JCD 1199

http://archives.umc.org/interior_judicial.asp?mid=263&JDID=1320&JDMOD=VWD&SN=1101&EN=1200

I’m a devotee of being able to ask questions of law and seeking declaratory decisions to resolve personnel problems.

In the instant case, I wish the request had not been made because it appears the conference was open to granting the pastor’s wish of applying five years of previous service to the two years required after graduation, given the pastor’s impending retirement.

The implications related to pensions, health insurance benefits, and other factors are a little beyond me, though I do not think they would have been affected. It seems the matter is one of appearance rather than substance, though there could be other factors involved not mentioned in the Statement of Facts. Hopefully, the ordination of a retired pastor is not out of the question.

But the Council was drawn in. And the gracious intent of the conference and petitioner was set aside. The simple statement of the law shows that the Council did not trivialize the matter but took it too seriously.