Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee holds annual meeting

By Deb Oskin

The Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee met virtually for their annual retreat on Oct. 18-20. New laity members Art Fourman (2020-2025) and Bob McMinn (2021-2026) had plenty of time to get to know returning members, secretary Dan Rudy (clergy, 2017-2022), chair Deb Oskin (secular compensation professional, 2018-2023), Gene Hagenberger (representative of the Council of District Executives, 2021-2024), and Nancy Sollenberger Heishman (ex officio, director of the Church of the Brethren Office of Ministry).

While the committee has met three times prior to the retreat, the 15 hours spent together really immersed them in the results of the Mandatory 5-Year Review of Pastoral Compensation and Benefits (which will be presenting to the delegates at Annual Conference in Omaha next summer).

The Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee “having a little too much fun,” according to Deb Oskin: (top row, from left) Bob McMinn, Deb Oskin, Art Fourman; (bottom row, from left) Gene Hagenberger, Dan Rudy, Nancy Sollenberger Heishman.

They updated every section of the “Guidelines for Pastors’ Salary and Benefits” document to match the work their committee and subcommittees of the Council of District Executives have been doing over the past two years.

And they reviewed and recommended changes to the 2002 “Guidelines for Continuing Education” paper that will be reviewed by the Council of District Executives.

The meeting received reports from Brethren Benefit Trust president Nevin Dulabaum and Lynnae Rodeffer, director of Employee Benefits for BBT.

An update was received from a former member of the committee, Ray Flagg (laity, 2016-2021), who is playing a critical role in the development of a “Pastoral Compensation Calculator” that will be central to the new “Integrated Annual Ministry Agreement”–which, after Annual Conference 2022, will replace the current “Start-Up” and “Renewal Agreements.”

Exciting changes for the better are coming soon!

— Deb Oskin is chair of the Pastoral Compensation and Benefits Advisory Committee. She is a tax professional specializing in clergy tax returns and leads the annual Clergy Tax Seminar that is sponsored by the Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership, the Church of the Brethren Office of Ministry, and Bethany Theological Seminary. The next Clergy Tax Seminar is scheduled for Jan. 29, 2022. Register now at https://bethanyseminary.edu/brethren-academy/clergy-tax-seminar.

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