Members' Meeting - Sunday, February 21, 2021 at 4pm
- Meeting will be virtual
- Notice of Meeting
- 2021 Met Membership Ministry Corporation Budget
- 2021 Met Membership Property Corporation Budget
Results of votes from Members' Meeting, Feb 21 2021
Members' Questions for Virtual Meetings and Electronic Voting
1. Q: I'm wondering why the Property corporation 2021 budget amount for "administration" is double the amount spent in 2020?
A: The reason for the increase in Property Corporation administration costs in the 2021 budget is that more day-to-day bookkeeping and accounting tasks will be undertaken by the Ministry Corporation staff. These services will be purchased by the Property Corporation. This is part of an ongoing rebalancing of financial tasks among available personnel.
2. Q: I have a few questions on The MET's 2021 budgets. In a budget, I would expect to see income as well expenses, but I see none. Is it 100% donations? For both corporations? Presumably not for Property, since the Ministry has a lease expense to the Property. Please detail income sources for both corporations.
A: Typically, we share the financial details in full at the May Members' meeting, as we have fully audited numbers at that point. At the moment, the numbers are estimated and unaudited, but (we are) happy to give you the answers you are looking for from those estimates. For the Ministry Corporation, the bulk (97.4%) of our receipts come from donations. We do receive rental income from users of the facility (1.5%), and there was income from the federal wage subsidy (0.7%), interest income (0.4%) and a nominal amount from class registrations. Numbers don't add due to rounding. For the Property Corporation, Donations only account for 14% of total income, and are offerings designated to the Building Fund. Other income includes transfers from the Ministry Corporation for items like the building sign and parking lot repairs (38%), and rental income (49%). Again, numbers do not add due to rounding.
3. Q: I have reviewed the Budget documents for both corporations and I was surprised that the provided documents did not include the typical financial statement for the past year (using older terminology Balance Sheet, Income Statement, Cash Flows, etc.). In addition, the proposed budgets do not include past or forecasted revenues to provide a sense of the anticipated excess or shortfall compared to expenses. Perhaps we are missing something given that we are new to the organization. Are such documents or information available elsewhere or are they only provided upon request?
A: The budget figures have been prepared and have been reviewed a number of times by members of both boards, taking into account projections and estimates for 2020 year-end results. As such, we believe that the estimates are prudent, and they are also made with the full intention of balancing the budget in the 2021 year. Safeguards are put into place that if expenditures appear to be getting higher than income over the course of the year, we curtail expenditures until we are confident that we can balance our books. We typically share our audited balance sheet, income statement and cash position figures at the May members meeting, as those are the verified numbers for the year. I am happy to report (and we will be sharing this later today) that we generated a very healthy surplus in 2020, which during a very tough year for all of us, was a great blessing from the Lord - we are grateful.
4. Q: The 2021 Ministry budget "reflects pastoral hires to continue to build a strong ministry team". Please elaborate on what pastoral hires are being pursued or considered and indicate for what roles as aligned with the MET vision/mission. Are any of these potential hires to provide backup for pastor Jonathan at the main pulpit (it appears that pastor Greg is his main preaching backup and does a good job but is also very busy with MET youth)? Are other pastors on staff being groomed or considered for backing up Jonathan as we do have many pastors on staff? (Pastors Adam and Dave also do backup preaching from time to time).
A: Thanks for the concern that you show for Pastor Jonathan. As a Board we want to take care that Pastor Jonathan has all of the support that he needs, including backup for the pulpit ministry. We are continuing to develop our pastoral team and priority hires for 2021 include an Evangelism Pastor and an Assistant Youth Pastor. Both of these positions would not be filled before the third quarter of 2021. We are grateful for the strong preaching pastoral team of Adam Callaway, Dave Rennalls as well as Pastor Greg Kopczyk. We find ourselves with a very favourable team of expository preachers, where each one is extremely capable of faithfully communicating the word of God, and feel that with this bench strength we have appropriate backup for the pulpit ministry.
