GCE44 GS 129 Amendment to Section J.6.7 for March 2025

1. What is the issue?

In October 2023, the proposal “GCE 01 Financial Support for Ministry Personnel Suspended While in a Directed Program” was carried. This proposal introduced changes to section J.6.7 to provide greater clarity regarding financial support for ministry personnel.

The Manual Committee now recommends further minor adjustments for additional clarity, specifically the phrase “not less than the minimum salary.” They propose this be changed to “up to the minimum salary.” Without this adjustment, the Office of Vocation would either have to refuse any Personnel Emergency funding or pay the full minimum salary set by the appropriate body.

This wording change would allow Personnel Emergency Funding to act as a top-up to other remuneration a suspended ministry personnel may be receiving, ensuring their total remuneration meets the minimum salary level if appropriate.
Further, “minimum remuneration” should replace “minimum salary” for consistency with the other language changes that have been recently implemented in the Manual. 

2. How might the General Council Executive respond to the issue?

The General Secretary recommends that General Council Executive approve the following editorial changes to The Manual:

J.6.7 

Financial Support

This section (J.6.7) applies where the appropriate body within the Office of Vocation has:

1. suspended a ministry personnel; or
2. required ministry personnel, who is not actively serving in a community of faith and who is otherwise without remuneration from the United Church, to engage in a directed program for the improvement of their pastoral skills.

The appropriate body within the Office of Vocation may provide Personnel Emergency Funding in an amount up to the minimum remuneration set by the General Council, for a period of time and subject to terms as set by the appropriate body.

3. For the body transmitting this proposal to the General Council Executive:

N/A