Minister’s Unemployment Fund — Information Request Form
Information Request Form Minister’s Unemployment Fund
Guidelines Followed by the Committee Administering the Ministers’ Unemployment Fund
Use of the fund is limited to persons in forced termination situations in which the church has not provided adequate transitional income.
Each situation is handled on an individual basis.
Absolute confidentiality is maintained.
Assistance given is a grant, not a loan.
Persons are typically referred to the responsible committee through the Church, Minister and Family Wellness Facilitator. When persons apply otherwise, the committee usually verifies the “forced termination” situation through the Facilitator.
The fund seeks to alleviate emergency transitional need and is limited to the cost of sustaining health insurance and rent or mortgage payments.
Applicants are interviewed in person, whenever possible, or by telephone and correspondence.
The applicant is requested to give complete information concerning his/her financial condition and special need.
Grants are made on the committee’s best judgment as to amount and frequency, in reference to need. Typically grants are made for a period of three months with the possibility of adding a fourth month.
If the need is obviously the result of poor handling of economic resources, the committee may provide or recommend management counseling.
Applicants are encouraged to seek temporary secular employment as an aid in transition from one ministry position to another.
The committee seeks to combine common sense, good judgment and a full measure of Christian compassion in its consideration of need and treatment of persons.
Rationale
The interruption of regular income creates an emergency situation for the majority of ministers.
It is important that ministers maintain good credit standing.
Some churches in forced termination situations may proceed in highly unethical and even in unchristian ways.
The committee recognizes the importance of emotional and spiritual healing and a redemptive purpose for the minister and his family in a time of exceptional stress. Therefore, the goal of Virginia Baptists is to minister to the whole person in our ministry to ministers and their families. The emergency fund is one part of that ministry.
