Pierre Michel repairs a wall outside the Methodist Guest House in Port-au-Prince.  Photo courtesy UMNS. 

Bishop Peggy A. Johnson encourages church to send a mission team to Haiti.

Two years ago today (January 12, 2010) the terrible news came about the devastating earthquake in Haiti.  

In 2012, the Board of Pension and Health Benefits is offering incentives for steps toward WELLNESS!  If you do your part, we will provide additional funds to your HSA (HRA and early retirees will receive a gift card.)

To start the year off right, take 15 minutes to complete your online health assessment, located on your personal record at www.aetna.com.  If you have a body mass (BMI) of 25 or higher, you will be invited to participate in the Healthy Body Healthy Weight program available only in January and February of this year – and worth an additional $50 in your HSA!

Bishop Peggy Johnson announced the appointment of the Rev. Dr. Irving Cotto as the District Superintendent for the Northeast District of the Eastern PA Conference effective July 1, 2012.   He will succeed the Rev. Bronwyn Yocum, who will be appointed to Grove UMC in West Chester, PA.

The Reverend Dr. Irving Cotto was born in New York City on the 4^th of September 1954.  He is the third of four children. Following his ordination as an elder in 1980 he continued to serve as pastor at Emanuel Church, a Latino congregation he planted in 1977. Later in 1983 he was appointed to serve at El Redentor Church in the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania. There he served for sixteen years. 

From 1999-2008 he was the Senior Pastor at Asbury United Methodist Church in the city of Camden, New Jersey and transferred into the Greater New Jersey Annual Conference under the Episcopal leadership of Bishop Sudarshana Devadhar.  

Financial Update – November 2011

Conference Budget

Please reference Schedule A and Schedule B for a summary of the conference budget as of November 30, 2011. The total annual budget for 2011 is $3.5 million. The local churches support the conference budget through the CMF bill. Through eleven months, giving for CMF from local churches is $3.045 million, $158 thousand less than budget and $191 thousand less than the amount received as of November 30, 2010. With one month remaining, we project that December will, at a minimum, match the total of $318 thousand, received in December of 2010.   

Expenses totalled $3.069 million and were $153 thousand less than budget and $190 thousand less than expenses at November 30, 2010.  We project December expenses to be $250 thousand. If December projections for revenue and expense are on target, the Conference will produce a balanced budget for the year.

Deadline for 2011

All 2011 remittances must be received by January 13, 2012. Please make note of this date on your calendars and pass this date on to the person on your staff that handles remittances. Any funds received after that date will be applied to 2012.