The Messenger - Special Edition

September 17, 2012 Special Edition Nationalchurch.org

The Messenger Dear Friends, Three years ago, Metropolitan Memorial and Wesley United Methodist Church on upper Connecticut Avenue were joined in a Cooperative Parish – a structure used increasingly throughout our denomination to strengthen churches through mutual ministry. The approach is not new to Metropolitan which was yoked with Eldbrooke UMC in 2004 and St. Luke’s UMC in 2008. Both of these partnerships were formalized through mergers that resulted in significant growth for our community in terms of finances, leadership, and the scope of our ministry.

At last year’s Charge Conference, a task force with four representatives from each congregation was created to explore merger between Metropolitan and Wesley UMC. This merger team has developed a plan to proceed toward a formal merger. The Church Council will consider the merger on September 25. If the Church Council approves the recommendation, both congregations will have the opportunity to vote on a merger at their Church Conferences scheduled for Saturday, October 20 at 2 pm. All members of Metropolitan Memorial and Wesley UMC are eligible to vote on this decision.

As we move toward this time of decision, I invite you to think and pray about how a potential merger relates to the ministry and mission of our community. This Special Edition of The Messenger provides information related to this key question. I also invite you to attend one of several Question and Answer Sessions on the subject scheduled in the Great Hall. All are open to anyone interested in learning more.

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Tuesday, September 18, 7:00 pm Wednesday, September 19, 1:00 pm Sunday, September 23, 10:10 am Sunday, September 23,12:30 pm

Additionally, I encourage you to take some time to get to know our ministry partners at Wesley UMC by worshiping with them over the next several weeks. Their vibrant, lively worship service is led by Rev. Kate Murphey and is held at 11:00 am on Sunday at 5312 Connecticut Ave. Ample street parking is available.

And, most important of all, I ask that you hold Metropolitan and Wesley in your prayers as all of us work together to determine God’s call to our churches in this exciting, promise-filled moment in the life of our church.

Blessings,

The Metropolitan-Wesley Merger Plan The proposal for merger is outlined in a Joint Resolution to be voted on at the October 20 Church Conferences. The entire resolution can be found on pages 7-8 of this Messenger as well as online at: www.nationalchurch.org/merger. The key features of the merger are summarized below: •

Goal. The goal of the proposed merger is to integrate the members of Wesley UMC and Metropolitan Memorial into one vital and growing multisite church with three campuses (Metropolitan, Wesley, and St. Lukes/Crossroads) with different and distinct worship services and worshippers at each campus, but unified programmatic ministries, administration and operations to capture economies of scale.

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Worship services. The proposed merger agreement stipulates that for at least three years the merged congregation will continue to lead and support worship at the Wesley Campus with hopes of seeing that worshipping community grow in attendance and giving.

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Building. The merger agreement stipulates that for at least three years the merged congregation will retain the Wesley church building as it seeks to grow the worship service and other ministries at that site. It will be the responsibility of the leaders and staff of the combined congregation to maintain and increase rental income from the Wesley Campus and increase usage of the facilities by both church and outside groups.

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Organizational structure. Although Metropolitan and Wesley UMC have been yoked together in a cooperative ministry since 2009, the two congregations remain organizationally and legally distinct with separate budgets and finances and separate leadership and governance structures. With a merger, they would become a single legal entity with consolidated leadership structures, staffing, and finances.

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Finances. With a merger, the physical and financial assets of Wesley UMC would become part of the combined congregation, including Wesley’s current endowment of approximately $300,000. These endowments funds would largely offset the budgetary impact of adding Wesley to our combined parish for the first several years, as the combined parish seeks an economically sustainable model for ministry at the Wesley campus. The merged entity will operate under an integrated budget to combine all the financial resources and pay all of the expenses of the integrated congregation at all three campuses. A pro forma financial statement has been prepared estimating the total related revenues and expenses accruing to the merged multisite church over the three year period, and those financial indicators will be tracked as a tool to help leaders of the merged multisite church evaluate how the merger is proceeding.

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Pastoral leadership. The operative feature of the current cooperative parish arrangement has been the sharing of our appointed clergy between the two churches, with Rev. Kate Murphey serving as the lead pastor for Wesley UMC which pays half her salary. Going forward under a merger, Rev. Murphey would continue as lead pastor for the worship service at Wesley while continuing to devote the other half of her time to service ministries on behalf of the consolidated parish.

