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lay delegate reports from 2020 Annual conference
The UMC North Georgia Annual Conference and Tucker First
Follow the Money
Joe W. Kilpatrick Sr.
Several actions adopted at the North Georgia Annual Conference held Saturday, August 29th impact local congregations like Tucker First.
Tucker’s Apportionments - Going Down!
In general, Tucker First is now “asked” for 19% less money in 2021 for our apportioned share of UMC operations. Total reduction is the 2021 budget compared to the 2020 budget is about $4 million. Here in 2020 Tucker was asked to pay about $11,000/month for UMC operations and missions. We can expect to be asked for about $9,000 /month (my rough estimate) going forward. The annual conference received 91% of its asking’s for 2019, a total of $20 million received. $6.3 million flows on to the General or worldwide church.
Reasons for the decrease!
This reduction in “askings” for 2021 to Tucker First is made available to us in North Georgia for at least two reasons. First, there is an administrative change eliminating the offices and positions of four district superintendents thereby saving about $1,075,000 annually. There will now be eight districts rather than twelve. The North Georgia Conference is reducing their North Georgia budget by 19% to $11.1 million.
Second, the worldwide UMC, governed by The General Conference, has proposed a reduction in its budget. Significant funds have been accumulated by the General Boards and Agencies. The current “askings” from us in North Georgia have therefore been reduced about 19% to $5.8 million, in an attempt to encourage the Boards and Agencies, such as the General Board of Global Ministries, now headquartered on Ponce de Leon, to spend down their reserves, maintaining ministry, while giving relief to local churches.
Future resources for North Georgia - Net Fund Assets
Our Annual Conference holds unrestricted funds of $48.2 million. Of this amount, the Conference has designated $44.9 million for certain purposes, and holds the remainder which is $3.3 million as an undesignated reserve. Of designated funds, $19.9 is designated for pension and medical benefit programs. The Conference is holding $9.4 million discussed below and designated for church development. A “designation” is not a “restriction” but allows the Conference freedom to alter the purpose of disbursements.
Tucker’s been realigned – a NEW District!
The consolidation of the districts within North Georgia impacts Tucker First. We are no longer in The Atlanta Emory District. Instead we are in District 4-Central South, which embraces all UMCs in four counties, DeKalb, Rockdale, Henry and Newton. Our District Superintendent is Rev. Quincy Brown and the District Office is in Conyers. (Quincy recently had a kidney transplant, and reports he is doing well.)
Closing Churches – selling property – managing the proceeds!
Another aspect of following the money has to do with the closing of churches and the sale of church property. Many at Tucker will be aware of the sale of Briarcliff UMC and Druid Hills UMC. Since June 2017 thirty-one properties have been sold for $16,414,161. There are ten properties currently for sale at appraised values of $2,364,000. And there are eight properties under contract for $2,985,000. Finally, it’s important to know that $5.7 million from property sales is held in district accounts. So, who determines where proceeds from sales are held and who decides about the disbursement of these massive funds? These are important matters especially considering a coming division of the UMC, and studies that indicate about 200 more UMC churches in North Georgia lack economic sustainability resulting in probable real estate sales.
Just like we have a Board of Trustees here at Tucker with accountability to all of us meeting in our Church Conference and reporting through our Church Council, there is an equivalent Board of Trustees with each district and with the North Georgia Conference.
If we, a local church, sell “our” property (which we hold in trust for the denomination) we keep and manage the proceeds as long as we are a viable congregation or if we combine with a viable congregation. We could use the proceeds as we see fit such as for remodeling, relocating, etc. In the past, if a local congregation simply closed (aged out for example), the District Trustees took over the property for sale or use as they determine. If sold by the District, 75% of proceeds were held in the District and 25% was sent to the Conference, both designated for new church development. Today the proceeds from a sale go to the Annual Conference. All real estate transactions need the approval of the District Superintendent who would preside at a Church or Charge Conference. Twenty-five local churches were closed at this Annual Conference a bit above average.
