United Church of God, an International Association
Council of Elders Meeting Report
Tuesday, March 4, 2003 – Cincinnati OH

The final day for this session included discussions led by Gary Antion on matters relating to the Ethics, Roles and Rules Committee and by Aaron Dean on the subjects of long-term disability insurance and budget for local congregation facilities. The meetings concluded with decisions on a few miscellaneous items and a brief executive session.

Ethics, Roles and Rules

Mr. Antion requested Council action on matters dealing with two committees under the direction of the Ethics, Roles and Rules Committee.
• Since there will be a need at the beginning of fiscal year 2003-04 for both a new member and a new alternate member of the Amendment Committee, the Council appointed Ricky Avent as a member and selected Keith Wilson to serve as the alternate. Mr. Avent is the current alternate and Mr. Wilson had already been approved by the Council as an acceptable potential member of the committee.
• The Council reviewed and made minor edits to a document titled “Member Appeal Committee Job Description,” submitted by Robert Fahey, who has served on that committee and is the Chicago-area UCG pastor. This document describes the process for member appeals and the role of the Member Appeal Committee. By vote of 11-0 (Jim Franks was in another meeting), Council accepted the document as edited.
• In accordance with the Human Resources Grievance Policy (paragraph 2.17 in the Employees handbook), a five-person committee was established for the purpose of reviewing employment grievance appeals. The committee members chosen were: Jim Chapman, Robert Dick, Clyde Hubbard, Richard Kennebeck and Dee Kilough. The committee was established by motion and Council vote of 10-0 (Robert Dick abstained, Mr. Franks was in another meeting).

Attention turned to the matter of the ratification of an elder to serve out the remaining term of an open Council position. For the first time, the Council is faced with the need to replace a member with an elder who will fill a vacancy that continues beyond the next annual meeting. This situation requires that the replacement Council member be ratified by the General Conference of Elders at its next meeting, as stated in Bylaw 8.4.3.

If the replacement Council member is ratified he will serve the remaining portion of the term. However, if the General Conference does not ratify the replacement, there would be a need for a balloting process to fill the vacant Council seat.

The Council was presented with three options for resolving that eventuality. Larry Darden, Church legal counsel, helped prepare and review the options. He was also present for and assisted in the discussion.

After careful deliberation the Council decided on a procedure which they felt best fit the requirements of the bylaws. In the event that the replacement Council member is not ratified, a new nomination process would begin before the adjournment of the 2003 annual meeting and the election would follow as quickly as possible.

The Council decision to accept this option as presented by the Ethics, Roles and Rules Committee passed by an 8-3 margin (Mr. Franks was in another meeting). Those opposed were Les McCullough, Joel Meeker and Leon Walker. (Mr. Walker stated that he preferred an option that would have allowed the replacement Council member, if not ratified, to have also been a nominee for the open international seat on the Council.)

Long-Term Disability Insurance

Mr. Dean led the Council in a discussion of the status of our long-term disability insurance coverage for employees. Due to restrictions on coverage, the Church dropped its Long-Term Disability insurance some time ago, in essence leaving the Church legally obligated to an HR policy written years ago for the prior insurance policy. Since the Church does not have that coverage, Council was asked to delete policy statement 4.4 from the Employee handbook. Without an insurance policy, the settlement of any long term disability claims would be mandatory, creating a legal liability to UCG.

A motion was passed by a vote of 8-2 to rescind Human Resources Policy 4.4. (Mr. Franks was in another meeting, Mr. Dick abstained, Victor Kubik and Mr. Antion opposed. Mr. Antion explained that he was concerned that by rescinding the policy, this action leaves the ministry without coverage in this regard.)

The Council also passed by an 11-0 vote (Mr. Franks was in another meeting) that the president should review other insurance policies or approaches and present suggestions for a new HR policy on long term disability at the next Council meeting. Until then any long-term disability will be paid out of the discretionary assistance fund.

Church Facilities Budget

Under Mr. Dean’s direction, Council reviewed the decision concerning the budget allocated for local church buildings. The proposed budget for 2003-04 did not allow for the roll over of any remaining portion of the $50,000 budgeted for church building facilities in the current fiscal year. Mr. Walker pointed out that amounts not spent were not intended to roll over into the next fiscal year, since over time that would build to an unwieldy amount of money which was effectively restricted for that purpose. Messrs. Antion, Dean and Holladay indicated it was their understanding that the amount allocated was to have been allowed to roll over from one fiscal year to the next, up to a certain cap. Mr. Dean also stated that a budget item is not restricted, as many items not spent are reallocated. It was agreed that this is not an issue for the 2003-04 budget, but that a resolution would be needed to clarify the policy and set any cap. Clyde Kilough remanded the issue to the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee.

Miscellaneous Business Items

• Richard Pinelli requested Council to consider provision within the Church’s “Travel Planning and Expense Limitation Requirements” for a pastor to pilot his own plane for Church business when required by the circumstances of his assignment. Mr. Darden presented a written policy which the Council reviewed, edited and approved by a vote of 11-0 (Mr. Franks was in another meeting).
• Mr. Kilough requested each Council member to fill out a survey indicating his preference for 2003 Feast of Tabernacles assignment.
• The National Council of United Church of God, United Kingdom accepted an offer from the Council to help study revisions to their Constitution and Bylaws. A motion for Mr. Kilough to coordinate the effort and select volunteers was passed 11-0 (Mr. Franks was in another meeting).
• Council member Joel Meeker was assigned to serve on the Media/Evangelism Oversight Committee and the Ethics, Roles and Rules Committee.
• Council of Elders meeting dates were confirmed for May 6-8 and August 11-14, 2003.
• The Council agreed that it will meet December 2-10, 2003. Committee meetings will take place December 2-3 and the general meetings will be conducted December 4-5 and 7-10.
• The Annual Meeting of the General Conference of Elders for 2004 will take place from May 1-3, with the official business meeting on Sunday, May 2.
• Mr. Kilough will extend an invitation to two international area representatives to attend the May 6-8, 2003 Council meetings.

After a brief executive session the meeting adjourned at 12:45 PM.

-Don Henson

© 2003 United Church of God, an International Association