Missouri Conference Staff Working Remotely

Following an order issued by Boone County effective on March 25, the Missouri Annual Conference will close its office in order to limit the spread of COVID-19.  As a result, staff will be working from home.  However, we are still operating.  We have made arrangements in compliance with the order to check US mail, issue payments and deposit received checks.  For all other functions, we will be operating through, phone, voice mail and email.  You may use our dial directory for the voicemail of the person you are trying to reach when you call the mainline at 573-441=1770.  Staff will be checking frequently and most staff receive voicemail by email.  You may also reach staff by email.  All email addresses are available at https://www.moumethodist.org/conferencestaff.

Families First Coronavirus Response Act

On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The text of the legislation can be found here: https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6201/text. The bill takes effect April 2, 2020, and it will sunset on Dec. 31, 2020. This act does apply to churches in Missouri, and it is critical that churches extend these benefits to employees. The Missouri Conference has produced a video and a memo to help interpret this new legislation for you and your church. At this time, it is simply unclear whether the Families First Coronavirus Response Act provisions apply to clergy. The Department of Labor has chosen not enforce other laws like the Fair Labor Standards Act with respect to clergy. In this time of uncertainty, churches are encouraged to be generous and gracious with clergy who may become sick or have family members who are. Churches must also remember that it is the bishop who appoints clergy to the charge. Only the bishop can make that change. A resource page for this information is available at https://www.moumethodist.org/resourcedetail/families-first-coronavirus-response-act-and-the-church-13536666.

Local Church Assists Nursing Home

The United Methodist churches in Buffalo are responding to a request from their local nursing homes for protective masks for their staff. Read the story at https://www.moumethodist.org/newsdetail/helping-out-at-home-13537023. For a guide to how you can respond to the pandemic go to  http://www.umcdisaster.org/uploads/2/9/1/2/2912379/disaster_response_pandemic_vs._natural_disaster_handout.pdf.