The Pitts Library at Emory is the designated custodian of church archives when a congregation closes.
Thank you for the opportunity to join with Leigh Anderson and represent the people of Tucker First UMC at the North Georgia Annual Conference.
Joe W. Kilpatrick, Sr.
Lay delegate
Follow the Money
Joe W. Kilpatrick Sr.
Several actions adopted at the North Georgia Annual Conference held Saturday, August 29th impact local congregations like Tucker First.
Tucker’s Apportionments - Going Down!
In general, Tucker First is now “asked” for 19% less money in 2021 for our apportioned share of UMC operations. Total reduction is the 2021 budget compared to the 2020 budget is about $4 million. Here in 2020 Tucker was asked to pay about $11,000/month for UMC operations and missions. We can expect to be asked for about $9,000 /month (my rough estimate) going forward. The annual conference received 91% of its asking’s for 2019, a total of $20 million received. $6.3 million flows on to the General or worldwide church.
Reasons for the decrease!
This reduction in “askings” for 2021 to Tucker First is made available to us in North Georgia for at least two reasons. First, there is an administrative change eliminating the offices and positions of four district superintendents thereby saving about $1,075,000 annually. There will now be eight districts rather than twelve. The North Georgia Conference is reducing their North Georgia budget by 19% to $11.1 million.
Second, the worldwide UMC, governed by The General Conference, has proposed a reduction in its budget. Significant funds have been accumulated by the General Boards and Agencies. The current “askings” from us in North Georgia have therefore been reduced about 19% to $5.8 million, in an attempt to encourage the Boards and Agencies, such as the General Board of Global Ministries, now headquartered on Ponce de Leon, to spend down their reserves, maintaining ministry, while giving relief to local churches.
Future resources for North Georgia - Net Fund Assets
Our Annual Conference holds unrestricted funds of $48.2 million. Of this amount, the Conference has designated $44.9 million for certain purposes, and holds the remainder which is $3.3 million as an undesignated reserve. Of designated funds, $19.9 is designated for pension and medical benefit programs. The Conference is holding $9.4 million discussed below and designated for church development. A “designation” is not a “restriction” but allows the Conference freedom to alter the purpose of disbursements.
Tucker’s been realigned – a NEW District!
The consolidation of the districts within North Georgia impacts Tucker First. We are no longer in The Atlanta Emory District. Instead we are in District 4-Central South, which embraces all UMCs in four counties, DeKalb, Rockdale, Henry and Newton. Our District Superintendent is Rev. Quincy Brown and the District Office is in Conyers. (Quincy recently had a kidney transplant, and reports he is doing well.)
Closing Churches – selling property – managing the proceeds!
Another aspect of following the money has to do with the closing of churches and the sale of church property. Many at Tucker will be aware of the sale of Briarcliff UMC and Druid Hills UMC. Since June 2017 thirty-one properties have been sold for $16,414,161. There are ten properties currently for sale at appraised values of $2,364,000. And there are eight properties under contract for $2,985,000. Finally, it’s important to know that $5.7 million from property sales is held in district accounts. So, who determines where proceeds from sales are held and who decides about the disbursement of these massive funds? These are important matters especially considering a coming division of the UMC, and studies that indicate about 200 more UMC churches in North Georgia lack economic sustainability resulting in probable real estate sales.
Just like we have a Board of Trustees here at Tucker with accountability to all of us meeting in our Church Conference and reporting through our Church Council, there is an equivalent Board of Trustees with each district and with the North Georgia Conference.
If we, a local church, sell “our” property (which we hold in trust for the denomination) we keep and manage the proceeds as long as we are a viable congregation or if we combine with a viable congregation. We could use the proceeds as we see fit such as for remodeling, relocating, etc. In the past, if a local congregation simply closed (aged out for example), the District Trustees took over the property for sale or use as they determine. If sold by the District, 75% of proceeds were held in the District and 25% was sent to the Conference, both designated for new church development. Today the proceeds from a sale go to the Annual Conference. All real estate transactions need the approval of the District Superintendent who would preside at a Church or Charge Conference. Twenty-five local churches were closed at this Annual Conference a bit above average.
