Election of leaders of two of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.)'s six agencies was endorsed Monday and sent to the 221st General Assembly (2014) for confirmation.
Frank Spencer's election as new president for the PC(USA) Board of Pensions and the re-election of Tom Taylor to a second four-year term as president of the Presbyterian Foundation were endorsed by the Assembly committee reviewing business related to the BOP, Foundation, Presbyterian Investment and Loan Program and Presbyterian Publishing Corporation.
The elections are subject to confirmation by the full Assembly.
Moving speedily through its agenda, the committee voted to recommend disapproval of two overtures:
- An overture from Presbytery of Kiskiminetas would require participation in the BOP benefits plans for any temporary pastoral relationship filled by a non-retired minister serving more than 20 hours a week. Currently only full-time installed pastors are mandated to have BOP coverage.
- An overture from Presbytery of Tropical Florida would direct the BOP to pay all accumulated benefits as a lump sum to all active pension plan members who leave the PC(USA) for another denomination. The BOP registered its opposition to the proposal on the grounds that no members are currently allowed to “cash out” their pension credits and that the IRS would require consent of the member to do so.
The committee voted to recommend approval of an overture from Presbytery of National Capital urging the BOP to post on its website the list of churches that have applied for and received “Relief of Conscience” status, thereby having their healthcare dues segregated to ensure they are not used to pay for abortions. There were 491 of these churches at the end of 2012.