Mission Council September 21 and 22, 2012

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North Central Jurisdiction

Jurisdictional Mission Council

 

 

Minutes of Meeting of September 21 and 22, 2012

 

Present:  Ruth Ellen Stone, Chair, Bishop Julius Trimble, Rita Gaither-Gant, Luke Sutton, Gail Burgess, Ouk-Yean Kim Jueng, Nilsa Saliceti, Mark Dicken, Cynthia Williams, Harry Askin, Rose Booker-Jones, Lawrence McGuin, Jodi Cataldo, Bill Pyatt, Vice Chair, Rick Van Giesen, Treasurer, John Boley, Secretary.  Guest:  Jim Searls, webmaster.

 

Devotions:  Bishop Trimble led in devotions and liturgy.  He reflected on Psalm 139 and Mark 7:12 and the topic of “Freedom of Speech and the Golden Rule” – We have too often embraced freedom of speech that spills over into hate speech and we too often forget the Golden Rule.

 

Get Acquainted:  Bill led us in some get acquainted exercises, which included introductions of all of the members of the Council.

 

Minutes:  Bill moved and Lawrence seconded the approval of the minutes from September 23 and 24, 2011 and the action of the Mission Council at Jurisdictional Conference to approve up to $5000 for use in the task force that will be looking at Jurisdictional viability.

 

NCJ Resolution:  Motion by Bill, seconded by Lawrence, to receive for consideration the resolutions of the Jurisdictional Conference from page 66 of the Advance Journal, and the resolution creating a task force to examine the future of the Jurisdiction.

 

Financial Reports:  Rick led a discussion about the Financial Reports:

 

  1. Quadrennial Report beginning 1/1/09

1)    Receipts:  Rick reported on the receipt of apportionments – his only concern being the Dakotas, but he will follow up.

2)    Expenses:  Most groups are fine – some specifics:

a)     Korean Ministries – reported at 194 % of budget, but Korean ministry raises its own funds and they now have a balance of about $4000

b)    Jurisdictional Conference expenses are way under budget – budgeted $299,000 and spent about $212,000

c)     Youth Ministries – Rick explained the loss of $33,000 and the reasons for it

d)    Religion and Race – Rick explained the misunderstanding about carryover funding and the previous authorization of an additional $20,000

3)    Aging Accounts Receivable – Only the Dakotas is behind

4)    Balance Sheet – pretty healthy, we have about $277,000 in cash and we expect to receive another $57,000 by the end of the year

Bill moved that we receive the Financial Reports – Approved.

 

Roster:  We reviewed the Roster and several people made corrections.  John will update the roster and send it out by email.  All members were happy to receive email communications exclusively.  Jim Searls obtained permission from all members to put their names and email addresses on the NCJ website.

 

Orientation to the work of the Mission Council:  Ruth Ellen led a discussion about the work of the Mission Council in oversight of the Mission agencies and advocacy groups.

 

Web Site:  Jim reported that there is a new web site that went up around the time of Jurisdictional Conference.  He will post whatever is sent to him, for example, the October event of Religion and Race.  Jim will make contact with each Annual Conference communication directors and find ways to link.

 

Update:  Jodi Cataldo reported that the Reuben Job Center has a new name – The Dakota Wesleyan Center for Christian Leadership.  It is now sending out a job announcement for the replacement of Doug Anderson.  We have approved $90,000 for the next quadrennium.

 

New Financial Policies:  Rick led a discussion of the Financial Policies as approved and presented by the Executive Committee.  These are some old policies and some new ones rolled in.  Note:  the final approved Financial Policies are attached as Addendum A.

 

  1. Item # 1 on Apportionments is current policy.
  2. Item # 2 on Accounts is current policy.
  3. Item # 3 on Investments is current policy.
  4. Item # 4 on the Two Pathways were approved at Jurisdictional Conference.  Rick explained the two pathways.

 

Dinner Break

Reconvene

 

  1. Item # 5 on Meeting Expenses – add subparagraph i  “Receipts are required for reimbursement.”  Add in g. “Members preferring single rooms will be charged 50% of the room cost, unless extraordinary circumstances warrant the necessity of a single room.”
  2. Item # 6 on Credit Cards is current practice
  3. Item # 7 on Cash Advances is new
  4. Item # 8 on Budget – add in 8b  “through the Executive Committee” after “Mission council.  Add in 8b “In consultation with” and remove “consent of the”

Item # 8 c. – limit to 90%.  Discussion.  Move to table 8 c. and d.  Approved.

