Agenda Volume 3 - Methodist Conference

59. Memorials to the Conference
million. The previous restriction
on the amount of this money that
could be accessed in any one year
was removed in 2010 and the
Conference encourages all Circuits
to ensure that they are used to the
maximum effect to support local
mission and ministry work. It also
reminds district Policy Committees
of the requirement on them under
Standing Order 955(7) to conduct a
review of all such funds within their
District at least every three years to
ensure that Circuits are using them
innovatively and effectively.
The Conference itself provides
funding for innovative circuit
appointments in several ways. The
Connexional Priority Fund distributes
27.5% of its net annual income from
property sales to District Advance
Funds for use in local mission and
ministry projects. In addition, the
Connexional Grants Committee
makes grants on behalf of the
Conference under Standing Order
213B from a number of funds for
a wide variety of projects, some of
which may involve innovative circuit
appointments.
The Conference therefore commits
to continue to support innovative
appointments via the existing
processes that it has established.
M15 Calculation of assessments
The Gainsborough (17/9) Circuit Meeting
(Present: 15. Voting: unanimous)
requests the Conference to review the
policy of including Lay Workers engaged
in pioneer ministry in the formula used
to calculate the portion of the District
Assessment levied against the Circuit.
The present practice significantly adds
to the employment oncosts of appointing
people to these positions and serves as a
disincentive to employ Mission workers.
Reply
The Conference thanks the Gainsborough
Circuit Meeting for highlighting the process
by which the annual Methodist Church
Fund (MCF) assessment is apportioned
between Circuits.
The total MCF assessment is agreed
each year by the Conference, using a predetermined
formula, and is included within
the Connexional Central Services Budget.
Although this total is divided between the
Districts, it is, as the memorial says, a
levy on the Circuits, not Districts. Standing
Order 361(2) states that the MCF “shall be
maintained by an assessment levied by the
Conference on each Circuit”.
The Conference notes that the actual
amount of the assessment paid by each
Circuit is set by the relevant District.
Districts are empowered to use whichever
policy they find to be most appropriate for
dividing up their portion of the connexional
assessment. This is in keeping with the
policy of devolving decision making as
close as possible to the point of impact.
In response to memorial M19 in 2011 the
Conference encouraged Districts to reevaluate
the method used for apportioning
the assessment between its Circuits each
year, in order to ensure that it is based on
780 Conference Agenda 2012