Reducing District Superintendents

The recent restructuring proposal in the Western Pennsylvania Annual Conference reduced the number of District Superintendents by 3.  This was proposed to save money in the Conference Budget.  This money was then going to help supplement the hiring of District Resource persons.

The WPA Conference has reduced the number of District Superintendents in the past by merging the Greensburg and Pittsburgh East Districts.  The last year for statistics before these two districts were merged was 2003 (in the 2004 Conference Journal).  I looked up a couple of statistics to see how this merger and reduction of district superintendents changed the ministry of the United Methodist Church.  I compared these numbers with my own district, Indiana District,  that saw little change from this reduction in superintendents.

Looking at Members (M); Worship Attendance (WA); Mission Share Paid (MS); and Professions of Faith (PF)

Indiana District 

2009  16,677 (M)  6,451(WA) $772,189(MS) 207(PF)

2003  15,749 (M)  6,710 (WA) $751,398 (MS) 228(PF)

Change +928 (M) -259 (WA) +$20,791 (MS)  -21(PF)

Percentage +5.9% (M) -3.8%(WA) 2.8% (MS) -9.2%(PF)

Greensburg District

2009  25,789(M) 7,903 (WA)  $1,044,397 (MS)  333 (PF)

2003 PE 18,069 (M)  4,921(WA) $573,461  (MS)   274 (PF)

2003 GR 21,693(M) 6,407 (WA)  $627,950 (MS) 338 (PF)

2003 Total 39,762(M) 11,328 (WA)  $1,201,411 (MS) 612(PF)

Change   -13,973 (M) -3,425 (WA)    -$157,014 (MS)  -279 (PF)

Percentage -35.1% (M)  -30.2% (WA)  -13.1% (MS)  -45.6% (PF)  

Comparison of Indiana District vs  Merged District

Membership:  Indiana +5.9%   Merged District -35.1%

Worship Attendence:  Indiana -3.8%  Merged District -30.2%

Mission Share Paid:  Indiana +2.8%    Merged District -13.1%

Professions of Faith:  Indiana -9.2%   Merged District -45.6%

 

The cost for District Superintenddents in 2003 was $1,156,442.  The cost for District Superintendents in 2009 was $1,467,257.  This might be a little deceiving as this includes office requirements that were not in place in 2003.  It looks like there were transitional costs that raised the cost for the  District Superintendents to $1,368,000 in 2005.  The savings was realized in 2006 when the cost dropped to $1,168,000.  Then the office changes were made to increase staff and office facilities to meet the increased administrative demands and to meet safe sanctuary requirements.

In my mind the cost of reducing supervision in a district risks severe consequences in the effectiveness of local church ministries.  Any reduction in the number of superintendents should be seriously examined and these effects mitigated in any plan.

Until next time....Grace and Peace

Comments

[Ardyth Hill]

Thanks for all your work in bringing together these numbers. I so agree with you Bob.

[Alan Morrison]

Bob, I agree with your concern for the effect of lowering the number of district superintendents. The costs you've reported on would be best evaluated if adjusted for inflation (including an analysis of how pastor's salaries changed between those two years since the formula for DS salaries is based on that). Also remember that not all of Pittsburgh-East went into Greensburg District, so you need to adjust the before figures to only represent those former PE churches that went to Greensburg. Blessings!

[Mcilweb.blogspot.com]

Thanks for this, Bob. Good to get this info out there as we begin conversations.

[Joel Garrett]

I find this information interesting and "grist" for the proverbial mill. The report to the CCN in April was the first time I officially saw the report. Prior to that it was only shared through rumor. I am curious though - how does this information compare with the overall population statistics for the areas mentioned, employment/unemployment rates... Also, how does the presence or lack thereof of a DS translate into increase in membership or worship attendance. In 30 years of pastoral ministry I have yet to hear anyone in the church raise the DS's involvement in a church membership drive or worship increase. Usually it is the DS's presence having to remind the local church of following polity and due process that leads to a decrease in these categories. I have found that more suspect in the drop in membership and worship attendance is the spiritual inertia and lack of passion for the mission of Christ to the Father through the Holy Spirit that results in these things. No matter how we rearrange the furniture or forms things won't change until we see a revival of passion across the church. I just returned from Zimbabwe where the churches are starting to enter their "revival season." When was the last time we heard that term or activity here?