DOCSLIB.ORG

Prepared by the General Council on Finance and Administration The

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Prepared by the General Council on Finance and Administration The Prepared by The General Council on Finance and Administration The United Methodist Church 1 Music Circle North Nashville, TN 37203 615.329.3393 866.367.4232 www.gcfa.org In cooperation with The National Association on Commissions on Equitable Compensation (NACEC) www.gcfa.org/NACEC Page 0 FOREWORD Contents Foreword 1 Brothers and sisters in Christ, may grace and Our Specialized Language 3 peace be yours in abundance. It is a pleasure Scope 9 once again for The National Association of Judicial Decisions 10 Commissions on Equitable Compensation to Organizing and Planning 15 offer this guidebook as a resource to be used by Major Instruments 19 Annual Conference Commissions on Equitable Who Has What Role 23 Compensation in cooperation and consultation Sample Yearly Plan 26 with the General Council on Finance and Sample Arrearage Policy 30 Administration. Compensation Worksheet 33 In ¶625.1 of the Discipline, we find: “There shall be in each annual conference a commission on equitable compensation or other structure to provide for these functions and maintain the connectional relationships.” In its responsibility of recommending conference standards of pastoral support, the Commission on Equitable Compensation will need to be concerned that policies, procedures, and incentives are established which will insure that each pastor of an Annual Conference will receive a fair and just compensation for his/her full-time professional services and devotions to the Lord. This manual is published in order to provide information, ideas, and guidelines in the fulfillment of those tasks assigned to the Commission. The National Association of Commissions on Equitable Compensation has been in existence since February of 1974, and is provided guidance and consultation by the General Council of Finance and Administration (¶807.20). The National Association of Commissions on Equitable Compensation expresses its deep gratitude and appreciation to you as a part of our connected church, and to the staff on the General Council on Finance and Administration for their assistance and support in the ongoing work of the Association. Rev. Laurel Scott, President National Association of Commissions on Equitable Compensation September, 2012 Page 1 All Discipline quotations in this manual are from the 2012 Book of Discipline unless otherwise noted. Page 2 OUR SPECIALIZED LANGUAGE THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION God calls persons to ministry to go into Our language often has technical meanings the entire world, preaching, teaching, and which can result in poor communication. This baptizing (Matthew 28:19), for without is made even more complex since over the them the world would not have heard quadrennia the language of The Book of Christ preached (Romans 10:14). These Discipline has changed, and so newer are called to be stewards of the mysteries meanings overlay older ones. In addition, of God (I Corinthians 4:1). The Church sets regional traditions in emphasis and language some persons aside for the role of clergy create communication barriers which often and ordains these persons to the work of require extra efforts. Finally, Internal Revenue pastoral ministry to be servants of the Service (IRS) regulations require technical servants of God. meanings. It is important for us to have a precise language so that we are not constantly Pastors answer affirmatively the question clarifying and reviewing old understandings. of John Wesley (¶336), “Are you determined to employ all your time in the The Book of Discipline work of God?” For such a called, set apart and committed clergy, the Church The enabling legislation for the Commission on assumes an obligation to plan adequate Equitable Compensation is found within the support (¶620). larger section titled “Pastoral Support” The Book of Discipline is clear that “the (¶¶620-628). The 1992 General Conference primary responsibility for payment of revised the language in this section of The pastoral salaries remains with individual Book of Discipline by consistently changing pastoral charges” (¶625.5; see also references to clergy ”salary(ies)” to either ¶247.13). The United Methodist Church, “base compensation” or, where the context through each Annual Conference, suggested that the reference was to a broader provides a program by which to seek support package, “compensation.” equity in pastoral support through the Commission on Equitable Compensation The following definitions are provided to give a and the counsel and supplements which it common understanding of these and other offers. major terms contained in this manual. Page 3 PASTORAL SUPPORT: The total package of THEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION compensation (including benefits), expense Why should the Commission on Equitable reimbursements, and expense allowances Compensation be so concerned about paid to or for a pastor to enable and equity in clergy compensation? support his or her ministry. 