Report of the
Bible Fellowship Board of Directors
The Board of Directors of the Bible Fellowship Church held four regular meetings and one special meeting to attend to corporate business related to Annual Conference, to agencies, and to churches.
The Board provided oversight, advice, and assistance in respect to fiscal, legal and property acquisition and disposal as follows: Annual Conference, medical insurance, administrative budget, Board of Church Extension.
The Board of Directors assisted Board of Church Extension in property matters related to Ocean County, NJ; Newark, NJ; Pleasant Valley, NY; and Staten Island, NY. The Brodheadsville, PA, church has closed.
Discussions have begun between Board of Directors and Board of Directors of Bible Fellowship Church Homes, Inc., regarding the advisability of revising the relationship between Bible Fellowship Church and Bible Fellowship Homes, Inc., so as to protect Bible Fellowship Church against exposure to legal liability for matters related to BFC Homes, Inc.
Mr. Robert H. Carr, Jr., continues to represent the BFC in medical insurance matters, and has held meetings with pastors and the Board of Directors during the year to discuss the changing landscape of medical insurance and advised both the Conference and individual pastors of the options that are open to them. Rev. James A. Beil represents the Board of Directors as liaison with Mr. Carr and is available to pastors and churches as needed.
Over the past two years, the Board of Directors and the Board of Church Extension have been working to create new bylaws for the Fund to Promote Church Extension. This work led to consideration of broader changes which are part of the legislation attached to this report. The resolutions relating to General Fund, Church Assistance Fund, and Pastor’s Assistance Fund stand alone as recommendations of the Board of Directors meant to supplement the legislation already in the Faith & Order. Proposed legislation titled “Real Estate Fund and Bible Fellowship Special Project Fund” are a result of work assigned by Annual Conference to the Board of Directors and the Board of Church Extension. Resolutions that recommend adoption of that legislation follow:
Whereas, establishing new churches is costly, and
Whereas, some denominations have found it to be advan-tageous to make greater initial investments and earlier decisions to cease support of missions not making sufficient progress, be it
Resolved, that we recommend to Annual Conference a one time grant of $100,000 from the Fund to Promote Church Extension to the Board of Church Extension to start new churches, and further
Resolved, that the residue and income from the Fund to Promote Church Extension become the Real Estate Fund under accompanying bylaws proposed by the Board of Directors and the Board of Church Extension.
Resolved, {that we recommend to the Annual Conference” that the following material be the bylaws of the Real Estate Fund. (bylaws below).
Whereas, legislation proposed to this Annual Conference limits the use of the Real Estate Fund, and
Whereas, the Board of Directors and the Board of Church Extension agree that the Board of Directors needs funds to aid in the advancement of the Bible Fellowship Church, be it
Resolved,{that we recommend to the Annual Conference} that a Special Projects Fund under control of Board of Directors be created (bylaws attached), and further
Resolved, that we make a one-time grant to the fund of $10,000 from the Fund to Promote Church Extension.
We express appreciation to the churches that have participated in the effort to replenish the Fund to Promote Church Extension over the last three years. During the campaign $205,093 has been given, $57,187 of which was received in 2001. Although the campaign is over, gifts from churches and individuals to replenish the fund are still welcomed.
All funds are deposited in First Union Bank. Accounts were audited by Alen Perry.
We recommend that the 119th Annual Conference adopt the following:
Resolved, that the rate of mileage reimbursement for conference business be 24¢ per mile.
Resolved, that the Administrative Budget for January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2002, be adopted.
Resolved, that the Administrative Budget for January 1, 2003 to December 31, 2003 be approved for submission to the churches for their pledges.
Pledges for the 2003 Administrative Budget shall be received by the financial secretary by September 1, 2002.
Legislation
512-1 Board of Directors of the Bible Fellowship Church
512-1.3 Duties of the Board
(6) Real Estate of Particular churches (Delete last sentence and add the following) It shall place the net proceeds of the sale of such property in the Real Estate Fund.
512-1.6 Funds Administered by the Board of Directors
General Fund – Administrative Budget
(1) Preparation of the Budget (in addition to the current legislation the following shall replace the previous list)
The budget will include the following items:
Expenses
Annual Conference Accommodations (room and meals)
Annual Conference Expenses (equipment, etc.)
Expenses for Board and Committee Business (including Board of Directors)
Disbursements
Beneficiary Fund – (to the Beneficiary Society)
Conference Pastor – (to the Ministerial Relations Committee or designee)
Historical Society – (to the Historical Committee)
Ministerial Convention – (to the Ministerial Convention Committee)
Ministerial Retirement Fund – (to the Board of Pensions)
Publication and Printing – (to the Board of Publication and Printing)
Funds
Church Assistance Fund
Minsters’ Assistance Fund
Pastoral Intern Fund
Bible Fellowship Church Special Project Fund
Church Assistance Fund (replaces the legislation on the Fund to Assist Churches)
(1) The Board of Directors shall administer and maintain the Church Assistance Fund by an allotment from the Administrative Budget or by direct appeals to the churches.