5. Q: Upon viewing the Missions category in the budget could you give me a detailed explanation of the following:
- ETT
- Conference staff.
A: “ETT” (Encounter the Truth) is a new media ministry of The Met launched in 2020. It is quite an exciting venture - from a very small base (an idea, really) it has taken off quickly, in a way that has surpassed all expectations. The program is now broadcast daily in Ottawa on CHRI and in Calgary. The program can also be heard weekly on radio stations in Toronto, London, Vancouver and upper New York State, on a station with some of the largest US broadcast coverage. It is also on the OnePlace and TWR internet platforms that have a global reach. The ministry repurposes the messages that we hear weekly, condensing them into radio-ready programs. Through faithful teaching of the Word, this ministry is providing an opportunity for those who do not yet know Jesus to come to a saving knowledge of the truth, encourages believers to be grounded in the truth, and also encourages local churches in their witness to the truth. We look forward very much to what the Lord will do through this ministry.
The “Conference, Staff” budget line includes the Missions Conference budget, administrative expenses including a small portion of the Executive Director of Operations salary (as he is overseeing the missions program on an interim basis), part time support, administrative expenses, and the salary for The Met’s new 2-Year Missionary in Training initiative which is a cornerstone of the Met’s missions principles going forward “to raise up a new generation of missionaries”. In order to live out our mission at The Met, we’re committed to provide tools, experience, and support for those who sense a calling to enter into full time missionary service through the MIT initiative.
6. Q: A family member and I share the same email address – will we each receive an ID, password, and link for electronic voting?
A: Yes, each Met Member has a unique personal ID number and will receive a unique electronic voting ID, password, and Simply Voting link, regardless of email address.
7. Q: How will quorum be calculated?
A: Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, government regulations have allowed quorum to be calculated using total number of votes cast electronically plus paper ballots. Based on membership figures as of December 17, 2020, our required quorum is 200 votes.
8. Q: Using the electronic voting system, can the church see who I voted for or is my vote anonymous?
A: Your vote is anonymous. The Met is employing Simply Voting, an independently managed server and service, for electronic voting. The Met does not have access to your vote; election results will not be known until the election is closed.
9. Q: Will I be able to see everyone who is attending when I connect to the virtual Zoom Members' Meeting? Will the Board members be able to see me?
A: The Members' Meeting will be set up as a Zoom Webinar – you can see and hear the Board members and presenters but they cannot see or hear you.
10. Q: How can I ask questions at the Members' Meeting?
A: Email questions to [email protected]; responses will be posted on this page. The Board will not be answering Members’ questions during the Members' Meeting.
Nominating Committees
Nominating Committee Guidelines for 2021
Bylaws
Bylaw Highlights Regarding Members’ Meetings:
1. Proxy Voting - A voting Member may appoint another voting Member of the Metropolitan Bible Church Ministry and Property Corporations (a Proxy), to attend and vote in their place. Proxy votes count towards quorum.
2. Quorum (minimum number of members present in person or by proxy) of 35% of total voting members is required to transact business at a Members’ Meeting. If quorum is not present at the start of a Members’ Meeting to transact business/vote, the business meeting is adjourned but may continue as an information session.
- How many Proxy appointments can one Member have? A Proxy may represent a maximum of 2 other Members per meeting.
- What is the Met’s quorum? Quorum varies depending on number of Members.
Prior to a meeting packets of information containing proxy and electronic voting links are sent to all Members via email or mail. Meeting agenda and documents are posted on the Member page of the Met’s website. It can be easy to discount the importance of voting – active participation in the Met’s corporate governance is the privilege and responsibility of a Member. If you cannot attend a Members’ Meeting, or friend or family member cannot attend, please take the time to complete a Proxy Voting Form.
If you have any questions please email [email protected] or call 613-238-8182.