Supporting the Changing Church
Robert W. Maggs Jr.
President and Chief Executive
Welcome
Focus on the Changing Church
2
“Nothing is more responsible for the
good old days than a bad memory.”
- Franklin P. Adams
The Challenges of Change
• Maintaining a sound benefits plan and financial
assistance for those who serve and have served,
through times of change
• Making decisions for the long-term benefit of
members
• Operating effectively in a rapidly changing
environment
4
The Challenges of Change (cont’d.)
• Financial resources of critical importance
• Human resources hold the most promise
Financial and human resources
are essential to our focus.
5
Considerations
• Expect the Church to be
• Smaller
• Less connectional
• Expect diminishing financial resources
• Maintain responsibilities to those who serve through
• Assistance programs
• Education programs
• Benefit plans/programs
6
Considerations (cont’d.)
• What we provide
• How we provide
• How we fund our mission
7
The Needs of Those who Serve
• Our leaders need:
• Competencies, talents and skills
• To be heard and to listen
• To recognize diversity
• Up-to-date credentials
• Ongoing training
• A willingness to learn and adapt
8
The Needs of Those who Serve (cont’d.)
• Our Leaders need:
• Proper compensation, good benefits and
personal recognition
• Attention and support
• Rewards and recognition systems
• Time with family/time to rejuvenate
• Guidance along their path
9
Addressing the Needs
• Changing from outside
• Taking a new approach
• Changes from within
• Adequate for the future
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Addressing the Needs (cont’d.)
• Responsibility for introducing change
• Chart courses for the future
• Make institutions stronger and ministries grow
11
Demonstrating Our Witness
• Spending time and effort looking after our leaders
• Keeping to our mission
• Ability to pay benefits
• Funding for a generous healthcare plan
Board of Pensions projections show that a
declining membership will not have a
materially adverse effect on our ability to
pay benefits.
12
Medical Plan Priorities
• Maintain a generous healthcare plan
• Provide for our members in illness
• Ensure method for dues is progressive, salarybased and reflective of philosophy of “community”
• Develop an evolutionary approach
• Recognizing tight church budgets, provide for
some local decision making
13
Medical Plan Priorities (cont’d.)
• Allow dependents the opportunity to choose
alternative coverage
• Understand outside influences on denomination
• Dues allocation changes
14
Conclusion
The Board of Pensions will:
• Continue to listen
• Address the issues
• Make responsible and prayerful decisions
• Be mindful of all of our human resources
We must never forget that our mission is a
critical part of the welfare of the human
resources of the PC(USA).
15
“The mind, once expanded to the
dimensions of larger ideas, never
returns to its original size.”
- Oliver Wendell Holmes