PETITION TO
GENERAL CONFERENCE
Changing the Funding Formula for the Ministerial
Education Fund
To the members of the __________________Annual Conference (or the
2000 General Conference, depending on where you are sending it):
We petition that the first sentence of Par. 821.1, and Par.
821.2(a) and (b), which presently read:
1. Of the total money raised in each annual conference for the
Ministerial Education Fund, 25 percent shall be retained by the annual conference that
raised it, to be used in its program of ministerial education as approved by the annual
conference and administered through its board of ordained ministry.
2. Of the total money raised in each annual conference for the
Ministerial Education Fund, 75 percent shall be remitted by the confer-ence treasurer to
the treasurer of the council for distribution to the General Board of Higher Education and
Ministry, for support of minis-terial education and shall be administered by that board.
It shall be distributed as follows:
a) At least 75 percent of the amount received by the division
shall be distributed to the theological schools of The United Methodist Church on a
formula established by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry after
consultation with the theological schools. All the money allocated to the theological
schools shall be used for current operations, not for physical expansion.
b) The remaining portion of the amount received shall be used for
supplemental distributions to the theological schools and for board use in its program of
ministerial enlistment and development. The General Board of Higher Education and Ministry
will recommend to the general secretary of the General Board of Higher Education and
Ministry appropriate funding for divisional programs of ministerial enlistment and
development.
Be CHANGED as follows:
1. Of the total money raised in each annual conference for the
Ministerial Education Fund, 25 50 percent shall be retained by the
annual conference that raised it, to be used in its program of ministerial education as
approved by the annual conference and administered through its board of ordained ministry.
2. Of the total money raised in each annual conference for the
Ministerial Education Fund, 75 50 percent shall be remitted by the
confer-ence treasurer to the treasurer of the council for distribution to the General
Board of Higher Education and Ministry, for support of minis-terial education and shall be
administered by that board. It shall be distributed as follows:
a) At least 75 percent of the amount received by the
division shall be distributed to the theological schools of The United Methodist Church on
a formula established by the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry after
consultation with the theological schools. All the money allocated to the theological
schools shall be used for current operations, not for physical expansion.
a) Those funds will serve to underwrite the work of
the board through enlistment, interpretation, candidacy studies, course of study, and
guidance and training for district committees and the conference boards of ordained
ministry in their work with diaconals, local pastors, deacons and elders.
b) The remaining portion of the amount received shall
be used for supplemental distributions to the theological schools and for board use in its
program of ministerial enlistment and development. The General Board of Higher Education
and Ministry will recommend to the general secretary of the General Board of Higher
Education and Ministry appropriate funding for divisional programs of ministerial
enlistment and development.
b) A formula will be adopted by the General Board of
Higher Education and Ministry for the distribution of funds to ensure the effective work
of the Board. All additional monies will be distributed by formula among all the United
Methodist seminaries with the exception of our historically African/American seminary,
Gammon, whose share will include a 50% larger disbursement in the established formula.
Those funds distributed to the seminaries shall be used for current operations, not for
physical expansion.
So that the new first sentence of Par 821.1, and Paragraph 821.2
(a) and (b), would then read as follows:
1. Of the total money raised in each annual conference for the
Ministerial Education Fund, 50 percent shall be retained by the annual conference that
raised it, to be used in its program of ministerial education as approved by the annual
conference and administered through its board of ordained ministry. (remainder of
subsection 1 to remain as is)
2. Of the total money raised in each annual conference for the
Ministerial Education Fund, 50 percent shall be remitted by the confer-ence
treasurer to the treasurer of the council for distribution to the General Board of Higher
Education and Ministry, for support of minis-terial education and shall be administered by
that board. It shall be distributed as follows:
a) Those funds will serve to underwrite the work of the board
through enlistment, interpretation, candidacy studies, course of study, and guidance and
training for district committees and the conference boards of ordained ministry in their
work with diaconals, local pastors, deacons and elders.
b) A formula will be adopted by the General Board of Higher
Education and Ministry for the distribution of funds to ensure the effective work of the
Board. All additional monies will be distributed by formula among all the United Methodist
seminaries with the exception of our historically African/American seminary, Gammon, whose
share will include a 50% larger disbursement in the established formula. Those funds
distributed to the seminaries shall be used for current operations, not for physical
expansion.
Submitted by:
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