2015 Annual Conference

2015 Legislation

  • A Future with Hope Change By-laws

    A Future with Hope Change By-laws

    BE IT RESOLVED, that the following change to the By-Laws, Article IV. Board of Trustees, Section 2
    read (changes are underlined):
    All Trustees will be elected by the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church (hereinafter "GNJAC") upon nomination by the GNJAC Nominating Committee as provided in Article VII Section 1. The Board of Trustees of the Corporation shall provide recommendations of candidates to the GNJAC Nominating Committee. There shall be no prohibition of paid employees of GNJAC to serve as Trustees. Unless elected to fill a vacancy, Trustees shall be nominated at the annual meeting of the Board of Trustees. In the event of a mid-year vacancy, the board of trustees may fill the vacancy. The board member must then be elected by the GNJAC in order to continue to serve.
    Bobbie Ridgely, Secretary

  • Authorizing Use of Conference Surplus for Partial Payment of Mortgage

    Authorizing Use of Conference Surplus for Partial Payment of Mortgage

    WHEREAS, the churches of the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference have shown improving stewardship in recent years,
    And, WHEREAS, the Conference Board of Pensions and Health Benefits transferred $1,000,000 to the Conference accounts in payment for services rendered since merger as required by merger legislation,
    And, WHEREAS, conference surplus now stands at $2,785,000
    And, WHEREAS, CCFA believes that a surplus reserve of 10% of the expected expenditures of the annual budget provides adequate assurance that emergencies can be accommodated,
    And, WHEREAS, the total conference surplus exceeds the 10% by $1,686,000
    And, WHEREAS, the planned mortgage of $2,900,000 for the new Conference Office Center will result in interest costs of $1,743,000 if the mortgage is paid over the 25 years planned,
    And, WHEREAS, CCFA believes it would be wise to reduce the principal portion of the mortgage as quickly as possible to save the interest cost,
    BE IT NOW THEREFORE RESOLVED, that CCFA is authorized to use the conference surplus as of December 31, 2015 that is in excess of 10% of the 2016 expected budget expenses, to reduce the principle amount of the mortgage for the new Conference Office Center. The amount expected to be used is currently estimated at $1,700,000.
    RATIONALE: The planned mortgage will cause the Annual Conference to include in its budget about $190,000 per year for principle and interest payments for the next 25 years, an increase of about $100,000 per year over the present mortgage payments. The interest portion of those payments is $1,743,000.
    Inasmuch as local churches have supported budgets well in previous years and those responsible for expenses have been careful and prudent, conference surplus has increased nearly every year since merger. CCFA feels it is reasonable to anticipate those trends will continue and that unusual demands on surplus will not arise in excess of the surplus that is retained.
    Those things said, CCFA believes that the wisest investment we could make would be to pay down the mortgage as soon as possible. The anticipated payment of $1,700,000 will result in savings of approximately $1,100,000 in interest. This legislation asks the Annual Conference to authorize the use of excess surplus to pay down the mortgage.
    Submitted by The Conference Council on Finance and Administration John Bishop, President

  • Call for GNJ to Commit to Inclusive Church and Marraige Equality

    Call for GNJ to Commit to Inclusive Church and Marraige Equality

    Proposal for Greater NJ to commit to an inclusive church and to commit and support marriage equality.

  • Church Closures or Discontinuance

    Church Closures or Discontinuance

    Discontinuation of West Portal, Sarang Korean, Bridgeton Central and Gladstone United Methodist Churches.

  • Comprehensive Benefit Funding Plan

    Comprehensive Benefit Funding Plan

    The 2016 Comprehensive Benefit Funding Plan and the above Summary document incorporates, to the best of our understanding, the Greater New Jersey Conference’s obligations and funding requirements of the benefits provided to the clergy and laity of the Greater New Jersey Conference. This is only part of the full Plan, which may be requested from your conference benefit office.

  • Educational Society Change By-laws

    Educational Society Change By-laws

    Proposed changes to the governance of the Educational Society including its constitution and by-laws.

  • General Conference Resolutions from Disability Ministries

    General Conference Resolutions from Disability Ministries

    A collection of proposals to General Conference 2016 regarding issues including clergy medical leave, mental health, disability insurance and facilities access.

  • General Conference Resolutions Re: Discipline Language

    General Conference Resolutions Re: Discipline Language

    This resolution affects the language surrounding passages in the Book of Discipline regarding homosexuality.

  • Proposed Historic Church Sites - Flanders and Port Elizabeth

    Proposed Historic Church Sites - Flanders and Port Elizabeth

    Recognizing Flanders and Port Elizabeth United Methodist Churches as Conference Historic Sites given their significant place in the history of the denomination and of their communities.

  • Proposed Shared Ministries Plan for 2016

    Proposed Shared Ministries Plan for 2016

    The Conference Council on Finance and Administration proposes that the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference approve the Shared Ministries Plan for 2016, the details of which have been provided on the following pages.

  • Statement of Relationship - CCCR Inc and Project Nurture

    Statement of Relationship - CCCR Inc and Project Nurture

    This details the relationship between the Annual Conference with the Commission on Camps, Conferences and Retreats and Project Nurture.

  • Transfer of Aldersgate Properties

    Transfer of Aldersgate Properties

    Authorizing transfer of ownership of Aldersgate camp from the Commission on Camps, Conferences and Retreats to another entity after review and approval by the Conference Board of Trustees.

  • Trustees Enabling Resolution

    Trustees Enabling Resolution

    Approving and confirming actions taken by the Conference Board of Trustees since the last Annual Session.

2015 Legislation Addendum

  • Archives and History Resolutions

    Archives and History Resolutions

    Recommendation to Annual Conference 2015 regarding archives and history, namely: 'Camden Neighborhood Center Historic Site', 'Annual Church/Charge Conference Report to Archives and History', '50th 32 Anniversary of the 1964 Merger of Former Delaware Annual Conference
    33 Churches in New Jersey with the Newly Formed NNJ and SNJ Conferences', and 'Elect a Local Church Historian and Include in Church Conference Report'

  • Windsor UMC

    Windsor UMC

    This legislation discontinues Windsor United Methodist Church and provides for the accommodation of its assets, clergy and congregation

  • BMRC Legislation

    BMRC Legislation

    Legislation approved at Annual Conference 2015 establishing a community task force. Authored by the Greater NJ Caucus of Black Methodists for Church Renewal regarding Racial Justice (BMRC)

  • Human Sexuality Legislation

    Human Sexuality Legislation

    Proposed human sexuality legislation to the 2016 General Conference reflecting the approval of similar legislation at Annual Conference 2015.

  • A Future With Hope Additional Legislation

    A Future With Hope Additional Legislation

    This legislation details proposed changes to the governing by-laws of A Future With Hope Inc.

2015 Full Addendum