The purpose of the Administration Services Department is to serve and support the work of Global Missions, Church Planting, Leadership Development as well as Administrating Central Payroll, Pensions, Group Benefits, Accounting, Translations, Legal and other Support Services for FMCIC, Conference and Local Churches
The Administrative Services Department, headed by Mark Molczanski, manages the following areas; finance (including payroll), personal benefits, pensions, investments, property management, corporate administration, bequests and other legal affairs for The Free Methodist Church in Canada.
Because of our collective support, we are able to support all of our local churches. The following are a few key ways this department works hard to serve:
Central Payroll for FM Churches – working with a Central Payroll System to provide bank payroll service (including pension, group insurance, statutory deductions/reporting, and issuing of T4s and T4As) to our local churches easing the work load on local churches and treasurers and ensuring that pastors and church staff are paid on time.
Group Benefits for Pastors and Church Staff – Part of caring for our pastors and church staff is providing for group benefits coverage. Because of our collective support all our churches (whether big or small) are able to offer their employees working at least 20 hours per week with the following benefits:
- Life Insurance
- Dental
- Dependent Life Insurance
- Long Term Disability
- Supplementary Health Expense
- Accidental Death and dismemberment
- Emergency Travel Assistance
Local Church Administrative Support
- Government Compliance – helping churches understand and ensure they are compliant with all government requirements to maintain their charitable status as a church.
- Letter of Understanding – Helping churches hire new pastors with a clear and fair letter of understanding
- Termination of Employment Agreement – When pastors leave, we help local churches prepare the required termination of employment agreement and any other necessary forms that need to be submitted to the government.
- Church Treasurer Support– helping experienced and novice treasurers serve the local church with training, support, resources and guides
- Clergy Residence – assisting pastors benefit for allowable income tax deductions
- Suggested Church Policies – Child Abuse, Confidentiality, Conflict of Interest, Facility Rental, etc.
- Assistance with the Purchase/Sale of Local Church Property
- Legal Assistance – including incorporation documents, charity tax issues, etc.
Ministers Pension
- Defined Benefit Portion
We continue to care for those who have faithfully served the church with our Ministers Pension Plan. This plan provides plan members with a known and guaranteed level of retirement income.
The FMCIC Ministers Pension Fund (Defined Benefit Portion) not only looks after our retired pastors, but also funds the FMCIC Mortgage Program – helping local churches build and the interest charged by FMCIC mortgages is used to support the Defined Benefit Pension Fund. Choosing a FMCIC mortgage for your church helps look after our retired pastors.
- Defined Contribution Portion
The Defined Benefit Pension was frozen in 2009 because it was no longer sustainable. This was replaced with the Defined Contribution Plan which continues to provide pensions for our pastors where they determine their contribution level as well as their investment choices.
Because of our collective participation, we are able to provide a Defined Contribution Fund to our pastors at fees that are in many cases half the fee of what an individual could create on their own comparable fund.
FMCIC Loans and Mortgage Program
The FMCIC has two programs which can help fund church renovations, repairs or builds: The Loan Program and the Mortgage Program. Because all church properties are classified as commercial, they do not qualify for residential rates on loans or mortgages. The Management Committee bases the interest rates charged on current commercial/Bank of Canada rates.
The FMCIC Mortgage Program is funded by the FMCIC Ministers Pension Fund. The FMCIC Loan Program is funded primarily by FMCIC Bonds –churches or individuals with excess funds can help other churches in need by investing in FMCIC Bonds. Their investment in our churches will bring not only an eternal return, but a current interest rate of 1.75% which is paid out June 1st and December 1st of each year.
Both programs (Loan + Mortgage) offer a renewable, open financing option for churches which can be amortized up to 20 years. Unlike most financial institutions, there are no setup fees or penalties for early repayment.
Immigration & Refugee Sponsorship
The FMCIC has been assisting churches with refugee sponsorship for over 20 years. As a sponsorship agreement holder, any FMCIC church in Canada can sponsor refugees under our status with the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
We help facilitate the process with local FM churches which starts by submitting a refugee sponsorship application package to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC). The local church raises/allocates funds to support the sponsored individual or family for their first year in Canada.
Foundations
Our Foundations provides the medium for generating investment income on donated funds that then affords the on-going funding stream for established endowments, scholarships and various other designated ministries of The Free Methodist Church in Canada.
- Free Methodist Foundation
The Free Methodist Foundation is responsible and accountable for the stewardly administration and investment of gifted funds to FMCIC. Its presence ensures that donated funds create a capital base which is separate and distinct from the general church operating funds. Donors considering gifts, whether large or small, can be assured their contribution will have long-term benefit and not be depleted to meet short-term operational needs of the church.
- Lorne Park Foundation
The Lorne Park Foundation provides assistance in two ways: through the Leadership Development Ministries Fund of the FMCIC and through designated scholarship funds and academic awards.
