks for Ministry Personnel?

Yes. Ministry Personnel are now required to have a Police Record Check that includes the vulnerable sector (Level 2). Currently, the Police Record checks have been required every three years but that will change to a maximum of every 6 years for those in a continuous pastoral relationship whether by call or appointment. There will also be a change in requirements for retired ministry personnel who serve short-term appointments. Currently they require a police records check at the beginning of a new appointment. The new policy will state that their police records check will be valid for a six year period providing they take appointments within the same Presbytery. This policy, like all policy changes, will come into effect 90 days after the publication of the General Council Record of Proceedings.

You will be interested to know that the Conference is investigating securing the services of an agency to provide Police Records Checks for individuals. The details and necessary form for this will be provided on the Conference web page.

Our minister has told us that she will be 65 this year but that she will not be retiring. Is there an age requirement for retirement?

The Manual 2004, Section 365.1 (b) states “The normal retirement of a member of the Order of Minister shall be the attaining of the age sixty-five (65) or the following June 30 th .” However, a recent change to provincial/federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of age and prohibits mandatory retirement. The Manual 2007 will be changed to comply with the current legislation. In other words, in future there will be no age attached to retirement for United Church Ministry personnel. That being said, The United Church Pension Plan does require members to begin to draw their pension at the age of 69. The pension member may continue to work after he/she begins to draw the pension however the Pension plan does specify that the individual may not continue to work in the same pastoral relationship as prior to the initiation of receiving their pension.

Our Pastoral charge is searching for a new minister. We have a minister filling in for us on a Sunday-by-Sunday basis and this has been going on for a few months. We are paying him $150 per Sunday and the Treasurer wonders if we need take deductions from his pay?

Weekend Supply and Sunday/Pulpit Supply are irregular and occasional (casual) pieces of work that have neither expectation of nor obligation to on-going employment on the part of either the pastoral charge or the person providing the supply. As such, they do not require the pastoral charge to make payroll deductions for Employment Insurance, Canada Pension or income tax. However, if the supply position is "regularized" through an agreement to provide the service on a regular and on-going basis then it becomes an employment relationship, and EI and CPP must be deducted.