1. Jesus says, “the laborer is worthy of his COMPENSATION: That portion of a total hire”, (Luke 10:7) and Paul reminds us clergy support “package” which would be “you shall not muzzle the ox when it is considered as compensating a pastor for treading out the grain” (I Timothy 5:18; pastoral service. Compensation may Deuteronomy 25:4). include, in addition to cash compensation 2. Wesley was concerned that clergy have paid directly to the pastor, contributions to a responsibility not to be “in debt so as to both tax-paid and tax-deferred retirement embarrass you in your work” (¶336), plans, payments to cover or assist the which implies the church, has a pastor with the personal share of Social responsibility that it neither lead its clergy Security taxes, and a variety of other into positions of embarrassing benefits and allowances (such as utilities indebtedness, nor leave them there. The and other housing-related allowances). emphasis on equity between believers is Care should be taken to assure that a affirmed in Acts 2:44 - 45 (NRSV) “All who pastor's compensation does not drop below believed were together and had all things the amount required to maintain eligibility in common; they would sell their for Comprehensive Protection Plan possessions and goods and distribute the coverage. Consult with your Annual proceeds to all, as any had need.” Conference pension and insurance officer for details. 3. The great commission to go into all the world, preaching, teaching, and baptizing Compensation, however, would not include brings with it a cost. Systems of clergy accountable reimbursement plans that support which foster the use of the right simply reimburse accountable expenses pastor in the right place, hold up the hope incurred in the performance of pastoral of seeing the great commission bear its service, such as travel expenses. Note that promised fruit. 1995 court rulings determined that United Methodist clergy are employees for income 4. The Commission on Equitable tax purposes. The salary paying unit must Compensation embraces the great provide a yearly W-2 tax form. Clergy commandment to love our neighbors as remain self employed for purposes of social we love ourselves by wanting for each security. pastor what our members want for themselves – compensation adequate to free persons for the work of pastoral ministry. Page 4 BASE COMPENSATION: That portion of a pastor's compensation which is paid ADDITIONAL RESOURCES directly to the pastor as cash The National Association of Commissions compensation, contributions authorized on Equitable Compensation (NACEC) in by the pastor to either a tax-paid pension cooperation with the General Council on program or a tax-deferred program (such Finance and Administration (GCFA) offer as a 403(b) plan), payments to assist the the following resources: pastor with the personal share of Social • www.gcfa.org/nacec.html is the website Security taxes, and some other kinds of for NACEC and is hosted by GCFA. cash compensation, such as bonuses, payments to private investment • A Summary of Equitable Compensation programs, and the like. Plans is compiled by GCFA each year encompassing all U.S. Annual Conferences. The summary is available on the NACEC Base compensation would not include website and distributed to the annual other items included in total conference treasurers and the chairpersons compensation, such as utilities and other of Commission on Equitable housing-related allowances, accountable Compensation. It is a valuable source of reimbursements for professional expenses comparative information. (such as continuing education, books, and the like), and the cost of benefits such as • Resource materials are gathered at the quadrennial consultations from the life or health insurance. participating annual conferences. Copies of these materials are on file with the EQUITABLE COMPENSATION: The term Equitable Compensation Desk at GCFA. used in ¶625 to describe both (1) the Annual Conference fund used to These include: supplement support for those pastors • Guidelines for Equitable Compensation whose base compensation falls below a Program, Supplemental Base minimum level established by the Compensation Program, & Other Pastoral conference, and (2) the Commission Support whose task is to help the conference • Applications for the various programs define and promote levels of support administered by the Commissions on which will be “equitable” for the pastors Equitable Compensation in the conference. • Brochures and pamphlets illustrating a Each word in the phrase deserves variety of approaches toward encouraging attention. Compensation has already been
Load more

Recommended publications
  • In the United Methodist Church, Clergy
    Terms and Definitions Appointed / Appointment: In the United Methodist Church, clergy (ordained or licensed) are sent out to serve by the Bishop, in consultation with the Superintendents, pastors and local churches. Clergy are appointed by the bishop on a yearly basis. The church or charge to which they are sent is the appointment. Appointments can only be changed by the bishop. Assigned: Some churches are led by lay persons such as Certified Lay Ministers or Lay Minister Candidates. These persons are assigned to a church. This term is used to help identify the difference between clergy who are appointed and laity who are assigned. BOOM (sometimes BOM or the “Board”): The Board of Ordained Ministry of the Susquehanna Conference has oversight of all clergy and their relationship to the Annual Conference. The Board is charged with caring for, examining, approving, and developing passionate, joy filled leaders in the United Methodist Church. Candidate for Ministry: A person who senses a call from God and officially begins to explore the possibilities of ministry as clergy is a candidate for ministry. Certified Candidate (for Ministry): A candidate for ministry, who has completed the candidacy studies, has been approved by his/her Charge Conference and has been approved by the DCOM. A certified candidate may attend Licensing School or Seminary (or both). Certified Lay Minister: A lay person who has completed the entrance and course requirements for the CLM program and has been certified by the DCOM. A CLM may preach, teach, help with administration, conduct funerals, and visit the sick or other duties as described in a covenant with the church or charge.