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Other staffing. Virtually all other pastoral, clergy, staff and administrative services and ministry programs will be provided on a unified and integrated basis for the whole congregation of the merged church. The objective is to avoid or minimize duplication of such services or programs to the members of the worshipping communities at more than one campus. Since Metropolitan’s programmatic and administrative staff will be taking on additional responsibilities to support Wesley UMC, an additional administrative staff position is proposed to free up some of their time.

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Expectations. Wesley UMC has enjoyed significant numerical growth over the past several years as part of our cooperative parish. The merger agreement lays out clear expectations for continued growth at Wesley both in terms of attendance and finances as a condition for maintaining the current worship service beyond the three year period.

our Ministry Partners Meet Our Ministry Partners Meet at Wesley United Methodist Church

at Wesley UMC

Wesley UMC began in the early 19th Century as an offshoot of Foundry Methodist Episcopal Church. Wesley became a separate church in 1838 and by 1856 had its own large church building downtown. In the early 1920s it relocated to its current location on Upper Connecticut Avenue.

Today, Wesley is a small, but vibrant and growing congregation, with an embracing sense of community that has forged a multi-racial and multiethnic congregation in -- of all places -- Chevy Chase, DC! Its warm, exuberant style of worship brings together people of all ages from a variety of backgrounds, including many participants from the Regency House Senior Residences located on the opposite side of Connecticut Avenue.

Voices from Wesley Jim Pollock The things my wife Margaret and I value most about Wesley, the things that brought us in the door in the first place and now keep us energized, are the diversity of its community of faith, its genuine radical hospitality, and its soul-filling music. At one point, 28 countries were represented in our congregation and an age range from toddlers to folks in their 90's. There is always a variety of projects going on, a myriad of conversations to be had, and a new cultural lesson to learn. It is invigorating, and it all takes place in an atmosphere that's sort of like a big block party -- we are friends and neighbors, no matter from what part of the metropolitan area we come. And the music seems to bind us all together.

It isn't formal, it isn't polished, it's just a group of people singing out their witness, and have a joyous time doing it.

I often joke that I came to Wesley an agnostic and found out I'm a Methodist. It is Wesley's focus on social justice and healing actions that created and nourish that realization. It starts with caring for our own congregation where one can find stories of the trials of years of hardship; the ravages of joblessness; the scars created by political oppression, the devastation of drug abuse or incarceration; and the fears of old age, illness, and limited finances. It continues with the vitality and exuberance our younger members bring to addressing these issues in concert with the rest of the congregation and in reaching out to our community along the Connecticut Avenue corridor and through our Cooperative Parish experience.

Brent Burton I live in the same neighborhood as Wesley, just a few blocks away, and I like being involved with a neighborhood church. My background is Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), but my interest in community is more important to me than the specifics of denomination. And I think that Wesley has a great community. Having grown up in a different city, I've often felt like an outsider at various churches I've visited around town.

So I was surprised to feel so comfortable and welcome when I first attended Wesley, earlier this summer. I love the music. And I find that Pastor Kate taps into--and helps define--the spirit of what this church is and how it relates to its neighborhood and community. Attending Wesley makes me feel as if I've found a through-line to the good church experiences I had growing up.

It's a special place and I'm glad to have found it. The emphasis on social justice is important to me. Because if that doesn't come from your church, where else are you going to find it?

Multi-site Ministry and the Mission Multisite Ministry and the Mission of Metropolitan Church

of Metropolitan Church

Over the past several years, Metropolitan Memorial has embraced the vision of extending radical hospitality, transforming lives, and pursuing justice. During these same years, Metropolitan has become a “multisite ministry.” At this juncture, as Metropolitan considers the possibility of merging with Wesley UMC, it is appropriate to assess the ways in which cooperative ministry is bearing fruit in service of our mission.

Advantages of Multisite Ministry 1. A larger ministry presence. With the combined resources of a cooperative parish, Metropolitan has expanded the scope of its ministry. Attendance is growing at the Sunday evening Crossroads service and at Wesley’s Sunday morning service. These worshipping communities are unique and distinct expressions of our community’s presence reaching diverse elements of our community traditionally underrepresented at Metropolitan Sunday morning services.