  1. Item # 9 on Carry Over.  In 9a, add “line item” after “unexpended.”
  2. Item # 10 on Reserves – add “at least” after “cash reserve of.”
  3. Item # 11 on Honorariums – codifies existing practice
  4. Item # 12 on Audit – requirements of the Discipline.
  5. Item # 13 on Contracts – is new to correct a problem (Youth Convocation).  It was approved to reduce the threshold requiring two signatures from $25,000 to $10,000.

 

Many thanks to Rick for all of his work to tighten up our accounting practices.

 

Rick reported the following status of agencies with respect to their compliance to our new procedures:

 

  1.  No changed needed since Rick is their treasurer:  Asian American Fellowship; Commission on Religion and Race; Division on Ministry with Young People; Korean Mission.
  2. Agencies needing to change:  Continuing Consultation Committee; Center for Hispanic Ministries; Committee on Native American Ministries; Town and Country Assn; Urban Network
  3. Independent Agencies:  Dakota Wesleyan Center for Christian Leadership; Hispanic American Caucus; MMDC, UMVIM

 

Break for the Evening

Reconvened at 8:00 am on Saturday

 

Ouk-Yean led in prayer.

 

Financial Policies, cont.

 

8.  Open items 8 c & d.  Rick tried to clarify the 90% requirement.

Motion by Mark Dicken to amend paragraph 8 as follows:

“The Treasurer shall remit funds to an annual conference in proportion to the                                percentage of jurisdictional apportionments paid by the Annual conference.”                              Seconded.  Much discussion.  Bill called the question.  Approved.  Vote:  Motion                         defeated.

 

            8 c.  Rick suggested adding at the end, “which equals a 2.5% reduction each year” after                  the word, “quadrennium” in the parentheses.    Moved by Bill, seconded.  Motion    Approved.

 

11a.  Harry proposed $400 per month as the Treasurer Honorarium.  Rick was thankful    but said that it is not in the budget.  No action taken.

 

Mark moved, the adoption of all of the Financial Policies as amended.  Motion      approved.

 

Liaison Matters:  Bill led a discussion about the responsibilities of the Liaisons, including the following points:

  1. Liaisons need to help agencies with the new financial policies and overall accountability.  Bill will update the agency list.
  2. Ruth Ellen reviewed the Liaison procedures handout

Motion by Jodi, seconded, that we create a subcommittee to review and revise evaluation assessment tools.  Discussion.  Motion approved.  Bill suggested that the Executive Committee be this sub-committee.  Consensus.

Harry reiterated the need for written annual reports from all agencies.

 

John moved that we meet annually to review, meaning that we would add a meeting in 2013.   Rick suggested that we could afford this.  Approved.

 

Web site:  Jim Searls offered suggestions for electronic communications.  John offered to work with Jim to get more materials online.

 

Liaison Assignments:  Ruth Ellen passed out a pink sheet of liaison assignments.  Changes:  Remove Jodi Cataldo, Change Sarah Stevens to NCJVIM.  A copy of these assignments as amended is attached as Addendum B.

 

Executive Committee Recommendations:  Ruth Ellen led a discussion on recommendations from the earlier Executive Committee meeting:

 

  1. Executive committee had approved the Financial Policies
  2. Honorarium for Jurisdictional Secretary.  That we pay Maria Wiblin a $2000 stipend for her work upon completion and printing of the 2012 Jurisdictional Conference Journal.  Motion by Jodi, seconded.  Approved.
  3. File Cabinet for Rick.  Motion by Laurence, seconded, that we allocate up to $300 to Rick for the purchase of a file cabinet for NCJ materials.  Approved.
  4. Nominations Report:  Ruth Ellen offered the following slate of officers for 2012 – 2016:

Chair:                                                  Bill Pyatt

Vice-Chair / Chair Elect:         Jodi Cataldo

Secretary:                                John Boley

Rick Van Giesen, Treasurer, Bishop Julius Trimble, Paul White, NCJ                                 Secretary are also on the Executive Committee by virtue of their office.

 

Motion by Mark that Cynthia Williams be added as an at large member of                          the Executive Committee.  Approved.

 

Entire slate approved.

 

 

Many, many thanks to the IGRC for hosting us in Springfield.

