1609. Joint Distributing Committees--1. Authorizations--Whenever two or more annual or provisional annual conferences are to be merged, in whole or in part, there shall be elected by each conference affected a distributing committee of three members and three alternates, which shall act jointly with similar committees from the other conference or conferences. The joint distributing committee thus formed shall have power and authority: (a) to allocate the pension responsibility involved; (b) to distribute equitably the permanent funds and all other pension assets of the conference or conferences affected, taking into consideration the pension responsibility involved, such distribution to be made within twelve months of the date of the dissolution of the committee as provided in 1609.3d; (c) to the extent not otherwise previously provided for by the conference or conferences involved, to apportion or distribute equitably any other assets or property and any other liabilities or obligations. It shall be governed by the legal restrictions or limitations of any contract, trust agreement, pledge, deed, will, or other legal instrument.
2. Organization--The committee shall be convened by the general secretary of the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits, or by some other officer of that board designated by the general secretary in writing, and shall elect from its membership a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and a secretary.
3. Powers, Duties, and Responsibilities--a) The committee shall determine the number of years of service approved for pension credit rendered in the conferences which will lose their identity in the merging of conference territories, and the findings of the committee shall be final unless substantial evidence to the contrary is presented, and the annuity payments by the continuing conference or conferences shall be made accordingly. The determination of pension benefits in The United Methodist Church shall recognize all pension rights to which clergy are entitled under the pension plans in existence at the time of church union and shall recognize all approved service which has been rendered in The Evangelical United Brethren Church and The Methodist Church prior to the date of Church union.
b) The committee shall keep complete minutes of its transactions, and a copy thereof shall be filed with the secretary of each annual conference involved and with the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits.
c) Until the committee's work shall have been completed, the corporate organization of each conference in the process of merger shall be maintained. After the committee shall have completed its work, the officers of such corporation, subject to the completion of its business, shall dissolve or merge it, in accordance with applicable corporate laws, after being authorized to do so by the conference involved.
d) The committee, having completed its work in connection with the merger or mergers for which it was organized and having filed copies of its findings and actions with the secretaries of the conferences involved for publication in the respective conference journals, and with the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits, shall be dissolved; subject, however, to recall by the general secretary of the General Board of Pension and Health Benefits in the event of the discovery and presentation to the general board of data substantially at variance with those previously submitted, for the purpose of reviewing such data and possible revision of its previous actions.
4. Whenever a single annual conference or provisional annual conference is to be divided into two or more conferences, the provisions of 1609 shall be applied; provided the distributing committee members of each resulting conference shall be named subsequent to the effective date of the division and no later than the first regular annual session of such conferences.
General Conference Webmaster: Susan Brumbaugh
PETS Creator: John Brawn
1992 Book of Discipline: ¶ 1609
1996 United Methodist General Conference