When I served in the local church, I often felt that I had adequately communicated information to the congregation. I’m sure you’re familiar with this perennial problem. It’s been shared in the newsletter, on the bulletin board, in the bulletin, and from the pulpit, yet someone still says, “I didn’t know about that.”
Knowing this is a forever kind of problem, I want to take a moment this month to use my column to remind you again (because we have communicated it before, but you might not know it yet) that starting July 1, 2025, we will be billing clergy UMPIP contributions in each church’s Benefits Billing invoice.
Currently, these amounts are billed and paid to Wespath. Beginning July 1, 2025, they will be billed by the Benefits Office, and Wespath will bill us the total cost for all clergy in the Conference.
This change was set to occur with Compass starting January 1, 2026; we simply decided it would be easier to make the transition mid-year.
If you would like to make this transition as easy as possible, I suggest setting up Autopay with our office. I know many churches already use Autopay with Wespath, and if you set up Autopay with the Benefits Office, we will simply withdraw the amount of your church’s Benefits Billing plus your clergy person’s contribution from the bank account on file each month. There is no need to write a check or mail anything in that case. You can arrange autopay by contacting John Kosten.
If you are part of a multi-point charge, we will bill the contribution from the clergy person exactly as it is stated on the pastor’s compensation form for the year. Please ensure that this form accurately reflects which church or churches are contributing, as that will determine how billing occurs starting July 1, 2025.
As always, if you have questions, reach out to MI Benefits Guy. I’m here to help.
Last Updated on March 27, 2025