Delegates raise retirement age of bishops

United Methodist News Service
The 992 delegates to the 2008 General Conference increased by two years the mandatory retirement age for bishops.
The decision impacts three of 14 bishops who were retiring Aug. 31 following the regular sessions of the five U.S. jurisdictional conferences in July and the central conference meetings in Africa, Europe and the Philippines in the fall and 2009. The increase was proposed by a task force studying the episcopacy, and a hand vote the delegates took April 28 made the decision effective at the conclusion of General Conference.
Changing the retirement age from 66 to 68 reflects the way Social Security is moving in allowing people to work longer if they choose, said Peggy Sewell of the episcopal services office at the United Methodist Council on Finance and Administration.
The action also moves the bishops closer to the retirement age for ordained elders and saves costs for the Episcopal Fund, said the Rev. Janet L. Forbes, a delegate from the Rocky Mountain Conference and chairwoman of the subcommittee considering the recommendations from the episcopal study task force.
The Episcopal Fund provides economic support to bishops by paying their salaries, pensions and benefits as well as episcopal office, business travel and meeting expenses.
Bishops William Hutchinson, Jane Middleton and Solito Toquero have the option of proceeding with retirement if they choose or serving for another four years.
Prior to General Conference, mandatory disciplinary requirements stated that bishops had to retire on Aug. 31 following the regular session of the jurisdictional conference if the bishop’s 66th birthday had been reached on or before July 1 of the year in which the jurisdictional conference was held.
Middleton, 67, episcopal leader of the Central Pennsylvania Conference, said she is “very grateful to have another four years to serve in this way.” She was elected to the episcopacy in 2004 and never expected to be able to serve more than four years.