Smaller churches will not be getting a break on their contributions to the Ministers’ Pension Fund.
Classis Chatham asked Synod 2009 to address inequities in participant church assessments, arguing that standardized, minimum contribution assessments penalize smaller churches and make it “very hard for smaller churches to meet other ministry obligations.”
Synod decided not to reconsider pension assessments. One delegate, however, proposed a different solution for smaller churches. “Why is it that pastors are never asked to contribute to their own pensions?” asked Rev. John Tenyenhuis, of Classis Toronto. “We get a decent pension, but we’re never asked to share the load.”
Rev. Bruce Persenaire, of Classis Central California, disagreed. “Often, though not always, pastors from smaller churches are asked to share the load, by means of a lower salary,” he said.
About the Author
Dan Postma is an occasional reporter for The Banner.
