Is it located anywhere within our discipline that a church can or can't give a pastor a retirement package, for example if a steward board along with the congregation feel that their Pastor(75+yrs.) is close to retirement do to the lack of programing at the church. Understand that it must be hard for some people to make the decision to stop what one has done for 40+ years. This question is being asked out of love and concern for our pastor. We are wondering within the law of the AME Church if such a thing has happen or can happen. We have all heard of many stories of Bishop's being asked to move a Pastors which can leave bad/negative feeling on a Pastors career. We would like for our Paster to leave the ministry on a positive note.

-- Anonymous, March 25, 2002