The development of the St. Luke’s campus as a mission center has enhanced Metropolitan’s homeless ministry and fueled the growth of new ministries to feed the hungry. Combined ministry is also strengthening our work with children and youth, symbolized by our 2012 Confirmation Class comprised of youth from both Metropolitan and Wesley UMC. 2. A broader mission field. Three locations give our ministry a larger and more visible presence -- in the Glover Park neighborhood, with Georgetown University, and along the upper Connecticut Avenue corridor, which has a substantial population of senior adults, enhancing our outreach and mission possibilities with different segments of our broader neighborhood.

3. A more vibrant and diverse membership base. Congregants from St. Luke’s UMC, Wesley UMC, and the Crossroads community have made our combined ministry more diverse in terms of age, race, and socio-economic factors. Both Crossroads and Wesley UMC are truly “multi-ethnic” worshipping communities. Since less that 15 percent of American congregations can boast this accomplishment, sustaining these communities is intrinsically important, but also important to the growth of our combined parish since research suggests that larger, more diverse congregations are most likely to grow and reach new people.

4. A stronger financial basis for supporting combined ministry. While each of the congregations added to our parish was struggling with day-to-day finances, they all brought substantial physical and financial assets to our combined ministry. Over a third of the current value of Metropolitan’s Foundation has come from Eldbrooke’s and St. Luke’s assets and resources. This growth of the Metropolitan Foundation has supported expansion of our combined ministry, including a larger staff which is benefiting Metropolitan’s core ministries, as well as our combined ministries.

Additionally, the St. Luke’s mission center is moving toward economic sustainability, with program fees and rentals now covering approximately 90 percent of the operating costs of that building, and additional revenue and fundraising possibilities are on the horizon. As we look toward merger with Wesley UMC, we will be exploring ways to make that building more sustainable through enhanced program use and rentals. And, Wesley UMC will be bringing both physical and financial assets to the union as well.

Challenges of Multisite Ministry 1. Budgetary considerations. An enlarged scope of ministry obviously entails additional budgetary expenditures.

There are still many questions about the impact of the proposed merger with Wesley on a combined budget. However, the draft merger proposal is premised on the assumption that the worshipping community at Wesley UMC will become self sustaining by 2015, with interim costs offset through the acquisition of Wesley UMC’s endowment assets.

2. Dissipating clergy, staff, and lay leadership resources. An enlarged scope of ministry also translates into a larger work load for our staff and leadership – both clergy and lay. As a result of our visioning process the church staff has been realigned to assure that all ministry areas are adequately staffed. The overall level of staffing has increased significantly over the past two years, funded largely through increased foundation revenue related to our mergers with Eldbrooke and St. Luke’s. But one of the risks of merger is that, having become clear on our mission and vision, we could now spread our resources beyond their ability to achieve our goals for growth.

3. Questions of identity. An enlarged scope of ministry raises questions about the core identity of our combined community. How can each campus retain its unique and distinctive identity, heritage, and voice while becoming part of a larger unified congregation? How do we communicate to our external community who and where we are? It is important that we focus on these questions as we continue down the path toward more shared ministry.

Key Facts and Accomplishments of Metropolitan’s Multi-site Ministry Praising •

Each of the four weekly worship gatherings in the cooperative parish is unique, reaching different elements of our community, contributing to an overall increase in worship attendance across the parish.

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Worship attendance is growing at both the Sunday evening Crossroads service and at Wesley UMC, attracting younger and more diverse worshipers than those who typically attend Metropolitan’s Sunday morning services.

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The excellence of the Crossroads musicians and worship leaders was recognized by the Baltimore-Washington Conference which asked the Crossroads team to lead worship during the entire Annual Conference gathering.

Learning •

Wesley UMC has strengthened its children’s ministry with the help of Metropolitan’s children ministry staff.

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The 2012 Confirmation Class included youth from Metropolitan and Wesley UMC, as did Vacation Bible School.

Serving •

The Grate Patrol ministry was developed to engage all three campuses – Metropolitan, St. Luke’s, and Wesley – with leadership coming from each worshiping community.

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Volunteer in Mission Teams for the past two years have included participants from Metropolitan, Crossroads/St. Luke’s, and Wesley UMC and this year’s Appalachian Service Project included youth from Wesley.

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A new staffing and operating model has been implemented at the St. Luke’s shelter providing improved service to its residents with substantially lower operating costs.

