Report of the Study Committee on Mandatory Retirement Age

                  The 108th Annual Conference of the Bible Fellowship Church, having rejected the recommendation of the Study Committee on Mandatory Retirement Age which would have specified a system by which pastors of 68 years and more would have been retained by their churches, approved two procedural motions directing further work by the committee (1991 Year Book, pp. 24-25):

RESOLVED, that we declare our intention to eliminate the requirement for mandatory retirement of Pastors at age 72.

RESOLVED, that the Committee to Study Mandatory Retirement examine the FAITH & ORDER to determine what changes are needed to implement the elimination of mandatory retirement for pastors, and further

RESOLVED, that the Committee to Study Mandatory Retirement bring recommendations for these changes to this Annual Conference.

                  Although a report was prepared for the adjourned session of the 108th Annual Conference held at Coopersburg on April 11, 1992, the committee could not present it because of changes proposed for the FAITH & ORDER in the legislation concerning the Ministers’ Retirement Fund. Now that the legislation concerning the retirement system has been approved on first reading, and in response to the directives of the 108th Annual Conference, the committee presents the following analysis and recommendation.

References to a Mandatory Retirement Age in the FAITH & ORDER

                  References to a mandatory retirement age of 72 years appear in 4 positions within the FAITH & ORDER prior to modification by the 108th Annual Conference:

Page 123, Article III

                  2:              Any minister of the Bible Fellowship church who has attained the age of 72 years must retire from active service by the end of the month in which he becomes 72 years of age.

                  4:              Years of eligible service shall be calculated beginning with the date of licensing and ending with the effective date of retirement set by the Credentials Committee, or in the case of mandatory retirement, at the end of the month in which the retiree becomes 72 years of age. Any years of active service for which the minister has failed to make required payments into the fund shall not be considered eligible service.

Page 6, 1987 addendum, Article VI

                  B.              It is mandatory that a minister retire at the end of the month in which he attains the age of seventy-two (72) years.

Page 170, Article IV.A.

                  2.               A minister must retire at the end of the month in which he attains the age of 72 years.

References to Retirement in the FAITH & ORDER

                  The FAITH & ORDER contains three references to retirement:

Article III: Retirement from the Ministry (pp. 123-24): We are recommending changes in this article;

VI. Retirement Age (p. 148, amended in 1987: addendum page 6): This article is to be replaced by the legislation concerning the Annuity Fund. No other changes will be needed;

IV. Ordained Ministers in Retirement (page 170): We are recommending changes in this article.

Recommendation

                  The committee proposes a solution which will fulfill its charge to eliminate any reference in the FAITH & ORDER to a mandatory retirement age and which will further accomplish consistency in the references to retirement within the FAITH & ORDER. The result is the language contained in the following resolution. [Please note that boldface printing indicates material to be added, material enclosed in brackets [] is to be deleted, and editorial comments are printed in italics.]

RESOLVED, that the FAITH & ORDER be amended as follows:

Article III: Retirement from the Ministry (pp. 123-24)

                  [Any minister of the Bible Fellowship Church who has attained the age of 65 years or who has completed at least 40 years of eligible service with the Bible Fellowship Church may retire from active service and receive retirement benefits.

                  Any minister of the Bible Fellowship Church who has attained the age of 72 years must retire from active service by the end of the month in which he becomes 72 years of age.

                  Any minister of the Bible Fellowship Church who has rendered at least 25 years of eligible service to the Bible Fellowship Church, and who has not attained 65 years of age, may retire early from active service, but shall not receive retirement benefits until he has attained 65 years of age.

                  Years of eligible service shall be calculated beginning with the date of licensing and ending with the effective date of retirement set by the Credentials Committee, or in the case of mandatory retirement, at the end of the month in which the retiree becomes 72 years of age. Any years of active service for which the minister has failed to make required payments into the fund shall not be considered eligible service.]

A. Any minister of the Bible Fellowship Church may retire at any time under the provisions of the Ministers’ Annuity Fund (pp. xxx-xxx).

B. Any minister holding credentials with the Bible Fellowship Church and seeking retirement shall notify the Credentials Committee of the Bible Fellowship Church at least 90 days prior to the effective date of his retirement. The Credentials Committee shall set the effective date of the retirement, change the status of the minister on the conference records, and notify the Board of Pensions of the effective date of the retirement. [The Board of Directors shall determine the starting date and the amount of benefits to be received according to the rules of the Ministers’ Retirement Fund.] Those ministers pastoring a church shall dissolve the pastoral relationship through the rules of Pulpit Supply.

Page 170, under Categories of Ministry

IV. Ordained Ministers in Retirement

[A. These men draw retirement benefits from the Bible Fellowship Church.

1.               A minister of the Bible Fellowship Church who has attained the age of 65 years may retire from active service.

2.               A minister must retire at the end of the month in which he attains the age of 72 years.

3.               A minister who has given 30 years or more of service to the Bible Fellowship Church may retire from active ministry prior to age 65 and be eligible for an annuity at age 65.]

These are men who have retired under the provisions of Article III: Retirement from the Ministry (pp. 123-24).

FIRST READING

Study Committee on Mandatory Retirement Age: Frank L. Herb, Jr., Chairman; George K. Monroe, Secretary; Roy A. Hertzog; L. James Roberts, Jr.; Henry U. Sandt, Jr.; Richard E. Taylor.