One of the most thrilling experiences in life is to be released from debt! Churches and families alike gather and celebrate being debt free with things like burning their mortgage. Being debt free is something that affects us physically, spiritually, emotionally and mentally.
This year, at our Regional/Spring Gathering, we experienced one of these life changing moments. Mark Molczanski, our Director of Admin Services announced that the Defined Pension Plan deficit was now gone – along with the 3.5% pension levy – and any further uncertainty of having to deal with funding a pension deficit again!
We are free!
The burden is now gone and the risk has now been successfully transferred to an insurance company. The first payments to our approximately 100 pensioned pastors have gone through the new system and we can celebrate together the freedom we now have financially.
For those of you that may not know what this is about, The Free Methodist Church in Canada has been dealing with a deficit in our Defined Pension Plan for the last 15 years and the 3.5% pension levy that significantly helped to deal with the short-falls as they occurred. Your generous support has helped us look after our pastors and carry the load together. Thank you.
‘Be Free’ has taken on a new meaning for us this year!
This announcement coming at Easter reminds us of the freedom Christ brings through His sacrifice on the cross. We are free indeed.
We are so thankful for what God has done and are celebrating with you for the end of this deficit and the release of these funds. Even though this 3.5% pension levy was a relatively small amount in your budgets we encourage you to be generous with the ‘freed up’ funds and do something wonderful with them.
Be Free.
Be Generous.
Just like Jesus.
Sandy Crozier | Director of Generosity + Stewardship