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Our parish continues to host the DC hypothermia shelter for men at St. Luke’s. This program is a life-saver, quite literally, as it offers refuge to those who might otherwise die on the streets in freezing weather.

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Metropolitan’s long-standing ministry partnership with Friendship Place has been strengthened with the relocation of their executive offices to the St. Luke’s Mission Center.

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Metropolitan has established a successful Campus Kitchen Project using St. Luke’s well-equipped commercial kitchen. This food recovery program engages local college students and provides meals to local seniors. And discussions are underway with DC Central Kitchen to bring a job training program in culinary arts to the St. Luke’s kitchen.

Stewardship and Finances •

Over one third of the Metropolitan’s Foundation has come from the assets and resources from Eldbrooke and St. Luke’s. This growth in the foundation supports the expanded ministry presence of the combined parish, including growth of the staff.

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The St. Luke’s Mission Center is proving to be an economically sustainable model of ministry, with program fees and rentals already covering approximately 90 percent of the costs of operating that building, with additional revenue and fundraising opportunities on the horizon.

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A unified stewardship effort is supporting growth in giving across the parish, with the Crossroad community contributing to the overall growth in pledges.

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Wesley has increased its pledges and contributions and stabilized its current rental income. Those additional funds would be included in the combined budget for 2013 – 2015.

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There are economies of scale to be realized in the building maintenance, administrative, and programmatic expenses.

Leadership and Staffing •

Strong internal leadership teams have emerged over the past year at both Crossroads and Wesley UMC. These leadership teams would be maintained after the merger to support and coordinate the multisite ministry.

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Staff resources could be stretched by the merger with Wesley. It is proposed that a full-time administrative assistant be hired to support the Pillar Ministry staff and administrative staff. This will free up current staff to focus more on program implementation and management. This additional position is included in the pro forma budget proposed for the merger.

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Our new lay leadership structure -- built around the five pillars of Praising, Learning, Serving, Sharing, and Caring -- is flourishing and capable of extending its reach to support multi-site ministry.

Frequently Asked Questions Q:

What is the difference between a Cooperative Parish (our current arrangement) and a merger?

A: A cooperative parish is created by a directive from a bishop placing two independent parishes in a partnership that enables the sharing of resources and expertise. Typically this is done to link a parish that is struggling—perhaps financially and/or in terms of membership vitality—with one that has greater stability. The operative feature of our current cooperative parish arrangement is the sharing of our appointed clergy – all three of whom are appointed to both churches, with Rev. Kate Murphey serving as the lead pastor for Wesley UMC, dividing her time equally between Metropolitan and Wesley. Otherwise the governance, finances and physical assets are handled separately. A merger means that the two congregations would be legally combined into a single corporatel entity. The governance structure would merge, and members of each separate congregation would become members of a single congregation, with collective control of both assets and obligations.

Q:

Why should we merge as opposed to keeping our current arrangement?

A: Under the current structure, although we have the opportunity to participate in shared worship, fellowship and service opportunities, we are constrained by operational and structural divisions. This means that in many areas we are duplicating administrative and other operational functions. As a result, resources are stretched too thin. Under a merger, administrative and operational tasks can be streamlined and economies of scale can be achieved, freeing pastoral and other resources to be more properly allocated to focus on mission and worship—the same endeavors that facilitate growth and vitality.

Q:

What role does the Bishop have in this decision?

A: Although the bishop has the authority to create a cooperative parish arrangement through the clergy appointment process, the bishop cannot compel two congregations to merge legally.

Q:

Are we bound to the proposed timetable? What happens if we delay the merger decision?

A: We are not obligated to adhere to any specific timetable. However, a merger decision does require a vote of each congregation at a duly called Charge Conference with the District Superintendent presiding. Metropolitan’s and Wesley’s charge conferences are set for October 20, 2012. Approval of a merger at this juncture would enable the congregation to align stewardship campaigns, planning processes, church leadership and budgets as we prepare for 2013. Calling a mid-year Charge Conference is possible, but would unquestionably delay the benefits of pooling assets and streamlining functions. It would also perpetuate uncertainty on the part of both congregations.

Q:

Having been yoked with three congregations in less than ten years, are there more unions on the horizon?

A: Although the bishop has authority to create future cooperative parishes where he or she sees fit, there are no indications whatsoever that this is on the horizon again for Metropolitan, nor are there any other parishes within geographic proximity that would logically be ripe for such consideration.