 

 

 

 

Next Meetings:

2013 – Executive Committee meeting with College of Bishops – September 16 – 18,                                              2013

2013 – September 27 and 28 – in Springfield, IL

2014 – September 26 and 27

2015 – September 25 and 26

 

Rick handed out 1) Jurisdictional Conference nominating report, 2) 2012-2016 Budget and Apportionments, 3) Travel Voucher

 

Thanks:  Ruth Ellen was profoundly thanked for all of her work over the last quadrennium

 

Jodi closed in prayer.  Adjourned.

 

 

 

Respectfully submitted:

 

 

John Boley, Secretary

212 S. Park St.

Kalamazoo, MI  49007

269.381.6340

jboley@umc-kzo.org

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Addendum A

 

NORTH CENTRAL JURISDICTION

UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

 

Mission Council Financial Policies

Approved: September 22, 2012

  

  1. 1.     APPORTIONMENTS
    1. a.     Apportionment figures for the entire quadrennium will be sent to each annual conference after the NCJ session.
    2. b.     The percentage of apportionment share will be determined on the same basis as GCFA’s General Conference apportionment calculation for the most recent year those figures are available.
    3. c.     That percentage will not be changed until the apportionments for the next quadrennium are calculated.
    4. d.     Apportionment statements will be sent out to each conference at the beginning of each quarter year.
    5. e.     If annual conferences merge during the quadrennium, the apportionment to the new conference will be the total of the previous conferences until the end of that quadrennium.
    6. f.      Annual conferences will be urged to submit their last apportionment payment for the quadrennium by December 31st to close out the quadrennium.

 

  1. 2.     ACCOUNTS
    1. The NCJ shall maintain a checking account at a banking institution approved by the Mission Council.
    2. A savings account may also be established if required by the financial institution or directed by the Mission Council.
    3. The Treasurer and the Chairperson of the Mission Council shall be signers on all NCJ financial accounts.
    4. Only one signature is required for all NCJ transactions.

 

  1. 3.     INVESTMENTS
    1. Investments of NCJ Funds shall be recommended by the Treasurer and approved by the Mission Council.
    2. The Treasurer and Chairperson of the Mission Council shall be signers on all investment accounts.

 

  1. DIRECT SUPPORT OF MISSION AGENCIES – TWO PATHWAYS
    1. 1.     Block (Lump Sum) Annual Funding
      1. Organization/Agency shall provide the NCJ Treasurer with a copy of its 501(c)(3) designation from the IRS.
      2. Organization/Agency shall provide the NCJ Treasurer with a copy of its articles of incorporation and registration with the appropriate governmental entities in the state where its main offices are located.
      3. Funds must be requested annually.
      4. A detailed financial report from the previous year must be presented to the NCJ Treasurer (An audit is preferable).
      5. Local churches, uncharted churches and mission churches are exempt from a & b above, however, approved funding will be sent to the appropriate annual conference treasurer for distribution monthly.

 

  1. 2.     Periodic and Reimbursement Funding
    1. Organizations and agencies which do not have their own 501(c)(3) designation and are not separately incorporated must utilize NCJ Treasurer as their sole treasurer.
    2. Existing balances in current bank accounts as of December 31, 2012 must be surrendered to the NCJ Treasury and evidence provided that those bank accounts are closed.
    3. Organizations and agencies shall utilize a payout voucher system (provided by the NCJ Treasurer) for program expenses and reimbursements.
    4. The annual audit of these organizations and agencies shall be conducted as a part of the NCJ audit.
    5. The NCJ Treasurer will issue quarterly reports to the director and chair of the agency or organization and those whom the organization or agency designates.

 

  1. MEETING EXPENSE POLICIES
    1. The Mission Council may, at its discretion, reimburse meeting expenses for all NCJ entities on an actual expense or per diem basis.
    2. The Mission Council shall set a NCJ meeting mileage reimbursement rate from time to time in consideration of the current economic environment.
    3. The Mission Council may require the use of a specific travel agency for all flights to meetings. Flights arranged otherwise may not be reimbursed.
    4. The NCJ does not pay for baggage fees to meetings that last less than 5 days. Members may request an exception if they have a handicapping condition which prevents them from handling carry-on luggage.
    5. The NCJ does not pay for other airport/airline fees which are considered as convenience items or add-ons.
    6. Unless special circumstances warrant, members who live less than 500 miles from the site of a meeting are expected to drive to the event. Carpooling is strongly encouraged.
    7. Where appropriate, sharing hotel rooms is strongly encouraged and results in the most savings of NCJ meeting expenses. Members preferring single rooms will be charged 50% of the room cost, unless extraordinary circumstances warrant the necessity of a single room. The single room cost charge may be deducted from reimbursed expenses.
    8. The NCJ encourages the use of hotel shuttles or van services for ground transportation. Taxis should only be used as a last resort.
    9. Receipts are required for any and all reimbursements.