    [Show full text]
  • Setting the Pastor's Compensation
    SETTING THE PASTOR’S COMPENSATION The United Methodist Discipline directs the Staff/Pastor Parish Relations Committee to: 1. Consult with pastor and staff about: compensation, housing, pension, health and life insurance, vacation, professional expenses, continuing education, sabbaticals, honorariums for guests including preachers and organists, etc. 2. Recommend appropriate proposals pertaining to the items above to the Church Council on an annual basis. Process In order to give these matters appropriate consideration, many Staff/Pastor Parish Relations Committees begin the process of consultation with pastor and staff in August or September. The Staff/Pastor Parish Relations Committee recommends to the Church Council, and reports to the Finance Committee. The Church Council may make the final decision on compensation, etc. for all staff members except the pastor. Upon receiving the recommendations of the Church Council, the Church Conference makes the final decision regarding the pastor’s compensation package. Salary Package Components The policies and compensation package components which follow are approved for 2019. I. Minimum Base Compensation – A standardized minimum base compensation is established for The Upper New York Annual Conference that requires the following: A. A minimum base salary, set according to credential level, for all full-time clergy persons as follows: Base Full connection (elders & deacons): $39,984 Provisional (elders & deacons): $38,556 Associate Members: $37,842 FT LP completed Course of Study or MDiv: $37,128 FT Local Pastor: $35,700 (Less than full-time appointments shall receive a base salary pro-rated accordingly to that appointment) B. Plus an additional amount per full time equivalent year of service based on credentials as follows: Page 1 Full Provisional Associate FTLP w/MDiv FTLP per year of FTE service up to 2019 $385 $375 $370 $365 $350 25 years C.
    [Show full text]
  • District Committee on Ordained Ministry Handbook
    Iowa Annual Conference of The United Methodist Church District Committee on Ordained Ministry Handbook 2018 Edition Iowa Conference Thanks to the connectional nature of the United Methodist Church, we express our gratitude to the West Ohio Annual Conference for the initial draft of this handbook. It is used here by permission and adapted for use in the Iowa Annual Conference. Questions should be directed to: Lisa Steel Director of Ministerial Services Iowa Annual Conference of the United Methodist Church 2301 Rittenhouse St. Des Moines, IA 50321 515-974-8939 [email protected] Iowa Annual Conference | dCOM Handbook |2018 Edition | 2 Table of Contents Purpose of this Handbook ............................................................................................................................................ 5 Our Responsibility Called Anew Task Force ............................................................................................................................................... 6 Definition of Effectiveness in Ministry ............................................................................................................................ 7 The District Committee on Ordained Ministry Adapted from The Book of Discipline 2016 (¶666) ................................. 9 dCOM Leadership Job Descriptions ........................................................................................................................ 11 Quick Start Guide for Interviews ..............................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • Pulpit, Press, and Politics: Methodists and the Market for Books in Upper Canada
    Book Reviews/Comptes rendus 195 fell upon the Militia Department and McGeer could have brought that point out more, as well as the frustrations of leadership at the university. These two criticisms are minor complaints, however, and should not detract from an otherwise excellent work of scholarship. Chris Hyland Kwantlen Polytechnic University Scott McLaren Pulpit, Press, and Politics: Methodists and the Market for Books in Upper Canada Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2019. 264 pp. Pulpit, Press, and Politics highlights a topic that historians of education know well: there are many layers to the cultural significance of books. Books can provide insight into the economic practices of their time. They reveal dominant, as well as subversive, discourses of religion, politics, and citizenship. They can help us identify patterns in levels of literacy. They create communities of shared readers with the potential to make meaningful change. In this monograph, Scott McLaren explores many of these layers as he brings his expertise in the history of print culture to the setting of Upper Canada, exploring the connections between the transnational market for Methodist books and Upper Canadian religious identity. The book is centred around the relationship between Methodists in Upper Canada and the Methodist Book Concern, the publishing house of American Methodists es- tablished in New York in the 1780s. Immediately, it is made clear that the success of the Methodist Book Concern is easy to make sense of in the American context. It was because members of the Methodist Church were extremely loyal to their denomina- tion, and supporting the Book Concern was a way to demonstrate this denomina- tional loyalty.