The Pitts Library at Emory is the designated custodian of church archives when a congregation closes.
Thank you for the opportunity to join with Leigh Anderson and represent the people of Tucker First UMC at the North Georgia Annual Conference.
Joe W. Kilpatrick, Sr.
Lay delegate
North Georgia Annual Conference 2020
The Church Continues Her Work in the Age of Covid-19
Leigh Andersen
The 154th meeting of the North Georgia Annual Conference was held virtually August 28 and 29. The Friday session was for clergy and the Saturday session was for all members of the Conference who had vote and voice. It was my honor to serve as one of your lay representatives for the meeting.
Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson convened the meeting with a homily in her gracious, inspiring, and to-the-point way of speaking to the Annual Conference. Using John 21 as her scriptural reference, Bishop Sue reminded us that Christ calls us to be outside the church; to go outside our confinement (a la Covid-19) and find new ways to make Jesus available and make the church relevant. Using Isaiah 58 as a backdrop, Bishop Sue urged us, as the church, to find out how to speak to pain and suffering –to reflect on the purpose of the church and to reach out for justice.
The business of the Annual Conference was the focus of the meeting. Normally, there would be much time for fellowship, singing, worshiping, and celebrating milestones in the life of the church, but given the virtual nature of the meeting, most of those things were eliminated from the program and/or postponed to next year.
The redistricting of the North Georgia Annual Conference to form eight districts from the twelve current districts was a prime topic. The redistricting was deemed necessary in order to form districts that are more equitable in terms of numbers of members and to take into account the demographic changes in the districts since they were last drawn. Now districts will adhere to county lines, with four districts inside the perimeter of Atlanta and four districts outside the perimeter. This will result in two teams wherein churches will be encouraged to work together to do the work of the Church so that not all the work falls on the District Superintendents. This redistricting has been in the works for some time, and reflects the forward thinking of the Bishop and Cabinet. Streamlining will help keep more money in the churches and will result in “cohesion and conformance of structure” in the districts. There will be more transparency. The redistricting recommendation was passed by the Annual Conference with a vote of 91.43%. All the new districts are currently identified with geographic nomenclature; thus, we are no longer in the Atlanta-Decatur-Oxford district but are in District 4, Central South which includes DeKalb, Newton, Rockdale and Henry counties. It is likely that the new districts will be renamed in the future.
As your other delegate, Joe Kilpatrick, points out in his report, redistricting has resulted in changes regarding the finances of the districts. A case in point is that money that was being held in individual districts from the sale of church property was for church development within the district. In order to accommodate a more equitable distribution of these resources, each district will now transfer these monies to the Barnes Endowment Fund, allowing the Annual Conference to put resources where they are most needed. The funds are still designated for church development and will be distributed through grants.
Much of the business of the afternoon session revolved around budgets and ministerial compensation including pensions and health benefits. Of note also in this session was the painful process of closing twenty-four churches in the conference. Some of these churches have memberships of only a few people, and in some cases have only elderly members who cannot sustain the work of the church. Others were possibly impacted negatively by the passage at 2019 Annual Conference of a minimum salary requirement for lay pastors that exceeded the church’s ability to pay (most of these are small rural churches who do not have appointed ordained clergy, but rely on lay pastors for leadership). This is an unfortunate result of the well-intentioned recognition that lay pastors deserve fair compensation. Assets from the sale of these church properties will go the Barnes Endowment Fund as outlined above.