Q:

Will staffing or clergy assignments change?

A: An analysis of the overall staff structure has indicated that hiring an administrative support staff person would significantly free up the workload of existing program and clerical staff so that no additional resources in these key professional roles would be needed.

Q:

Will my worship experience at my favorite service change as a result of the merger?

A: There are no plans to modify the existing schedule of worship offerings, which provide a wonderful range of distinct worship styles at the four existing services. However, the collective power of shared resources may also bring a wealth of new opportunities in musical and liturgical offerings.

Q:

Can the Wesley building be sold?

A: After a merger, the Wesley building would become part of the assets of the new collective congregation. As with assets currently under the control of Metropolitan, although they would be subject to certain requirements of the Discipline and the Baltimore-Washington Conference, they could potentially be leveraged or sold at some point in the future. But the merger resolution we will be voting on stipulates that the Wesley building not be sold for at least three years in hopes that the Wesley worshipping community can increase in attendance and giving.

Q:

Is Wesley currently in debt and, if so, would we inherit financial problems as a result of the merger?

As outlined in other financial documents, Wesley UMC currently has cash reserves in excess of $300,000. There is no mortgage on the Wesley property. However, there is capital work that needs to be done on the building. Our current estimate is that the cost of addressing the most pressing needs will be approximately $80,000 over the next three years.

A:

Joint Resolution on the Merger of Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church and Wesley United Methodist Church Church Council Meeting August 28, 2012 Metropolitan Memorial United Methodist Church (Metropolitan), located at 3401 Nebraska Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20016, which includes the St. Luke’s Mission Center and worshipping community of Crossroads, located at 3655 Calvert Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007, and Wesley United Methodist Church (Wesley), located at 5312 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20015, enter into the following agreement. Metropolitan and Wesley have been linked in a Cooperative Parish since October 17, 2009, and now wish to merge effective January 1, 2013, under the Discipline of the United Methodist Church (2008/2012) (“Discipline”) and the District of Columbia Code for Non-Profit Corporations (“Code”).

This Joint Resolution sets forth our mutual vision, mission, and objectives for the merged church and sets out the respective commitments and undertakings of each church and its members.

The Joint Resolution will be voted on at the respective Charge/Church Conferences on October 20, 2012.

Articles of Merger will be formally agreed to by Metropolitan and Wesley in a separate legal document that meets the requirements of the Discipline and the Code.

I.

Joint Vision, Mission and Objectives.

Vision – Extending radical hospitality, transforming lives, and pursuing justice.

Mission – Building an inclusive, caring Christian community that invites others into a deepening relationship with God and challenges them to grow as disciples for the transformation of the world.

Objectives – To extend our reach in our community, to expand our ministries, and to grow our congregation.

To integrate all of our members into one vital and growing multi-site church with three campuses and unified ministries, administration, and operations that will use and save human, financial, and physical resources through economies of scale.

To offer and conduct distinct worship services which reflect the different worshipping cultures and communities at each campus.

Our immediate goal is to retain all active members at both Metropolitan and Wesley and to grow each worshipping community over the next three years (2013 – 2015) as measured by average worship attendance.

As a merged and unified church, our objective is to achieve not less than a 15% increase in average worship attendance by the end of 2015. The increase will be calculated on the higher average attendance total reported for each campus in either 2011 or 2012.

As a unified church, we recognize a common desire to make disciples for Christ while respecting and celebrating the differences and diversity of each worshipping community. Worship at each campus will embody distinct characteristics that give it an appeal not duplicated at other worship sites within the church.

We support different and distinct worship services with unique community cultures so that the merged church can appeal to a broader range of people of different spiritual interests, cultures, and backgrounds. This will help the church better reach new people in neighborhoods convenient to each campus who seek a wide range of ministerial and program activities and a worship experience best suited to their needs.

Our challenges are: • • •

To effectively use these differences in culture, worship style, and location to engage church and unchurched individuals across the metropolitan region; To attract new, active members to grow and financially strengthen each community and campus; and To integrate members into the larger congregation and programs of the merged church in all of its ministries -- especially the Pillar Ministries of Praising, Serving, Learning, Caring and Sharing.

Active members in each worshipping community will be encouraged to join in worship with the other communities on occasion at other than their “home” campuses. Combined worship services for all members of the merged church will also be conducted periodically at one or the other of the campus locations.