    [Show full text]
  • THE MASS and CATHOLIC UNITY “You Can Catch More Flies with Honey Than Vinegar.” I Recall Hearing This Proverb Bantered Around My Family’S Home
    “SOURCE AND SUMMIT”: THE MASS AND CATHOLIC UNITY “You can catch more flies with honey than vinegar.” I recall hearing this proverb bantered around my family’s home. My initial response was, “Why would I want to catch any flies?” Actually, flies are more attracted to vinegar, even though more easily caught with honey! Of course, all this misses the point! In seeking to accomplish something, sweetness is more effective than acidity, kindness more than harshness. Admittedly an unusual introduction for a column, as it concerns a form of the Mass that represents only a small percentage of all Catholic Masses on any given Sunday– the traditional Mass, celebrated according to the 1962 Roman Missal. I wasn’t even born when that Missal was promulgated, and yet 1962 remains a flashpoint amongst liturgists. Why? Because it was the last edition of the venerable Roman Missal (promulgated at the Council of Trent) before the liturgical reforms of Vatican II. The U.S. Latin Mass Directory lists 657 churches/oratories in which the 1962 Missal is offered currently. According to a 2018 Pew Research Survey (my “go-to” survey folks), based on a figure of 17,000 U.S. parishes, approximately 3.8 % of all churches host a Traditional Latin Mass. (henceforth TLM) Since 32,242 priests currently serve in the U.S., thus, on any given Sunday just 2% of priests offer the TLM. The point is clear–by sheer numbers, it attracts a tiny percentage of the faithful. This is by no means a criticism. But by all accounts, the movement is growing and deserves our pastoral solicitude.
    [Show full text]
  • Liturgical Vocabulary Lexicon St
    Liturgical Vocabulary Lexicon St. Thomas the Apostle Parish Please use the following lexicon to increase your wonder of the holy mysteries, enrich your liturgical ministry, and deepen your participation in the Body of Christ. Acolyte (ak-uh-lahyt, n.) – Latin. “helper.” An Altar attendant in public worship. The highest-ranking member of the four minor orders; a formal office of the church. See Altar Server. i.e. The Acolyte, like the priest, is allowed to purify communion vessels. Agape (ah-gah-pey, v.) – Greek. “love.” The last and most beautiful name for God in the New Testament: “God is agape” (1 Jn 4:8. 16). A love that springs from goodness, from pure grace, totally self-less. The mystery at the heart of the Eucharist, the liturgical reality of the Church. i.e. Christ gives himself for the world, embodying God’s Agape for humanity. Alb (n.) – Latin. “White (vestment).” A white linen vestment with narrow sleeves, worn in liturgical celebrations as a symbol of a person’s baptism into the life of Christ. i.e. The server wears an Alb as a symbol to remind all baptized people of their salvation in Christ. Altar (n.) – Latin. “Ritual table or platform (for offering).” A fixed, ritual table of special construction for the Eucharistic celebration, consecrated at a church’s dedication by a Bishop with Sacred Chrism. Site of the ritual sacrifice of the Mass. i.e. The Altar is the most important element of a Catholic Church and is often placed front and center. Altar Server (n.) – A lay person who assists the priest with the ritual elements of mass, not formally commissioned.
