The financial reports were presented as a group from Conference Council on Finance & Administration, Insurance Committee, Board of Pension, Commission on Equitable Compensation, Joint Committee on Clergy Medical Leave, and Board of Trustees on Friday afternoon.
Council on Finance and Administration
Rev. Sheila Ahler, chair of the Conference Council on Finance Administration, shared, “Thanks for this valued connection that gives us ways to be in ministry together here within the bounds of our Conference and all around the world….The Council moves forward with great hope and excitement for the future of our shared ministry in The United Methodist Church in North Carolina.”
The annual Conference members approved the recommended budget of $11,279,314 for the 2026 budget. This budget represents a 7.56% decrease from the approved 2025 budget.
The salary for district superintendents in 2025 was approved with no change from the 2020-2024 approved salaries.
Insurance
Rev. Dennis Goodwin presented the Conference Insurance Committee report. The Conference approved a recommendation to remain with the Wespath HealthFlex insurance plan for active clergy and lay employees. Continuation in the HealthFlex plan does not bring changes in benefits or plan tiers for 2025. While the average increase for all Health Flex plans ranged from 1% to 7%, church premiums for each plan and coverage tier in our North Carolina HealthFlex plan will increase by only 4% in order to keep the levels of benefits the same.
Life, dental, vision, and wellness benefits were also recommended to remain the same for 2025.
2025 is the third of the three-year commitment under HealthFlex, and the study will be undertaken to bring the best recommendation possible to the 2025 annual conference, keeping in mind the health of our clergy and families and supporting our goal of meaningful and sustainable insurance benefits.
Pension
The report of the Board of Pension was presented by Rev. Donna Banks, chair of the board. Under the Pre-82 Plan for retirement, clergy will receive $877 per service year in 2025, an increase of 2.57% over the 2024 rate.
Retiree Health Reimbursement Accounts (HRA), based on the number of years of credit received toward retirement health insurance benefits, were approved to increase by 3% to $4,435 for a 100% level. In 2025, the maximum HRA for a retiree with 40 years of credit will be funded at 90% of that or $3,992 per person.
Equitable Compensation
Rev. Tom Greener presented The Commission on Equitable Compensation report. The Committee recommended the 2025 minimum salary for full-time elders and local pastors to increase to $51,263 (3.0%, or $1,493), and the salary for student pastors to continue at 65% of the full-time salary at $33,321.
The Commission reported that 9 charges received grants for mission and compensation assistance for a total $69,015 in 2023 and has awarded grants for calendar year 2024 for 7 charges for a total of $104,378.
After discussion, the report was brought before the Conference and the members approved the report as presented.
Clergy Medical Leave
The report of the Joint Committee on Clergy Medical Leave, presented by Rev. Ben Williams, was approved as presented in the Conference Workbook. Thee report included a change in the way participant premiums are calculated for one income tier. Williams noted the change is intended to simplify the calculation and make the premiums more equitable amongst plan participants.
Trustees
Much of the work of the Trustees in 2023 focused on managing Conference properties, Conference legal matters, and continuing our work on local church disaffiliations in accordance with paragraph 2553 of The Book of Discipline.
During 2022 and 2023, a total of 326 churches disaffiliated. Dr. David Peele, Board of Trustees chair, reported: “The North Carolina Conference is excited to move forward in ministry with 439 local churches, various fresh expressions, and new faith communities, and those [church members] who remained in the Conference in the North Carolina Conference Collective.”
“As we have shared before,” Peele noted, “we regret this season of disunity and separation in The United Methodist Church. The Board looks with hopeful anticipation to moving past the disaffiliation season and focusing efforts on undergirding the mission of the North Carolina Annual Conference and The United Methodist Church through the work of the Board of Trustees.”
The Board of Trustees report can be found in the Conference Workbook on page 52.
Following discussion, Ahler moved adoption of all financial reports except the previously-approved Commission on Equitable Compensation report. The motion to adopt all reports was approved.