This sharing is intended to help integrate all members of the church into the full range of church ministries and activities, and to build a larger and more diverse Christian community of disciples for Christ.

Understandably there is some anxiety of both sides of any merger. On the Wesley side, there is the potential concern that a merged parish could close down worship services at Wesley and sell the church. On the Metropolitan side, there is the potential concern that the merger could drain finances to support the Wesley

community and campus if Wesley fails to grow and make a fair financial contribution to the overall support of the merged church.

A primary goal of the merger, however, is to create a vital, growing church operating at three thriving campuses.

The Commitments and Undertakings set out below are made to help assuage these anxieties. These Commitments and Undertakings will be implemented for a three-year period from January 1, 2013 through December 31, 2015.

The Church Council of the merged multisite church will draft a separate document to guide the merged church in implementing church administration and operations; the compilation of its membership rolls; equitable formation of the leadership teams of the Pillar Ministries, UMW and other ministries, administrative committees, and other church working groups; pastoral and laity responsibilities (for the church as a whole and at each campus in particular); Stewardship, financial, and Trustee concerns; and such other issues as arise from time to time. The Church Council shall also provide an annual report to the members of the congregation on how the merger is proceeding and the extent to which the merged multisite church is or is not meeting its goals.

To facilitate accountability for the Commitments and Undertakings set out below, there will continue to be a leadership group at the Wesley Campus which will coordinate with the Church Council of the merged church to oversee programs and operations on the Wesley Campus and evaluate progress on the stated merger objectives.

It will inform the Church Council of any issues and concerns that might impair accomplishment of those objectives.

II.

Commitments and Undertakings of Metropolitan. a. Metropolitan seeks to extend our reach in our community, to expand our ministries, and to grow our congregation. In consideration of the Commitments and Undertakings of Wesley set out below to continue to grow its worshipping community and its tithes and offerings as part of the whole integrated congregation, Metropolitan agrees to: Assure Wesley that for the three years, January 1, 2013 - December 31, 2015, it will continue to provide pastoral and administrative services from among its clergy and other staff to adequately lead and support worship services for the Wesley worshipping community, support outreach activities, and maintain church building operations at the Wesley Campus. b. The objective is to coordinate the use of clergy and staff on a unified and integrated basis to avoid redundancy and duplication and to optimize support for all ministries and programs, administration and operations, property management, and maintenance of buildings and grounds so as to maximize the use and outreach of all three campuses to grow the merged church. c. Likewise, integrated committees representing each Pillar Ministry will identify programs that may be of unique benefit or significance to each campus or facilities at each campus which may be best suited to support programs of the merged church as a whole. d. The merged multisite church will operate under an integrated budget to combine all the financial resources and pay expenses of all communities and campuses. In some instances, accounts will be structured to distinguish expenses and unique costs at each campus. However, Metropolitan, as the surviving legal entity, will effectively underwrite the net costs of implementing the merger during the three-year period. e. Metropolitan commits to make every effort to encourage its active membership and those in its worshipping community to participate fully in committees, ministries, services, and programs offered on a unified basis or individually at the other campuses in order to encourage integration, support, and growth for the congregation of the merged church as a whole.

III.

Commitments and Undertakings of Wesley. a. Wesley commits to maintain and grow its current active membership and those in its worshipping community by demonstrating increased average worship attendance and financial growth through new membership.

Wesley and Metropolitan recognize that multiple factors can influence congregational growth. However, Wesley commits to the goal of increasing the size of the merged congregation by 15% over the three-year period set out in I above. To achieve that objective the Wesley leadership group will set annual goals for increases in average worship attendance and will make every effort to make measurable progress toward those goals. b. Wesley commits to make every effort to maintain its current level of tithes and offerings at the higher level of 2011 or 2012, and to continue to increase its total tithes and offerings during the three-year period. The goal is to increase tithes and offerings over the higher of the amount in 2011 or 2012 by the same percentage that our average worship attendance increases. c. Wesley commits to make every effort to encourage its active members and others in its worshipping community to participate fully with other members of the whole congregation in all other ministries and services provided on a unified and integrated basis by the merged church no matter where or how they are offered. The active members of Wesley will try to take advantage of all ministries, programs, and services offered by the merged Church, and will encourage all new participants in its worshipping community to do the same.