Report of the
Ministerial Relations Committee
The Lord has faithfully provided for the churches and pastors of His flock in the BFC during the year 2002.
The following resignations were received according to our rules this year:
Church Pastor Effective Date
Howell, NJ David H. Heineman April 30, 2002
Quakertown, PA Lee C. Stauff May 12, 2002
Harleysville, PA W. David Armstrong, Jr. July 31, 2002
Holmes, NY Robert S. Commerford August 17, 2002
Mt. Carmel, PA Alva C. Cassel December 31, 2002
Red Hill, PA D. Thomas Phillips December 31, 2002
Gratersford, PA David J. Watkins December 31, 2002
The following pastorates were established under our rules:
Shamokin, PA Robert S. Commerford August 18, 2002
Lehighton, PA Robert A. Johnson II October 1, 2002
Howell, NJ Eric North February 16, 2003
Bd of Church Ext.
Hellertown, PA Stephen C. Mann March 1, 2003
Pleasant Valley, NY Gerald D. Clark March 9, 2003
Board of Missions Donald E. Kuntzman March 27, 2003
The Committee makes the following recommendations to the 120th Annual Conference:
Resolved, that the recommended minimum salary for a pastor serving in the BFC, including Social Security, be $28,200.00. In addition to his salary, housing allowance, health insurance and retirement must be provided, and provision should be made for reimbursements for car and professional expenses.
Resolved, that the salary for the Conference Pastor be $26,000.00, and in addition we provide $6,000.00 for car and professional expenses and $4,320.00 for health insurance.
Resolved, that the following legislation be presented to Annual Conference for 1st Reading:
Replacing Faith and Order 409 – 1.2 (6) with
(6) In the process of the Nominating Committee determining the candidate they believe to be their choice, the candidate shall interview with the Board of Elders in order to gain the approval of the Board of Elders.
Add
(7) Upon approval of the Board of Elders, the Nominating Committee shall be informed that a Congregational meeting may now be called for the purpose of acting on the report of the Nominating Committee. Public notice of the time, place, and purpose of the meeting shall be given at no fewer than three prior regularly-scheduled meetings.
(Subsequent paragraph renumbered to 8)
Resolved, that the words “Nominating Committee” be changed to “Pastoral Search Committee” in §409 of the Faith & Order.
The committee’s work and oversight has been greatly enhanced by the ministry of our Conference Pastor, Ronald C. Mahurin. Brother Mahurin reports to our committee and gives us updates as to his ministry. This past year we have met with the Pastoral Search Committee from the following Pennsylvania churches: Quakertown, Gratersford, Harleysville and Mt. Carmel, as well as Howell, NJ, and Holmes, NY.
The following are projects that the committee is working on:
1. Developing Guidelines for the Pastoral Salary.
2. Developing Guidelines for the Pastoral Relations Committee in the local church.
3. Developing Guidelines for the relationship of retiring pastors and their churches.
Ministerial Relations Committee: Randall A. Grossman, Chairman; Jacob J. Susek, Jr., Secretary; Lee E. Boyles, Calvin T. Reed, Ronald W. Reed., L. James Roberts, Jr., John C. Vandegriff.