    [Show full text]
  • The Pulpit of the Reformation, Nos. 1, 2 and 3. by John Welch, and Bishop Latimer and John Knox
    The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Pulpit Of The Reformation, Nos. 1, 2 and 3. by John Welch, and Bishop Latimer and John Knox This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at http://www.gutenberg.org/license Title: The Pulpit Of The Reformation, Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Author: John Welch, Bishop Latimer and John Knox Release Date: February 16, 2009 [Ebook 28104] Language: English ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE PULPIT OF THE REFORMATION, NOS. 1, 2 AND 3.*** The Pulpit of the Reformation; No. 1, October 30, 1834. Containing The Last Judgment, By John Welch. The Day Of Judgment, By Bishop Latimer. No. 2, December 1, 1834. Containing The Parable Of The Householders, And The Parable Of The Tares, By Bishop Latimer. No. 3, January 1, 1835, and No. 4, February 1, 1835. Containing A Sermon Preached Before Queen Mary By John Knox To Which Is Subjoined An Extract From Knox's Admonition To The People Of England. Aberdeen: Published By George King, 28, St. Nicholas Street, And Robert King, Broad Street, Peterhead Contents The Last Judgment. By The Rev. John Welch, A. D. 1570-1622. 2 The Day Of Judgment. Extracted From A Sermon By Hugh Latimer, Bishop Of Worcester, And Martyr, 1555. 18 The Parable Of The Householder. A Sermon, By Bishop Latimer. 24 The Parable Of The Tares, By Bishop Latimer, Preached On The 7th Of February, 1553.
    [Show full text]
  • Worship Space & Hymnals
    First Church 101: Worship Space & Hymnals Narthex—The lobby area where most worshipers first walk inside on Sunday mornings and are welcomed by friendly greeters. Sanctuary—The main worship space. Usually worshipers are welcomed into this space by ushers and offered a worship bulletin. Our Sanctuary (and the entire building that it’s a part of) is sometimes called the Meetinghouse. This is because Congregational churches were often where the town or city had its meetings. Technically, the current space (3rd Meetinghouse, 1823-4) was built after Connecticut separated church and state (around 1819) so it may have never functioned as a Meetinghouse. Chancel—The area where the communion table, lectern and deacon’s benches are located. Technically, the pulpit/apse area is part of the chancel. Our chancel has smooth hardwood flooring, which is a little slippery at times, especially for brides and grooms about to share vows. Pulpit (Apse)—The space under the semicircular ceiling is formally an apse, but because it includes the pulpit—the podium from which pastors tend to preach—we often call the whole space the pulpit. Lectern—From Latin “to read,” it is where much of the liturgy (words of worship) is led from. It’s also called the podium. (Liturgy is Latin for “People’s work”.) Pew—The seats where people sit in the main part of the Sanctuary (we don’t call it by the technical term, “nave”). Pews are a second millennium development—in the first 1,200 years or so, generally everybody stood during worship—often separated by gender, in part because services usually weren’t too long (probably under 40 minutes).
    [Show full text]
  • Michelson, Emily. the Pulpit and the Press in Reformation Italy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2013. Pp. 262. ISBN 978-0-674- 07297-8 (Hardcover) $39.95
    comptes rendus 177 Michelson, Emily. The Pulpit and the Press in Reformation Italy. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2013. Pp. 262. ISBN 978-0-674- 07297-8 (hardcover) $39.95. Emily Michelson’s new book brings to light the efforts of men who were “on the front lines of a more desperate war than anything they had ever imagined” as western Christendom splintered—Italian preachers who gave and published sermons in the vernacular (1). As Michelson argues, these preachers, both mendicants and secular clergy ranging from bishops to parish priests, found themselves battling what they believed (often wrongly) was widespread heresy. As the vernacular sermon was the only part of Catholic services most laity would understand, they agonized over what to say and not say in an attempt to prevent apostasy and bring potential heretics back into the fold. Michelson’s excellent volume engages in several of the debates that have recently developed about how historians understand the reform of Catholicism in the early modern period. Through a combination of social, intellectual, and religious histories, and using a variety of sources largely ignored by Anglophone historians (including sermon books, treatises, and pamphlets), she argues for a much more complicated and multivalent picture of reform. Nothing was clear 178 book reviews cut or easily achieved through top-down reform. The Catholic Church was not strictly the repressive institution of the “Counter-Reformation.” It neither cut the laity off from the scriptures entirely nor encouraged ordinary laypeople to study the Bible. Laity as a whole were neither passive recipients of a new, re- formed Catholicism nor recalcitrant defenders of the old traditions.
