Resolution 2009-04:

Clergy & Staff Benefit Options

Passed

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1 WHEREAS having pastors and lay
2 staff is paramount for churches to
3 accomplish their mission and since
4 salary and benefits for those staff
5 members are a significant cost for
6 churches;

7 WHEREAS providing an appropriate
8 wage and benefit package is
9 important for all congregations,
10 and since this package should
11 provide retirement, health,
12 disability and survivor benefits;

12 WHEREAS a Health Savings Account
13 (HSA) together with catastrophic
14 health insurance may allow clergy
15 to expand their own savings for
16 retirement.

17 WHEREAS the Evangelical Lutheran
18 Church in America Board of
19 Pensions hired Hewitt Associates
20 to evaluate the benefit package
21 offered;

22 THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that
23 the Southeastern Minnesota Synod
24 ask the Evangelical Lutheran
25 Church in America Church
26 Council and the Evangelical
27 Lutheran Church in America
28 Board of Pensions to continue to
29 investigate rates and coverage to
30 provide cost effective benefits;

31 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that
32 the Southeastern Minnesota Synod
33 ask the Evangelical Lutheran
34 Church in America Board of
35 Pensions to investigate offering a
36 Health Savings Account, and
37 investigate how the deductible
38 portion of a Health Savings
39 Account is paid.

Submitted by the congregational council of St. Ansgar's Lutheran Church, Cannon Falls, Minn. Author, Jack Schlichting, Vice President.

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