Unfortunately, the video conferencing of the Annual Conference was not recorded for online viewing, but the North Georgia Conference Journal will be available online at some future date. The handbook for the meeting is available online to anyone at:
http://northga-email.brtapp.com/files/fileslibrary/annual+conference+session/handbook+2020+v4.pdf
Again, it was my privilege and honor to attend Annual Conference on your behalf. Thank you for the opportunity.
Leigh Andersen
Lay Delegate to the Annual Conference
Tucker First UMC
The Church Continues Her Work in the Age of Covid-19
Leigh Andersen
The 154th meeting of the North Georgia Annual Conference was held virtually August 28 and 29. The Friday session was for clergy and the Saturday session was for all members of the Conference who had vote and voice. It was my honor to serve as one of your lay representatives for the meeting.
Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson convened the meeting with a homily in her gracious, inspiring, and to-the-point way of speaking to the Annual Conference. Using John 21 as her scriptural reference, Bishop Sue reminded us that Christ calls us to be outside the church; to go outside our confinement (a la Covid-19) and find new ways to make Jesus available and make the church relevant. Using Isaiah 58 as a backdrop, Bishop Sue urged us, as the church, to find out how to speak to pain and suffering –to reflect on the purpose of the church and to reach out for justice.
The business of the Annual Conference was the focus of the meeting. Normally, there would be much time for fellowship, singing, worshiping, and celebrating milestones in the life of the church, but given the virtual nature of the meeting, most of those things were eliminated from the program and/or postponed to next year.
The redistricting of the North Georgia Annual Conference to form eight districts from the twelve current districts was a prime topic. The redistricting was deemed necessary in order to form districts that are more equitable in terms of numbers of members and to take into account the demographic changes in the districts since they were last drawn. Now districts will adhere to county lines, with four districts inside the perimeter of Atlanta and four districts outside the perimeter. This will result in two teams wherein churches will be encouraged to work together to do the work of the Church so that not all the work falls on the District Superintendents. This redistricting has been in the works for some time, and reflects the forward thinking of the Bishop and Cabinet. Streamlining will help keep more money in the churches and will result in “cohesion and conformance of structure” in the districts. There will be more transparency. The redistricting recommendation was passed by the Annual Conference with a vote of 91.43%. All the new districts are currently identified with geographic nomenclature; thus, we are no longer in the Atlanta-Decatur-Oxford district but are in District 4, Central South which includes DeKalb, Newton, Rockdale and Henry counties. It is likely that the new districts will be renamed in the future.
As your other delegate, Joe Kilpatrick, points out in his report, redistricting has resulted in changes regarding the finances of the districts. A case in point is that money that was being held in individual districts from the sale of church property was for church development within the district. In order to accommodate a more equitable distribution of these resources, each district will now transfer these monies to the Barnes Endowment Fund, allowing the Annual Conference to put resources where they are most needed. The funds are still designated for church development and will be distributed through grants.
Much of the business of the afternoon session revolved around budgets and ministerial compensation including pensions and health benefits. Of note also in this session was the painful process of closing twenty-four churches in the conference. Some of these churches have memberships of only a few people, and in some cases have only elderly members who cannot sustain the work of the church. Others were possibly impacted negatively by the passage at 2019 Annual Conference of a minimum salary requirement for lay pastors that exceeded the church’s ability to pay (most of these are small rural churches who do not have appointed ordained clergy, but rely on lay pastors for leadership). This is an unfortunate result of the well-intentioned recognition that lay pastors deserve fair compensation. Assets from the sale of these church properties will go the Barnes Endowment Fund as outlined above.
Unfortunately, the video conferencing of the Annual Conference was not recorded for online viewing, but the North Georgia Conference Journal will be available online at some future date. The handbook for the meeting is available online to anyone at:
http://northga-email.brtapp.com/files/fileslibrary/annual+conference+session/handbook+2020+v4.pdf
Again, it was my privilege and honor to attend Annual Conference on your behalf. Thank you for the opportunity.
Leigh Andersen
Lay Delegate to the Annual Conference
Tucker First UMC