    [Show full text]
  • Politics in the Pulpit
    POLITICS IN THE PULPIT Milton Cerny 202.857.1711| [email protected] 2001 K Street N.W., Suite 400 Washington, D.C. 20006-1040 www.mcguirewoods.com McGuireWoods news is intended to provide information of general interest to the public and is not intended to offer legal advice about specific situations or problems. McGuireWoods does not intend to create an attorney-client relationship by offering this information, and anyone’s review of the information shall not be deemed to create such a relationship. You should consult a lawyer if you have a legal matter requiring attention. Another election season is upon us, and with it, a flurry of information – and misinformation – about what churches and other religious organizations can and cannot do. Fortunately for religious leaders, the law is relatively clear. I. THE LAW Like all organizations that are exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions under section 170(c)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code, churches are prohibited from supporting or opposing any candidate for elected public office. This prohibition applies to candidates for federal, state or local offices. The IRS enforces this prohibition though audits, fines, and loss of tax-exempt status. Q: Doesn’t the First Amendment allow churches to support and oppose candidates? A: No. Churches, like all organizations that are tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, are absolutely prohibited from supporting or opposing candidates for elected public office. As recently as 2000, a federal appellate court squarely rejected a church’s claim that the First Amendment’s free exercise of religion clause allowed the church to urge the public to vote against a candidate.
    [Show full text]
  • Chalice & Chimes
    120 Park Street Bangor, ME 04401-5024 Tel. 207-947-7009 [email protected] www.uubangor.org The Chalice and Chimes Newsletter February 2018 Sunday Services at 10:00 a.m. Inside this issue: Worship . 1 February 4 Minister’s Views. 2 "The Foundation of Beloved Community" Rev. Andrew Moeller Coming of Age . 3 Social Justice . 4 Our UU congregations are connected to one another through an organization- al structure based on intentional commitment to one another through mutual Pledge Cmte . .. 5 respect and autonomy. This Sunday, we will look at the basis of that connec- Happenings . 6 tion through the concept of covenant and how that concept plays a role in our internal life here in our beloved community. Calendar . 7 About Us . 8 February 11 "Our Growing Edge: Cultivating Our Spiritual Garden" Rev. Andrew Moeller This Sunday, we kick off our annual Financial Stewardship appeal. We will Unitarian Universalist be exploring our growing edges as a congregation and celebrating our com- Society of Bangor mitment to one another through sharing song, story, and a skit. Minister: Rev. Andrew Moeller [email protected] February 18 Schedule shown at right, “A Focus on Courage During a Frightening Time” or by appointment Rev. Charles Stevens, Guest in the Pulpit Minister Emerita: Rev. Becky Gunn February 25 Rabbi Darah Lerner of the Congregation Beth El, Guest in the Pulpit Acting Choir Directors: Linda Koehler Rissa Moore Minister's Schedule ~ February 2018 Director of Religious Education: Karen Childs Mon - Minister's day off [email protected] Tues
    [Show full text]
  • 1977 the Witness, Vol. 60, No. 0. July 1977
    LIBRARY 6- ARCHIVES CHURCH HISTORICAL SOCIETY JULY, 1977 AUSTIN, TEXAS $1.00 publication. and wmiESS reuse for w m i |' required Permission DFMS. / Church Episcopal the of Archives 2020. Power of the Pulpit Copyright John E. Hines mmm Hispanic Crisis: n SSS View From Overseas Francisco Reus-Froylan Hunger is Sexist in Mary Roodkowsky Lisa Leghorn Deacon for Defense Letters First, let me thank the staff of THE WITNESS for producing an increasingly provocative magazine. It is reassuring to know that the point of view you provide will be to the Editor presented so effectively in the years ahead. I am enclosing a contribution towards the legal defense of Maria Cueto and Raisa Nemikin, in the hopes that you might know where to forward it. The amount represents Whither Puerto Rico? one-half of the offering given at my ordination to the Diaconate earlier this month. It seems to me that lay and Reading Richard Gillett’s article on the Puerto Rican clergy alike are the ministers of the Church, and the idea publication. independence movement (June, 1976) as a background of that the FBI or any other civil authorities can interfere with the jailing of Maria Cueto and Raisa Nemikin was rather and the working out of Christian ministry in its pastoral and like reading old letters — remembrances of common confessional contexts violates a basic right of our causes, shared experiences and late-night conversations. reuse Constitution. I pray that Maria and Raisa can maintain Puerto Rico benefitted from Dick Gillett’s capacity for for their Christian witness to this basic truth.
    [Show full text]