Clergy Retirement

Retirement from Active Ministry

MCC recognizes as honorably retired those clergy who have one of the following:

• A minimum of 25 years of active MCC ministry; or
• Reached the legal age of retirement for his/her/their country; or
• A disabling illness; or
• Other extenuating circumstances as approved by the Vocational Leadership Coordinator

Clergy who wish to end active ministry and who do not meet these criteria are classified as resigned.

Retired clergy:

• Are eligible to vote at General and Regional conferences;
• May choose to not attend conferences;
• Are not required to work a minimum number of hours;
• May continue a limited practice of ministry through a local church; and
• Do not need to file an annual status form or hold a License to Practice unless they are maintaining a limited practice of ministry.

Applying for Retirement

Clergy who wish to retire should submit an application (see form on website) and submit it to the Vocational Leadership Coordinator (VLC).  If the clergy person meets the retirement criteria, the VLC will inform the clergy person in writing that his/her/their MCC credentials have been retired.

Clergy in the United States should also contact the Board of Pensions to obtain current information about their pension status.  

Retirement and the Board of Pensions (USA)

For clergy in the United States, retiring one’s clergy credentials is not the same as accessing pension benefits that are available through the MCC Board of Pensions (USA).  Clergy who meet the requirements for retirement and who submit the retirement application are applying to retire their credentials.

To access pension benefits, clergy should contact the Board of Pensions. Please see the Defined Benefits Plan and Trust: A Question and Answer Guide for Clergy and Lay Persons available from the Board of Pensions.  To find more information about the Board of Pensions, contact BOP@MCCchurch.net.