 

  1. Credit Card
    1. A credit card in the name of the North Central Jurisdiction may be issued to the Treasurer to facilitate hotel deposits and other expenses.
    2. The Treasurer shall keep a record of all credit card expenditures with associated receipts for presentation to the auditors.

 

  1. Cash Advances
    1. Cash advances for meeting expenses, honorariums or any other purpose are not permitted without specific authorization from the Executive Committee of the Mission Council.
    2. All receipts associated with any cash advance must be presented to the treasurer along with any unspent funds.
    3. Expenditures which are not properly documented must be reimbursed by the individual to the NCJ Treasury.

 

  1. Budget
    1. The Treasurer is not permitted to effect any payout or reimbursement which would result in an overage of the associated budget line item.
    2. The Mission Council, through its executive committee, retains the authority of a finance committee and may shift budget line item amounts in-between sessions of the Jurisdictional conference, with full notification of and in consultation with the parties involved.
    3. In anticipation of future apportionment payment shortfalls, the Treasurer may not exceed 90% of total payouts of any line item in a single year (prorated for each year of the quadrennium, which equals a 2.5% reduction each year).
    4. At the end of the quadrennium, the Treasurer may remit budget requests up to (but not exceeding) the percentage of apportionments received for the quadrennium.

 

  1. Carry-Over
    1. No unexpended line-item budget amounts from apportionments will carry over to the next quadrennium.
    2. All unexpended apportionments funds will be retained as cash reserves.
    3. No entity may make any claims on apportionment funds from the previous quadrennium.
    4. Apportionment funds cannot be re-characterized as project accounts.
    5. Any project accounts that are permitted to carry-over to the next quadrennium must have been specifically designated for a project which is not yet complete.
    6. The order of unrestricted funds expended will be 1) Project Account Funds and then 2) Apportionment Funds.

 

  1. Reserve
    1. The Treasurer shall maintain a cash reserve of at least $50,000 at all times.

 

 

  1. Honorariums
    1. The Treasurer shall receive an honorarium of $250 per month, or an amount as so designated by the Mission Council.
    2. The Mission Council may approve, upon its discretion and within established budgets, honorariums for other persons who serve the NCJ.
    3. All honorariums and stipends paid to persons (agency directors, board chairs, resource persons, experts, etc.) under the jurisdiction and direct supervision of the NCJ shall require approval from the Mission Council or its Executive Committee.

 

  1. Audit
    1. In compliance with ¶520 (2008 Book of Discipline), a yearly audit of the NCJ Treasury shall be performed.
    2. The audit will be performed according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) by an auditing firm licensed to do so.
    3. The Mission Council shall underwrite the cost of the audit from the Mission Council expenses line item.
    4. The results of the audit shall be reported to the Mission Council and the College of Bishops.

 

  1. Contracts
    1. The NCJ Treasurer and/or the Mission Council Chairperson are the only authorized signers of contracts which obligate funding from the NCJ Treasury.
    2. All contracts signed by persons other than the NCJ Treasurer and/or the Mission Council Chairperson are null and void.
    3. Any contract which obligates the NCJ to more than $10,000 must be signed by both the NCJ Treasurer and the Mission Council Chairperson.

 

Addendum B

 

Liaison Assignments

 

 

 

Nilsa Saliceti                  Hispanic Caucus

Ouk-Yean Kim Jueng      Korean Ministries

Cynthia Williams            Urban Ministries

Harry Askin                   Midwest Mission Distribution Center

Rita Gaither – Gant         Commission on Native American Ministries

Lawrence McGuin          Continuing Consultation Committee

Gail Burgess                  Center for Hispanic Ministries

Mark Dicken                  Dakota Wesleyan University Center for

Christian Leadership

Luke Sutton                   Division on Ministry with Young People

John Edgar                    Town and Country Ministries

Matthew Sipe                 Asian American Fellowship

Jeannette Kraus              Commission on Religion and Race

Joel Carver                    Division on Ministry with Young People

Sarah Stevens                NCJ Volunteers in Mission

 

At Large:  Rose Booker Jones, Valerie Mossman-Celestin

 

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