(2) Possible use of the Fund may be initiated by a referral by an individual or church, or by a request by a Particular Church, or by an inquiry by the Board of Directors. All actual use of the Fund shall be by formal request.
(3) A formal request for use of the Fund shall be made in writing to the Board of Directors from the Board of Elders of a Particular Church. This request shall include the circumstances causing the present need, the proposed use of the money, and the amount requested.
(4) The Board of Directors shall consider the formal request for use of the Fund. It shall reserve the right to examine the latest financial statement of the Particular Church requesting assistance. Assistance is granted by a majority vote of the full Board of Directors.
(5) If a situation arises which the Board of Directors deems to be an economic emergency requiring the extraordinary use of the Fund, the Board is authorized to use the necessary monies for this purpose and shall attempt to repay any money used from the Fund.
Ministers’ Assistance Fund
(1) The Board of Directors shall administer and maintain the Ministers’ Assistance Fund by allotment from the Administrative Budget or by direct appeals to the Churches.
(2) Possible use of the Fund may be initiated by a referral by an individual or church, by a request by a pastor, or by an inquiry by the Board of Directors. All actual use of the Fund shall be by formal request.
(3) A formal request for use of the Fund shall be made in writing to the Board of Directors from the Board of Elders of a Particular Church. This request shall include the circumstances causing the present need, the proposed use of the money, and the amount requested.
(4) The Board of Directors shall consider the formal request for use of the Fund. Assistance is granted by a majority vote of the full Board of Directors.
(5) If a situation arises which the Board of Directors deems to be an economic emergency requiring the extraordinary use of the Fund, the Board is authorized to use the necessary monies for this purpose and shall attempt to repay any money used from the Fund.
Pastoral Intern Fund
(1) The Board of Directors shall administer and maintain the Pastoral Intern Fund by an allotment from the Administrative Budget or by direct appeals to the churches.
(2) The Fund shall be used to assist men serving as interns who are under the care of the Ministerial Candidate Committee.
(3) Upon the recommendation of the Ministerial Candidate Committee, the Board of Directors shall issue grants from the Fund by a majority vote of the entire Board.
(4) If a situation arises which the Board of Directors deems to be an economic emergency requiring the extraordinary use of the Fund, the Borad is authorized to use the necessary monies for this purpose and shall attempt to repay any money used from the Fund.
Real Estate Fund
(1) The Real Estate Fund shall hold the net proceeds of the sale of property deeded to a particular church which ceases to exist for any reason or property under the administration of the Board of Directors at the time of sale. The Fund shall receive the repayment of principle and accrued interest for any loans made from the Fund. The Fund may also receive donations designated to it.
(2) The Fund shall be used to assist in the purchase of real estate in conjunction with the programs of the Board of Church Extension.
(3) The Board of Directors shall have oversight and control of the Fund and shall cooperate with the Board of Church Extension in the use of this fund by giving advice and consent to its various proposals for the purchase of real estate. Consent shall not be unreasonably withheld.
(4) If a situation arises which the Board of Directors deems to be an economic emergency requiring the extraordinary use of the Fund, the Board is authorized to use the necessary monies, provided that the amount used shall not exceed that which can be repaid within one year. If the fund is used to meet an emergency need, the Board of Directors shall give prior notice to the Board of Church Extension. For an amount necessary to meet the emergency which cannot be repaid within one year, the Board of Directors must seek the approval of Annual Conference prior to making the expenditure.
Bible Fellowship Church Special Project Fund
(1) The Board of Directors shall administer and maintain the Bible Fellowship Church Special Project Fund by donations designated to it, by allotments from the Administrative Budget, or by transfers from the General Fund.
(2) The Fund shall be used for the general welfare and advancement of the BFC. This may include the purchase of real estate or other capital expenditures which will strengthen the church as a whole. Such expenditures may be made on behalf of an existing agency, board, or committee, or may involve the creation of a new agency, board, or committee.
(3) If a situation arises which the Board of Directors deems to be an economic emergency requiring the extraordinary use of the Fund, the Board is authorized to use the necessary monies for this purpose and shall attempt to repay any money used from the Fund.
Board of Directors: Randall A. Grossman, President; Carl C. Cassel, Vice President; David J. Watkins, Secretary; Horace A. Kauffman, Financial Secretary; Robert W. Gehret, Treasurer; James A. Beil, Hospitalization Secretary; Raymond R. Dotts,, Charles A. Lavigna, L. James Roberts, Jr.