Minister Bereavement Policy

Minister Bereavement Policy

 

1. Ministers serving at Takamoa

The CICC Manual 2010 has outlined the bereavement policy for Ministers stationed and serving at Takamoa, e.g. President, Principal, and other ordained ministers serving as lecturers. The Manual states that when the Ministers themselves or their wives pass away, the wives/ministers have 3 months to make alternative accommodation arrangements outside of the Takamoa Theological College compound.

The Manual does not mention the situation about the Ministers bereavement in the Ekalesias. This policy therefore fills that gap.

 

2. Ministers serving in the Ekalesias

2.1 When the Minister passes away

When the minister passes away, his family (wife and children if any) will have 2 months to make alternative accommodation arrangements. During this 2 months period, the Ekalesia is responsible for the family’s well-being and must ensure that they are fully catered for in terms of food and other necessary household expenditures.

While the Ekalesia is doing this, the CICC Executive Council will nominate a suitable minister to be posted into the Ekalesia as soon as possible after the Ekalesia’s mission house becomes vacant. The General Treasurer will arrange for the prompt payment of the minister’s superannuation and other entitlements to the deceased minister’s wife and family.

In addition to the above role by the Council, it will also take an active part in the affairs of the family of the passing minister by nominating someone suitable to be its agent to assist and help the family in (i) liaising with the Ekalesia, (ii) relocation arrangements, and (iii) arrangements for the coming in of the new minister. The person appointed may be a respected elder of the Ekalesia or someone from outside of the Ekalesia. If required, counseling by another pastor or senior person with such competence may be sought.

 

2.2 When the wife of the minister passes away

When the wife of the minister passes away, the following conditions apply, depending on whether the incident happened under or over 12 months to the next ministers’ rotation:

 

Less than 12 months to the next ministers’ rotation

The Minister will remain in the Ekalesia until the next rotation. If he is not due to retire and does not remarry during this time, he may not be posted to the next Ekalesia proposed for him, the burden will be too much on him without a suitable helper. While he is off duty, he will retain his position as a minister of the CICC. The relevant CICC councils will help him find alternative ways to continue using him as a resource person in selected church programmes.

If he is not due to retire and does remarry during this time, they both will remain in the Ekalesia until the next rotation when they may be relocated to the next Ekalesia.

If the wife passes away between 4 – 12 months to the next ministers’ rotation, he will be granted 2 months compassionate leave which must be taken within 4 weeks after the bereavement. If the wife passes away under 4 months to the rotation, the minister will be granted leave of not more than 2 weeks, being mindful of the upcoming assembly and rotation. If necessary, leave can be taken after the assembly and/or rotation, i.e. when the minister has relocated in his new Ekalesia.

This compassionate leave entitles him to take time away from the Ekalesia to help him recover from the trauma of his loss. It is up to him to choose whether to take up this offer or not. If he does, the minister himself or Secretary of the Ekalesia will make contact with the CICC President or General Secretary to arrange for a stand-in minister while the Ekalesia minister is away. Alternatively, the closest CICC council can be contacted for this purpose.

 

More than 12 months to the next ministers’ rotation

The Minister will remain in the Ekalesia for a maximum of 12 months if he does not remarry. This 12 months period includes 2 months compassionate leave due to him. When this 12 months period is up and he has not remarried, he will vacate the Ekalesia’s mission house for the next care-taker minister.

This means he will not be able to continue serving as a caretaker minister in an Ekalesia because the burden will be too much for him without a suitable helper. He will retain his position as a minister of the CICC, and the relevant CICC councils will help him find alternative ways to continue using him as a resource person in selected church programmes.

If the minister remarries during this 12 months period, he will continue being the caretaker minister of the Ekalesia until the next ministers’ rotation when he and his new wife may be relocated to the next Ekalesia if he is not due for retirement.

If he remarries during his time off duty, the CICC Executive Council will reconsider reinstating him as a caretaker minister if

(i) he is not due for retirement,

(ii) there is a vacancy, and

(ii) he wants to come back as a serving minister.

 

Comments

  • Inputs from the ministers’ rotation committee are required first before decisions are made in respect of the future of ministers as caretakers of Ekalesias.

  • If Ministers still want to continue serving after the passing away of their spouses, they must make their intentions known to the rotation committee who will consider the merits of their cases before making the final decision.

 

2.3 The question of remarrying

It is obvious that when the minister remarries and wishes to continue serving as a caretaker minister of a CICC Ekalesia, the remarriage carries some expectations from both the CICC Executive Council as well as the Ekalesias they will be serving in during their life time. To this end, it is the policy of the CICC that all ministers serving in the Ekalesias should have a wife who has important responsibilities as a help mate for the minister as set out in the CICC Manual 2010.

The CICC shall give ample time for the minister to review his situation and if he wishes to continue serving in the Ekalesias, then he should consider the need to find a suitable help mate with a view to marry and to be with him in his pastoring service.

 

2.4 When an immediate relative of the minister passes away

When an immediate relative of the minister (daughter, son, father, mother) passes away, he will be granted 2 weeks compassionate leave. This entitles him to take time away from the Ekalesia to help him recover from the trauma of his loss. It is up to him to choose whether to take up this offer or not. If he does, the minister himself or Secretary of the Ekalesia will make contact with the CICC President or General Secretary to arrange for a stand-in minister while the Ekalesia minister is away. Alternatively, the closest CICC council can be contacted for this purpose.

 

(Approved by the CICC Executive Council, 29 July 2010)