1. Assistance PROGRAM OVERVIEW

2. History of the program 1717 Fund for Pious Uses
1754 Widows’ Fund
1870 Relief Funds for Disabled Ministers and Widows and Orphans
1876 Presbyterian Board of Ministerial Relief
1883 First ministerial retirement home
1909 Sustentation Fund
1927 Board of Pensions; first Presbyterian pension plan
1933 First Christmas Joy Offering
1987 Assistance Program (combines pre-reunion programs)

3. Fulfilling our mission
There are three categories of Assistance Program grants
Church Workers’ Urgent Financial Needs
Retired Church Workers’ Financial & Housing Needs
Pastors’ Vocational Leadership Needs

4. Church Workers’ Urgent Financial Needs
Four Types of Grants
Short-term grants provided in cooperation with mid councils
1. Shared Grants 2. Emergency Assistance
$3,000 to help defray adoption costs
3. Adoption Assistance
Dependent children entering freshman year of college;
family income below 2x the churchwide median salary
4. Transition-to-College
Assistance

5. Retired Church Workers’ Financial & Housing Needs
Two Types of Grants
Eligibility
Age 65 or older
Retired church worker or surviving spouse or covered partner
20 years of service
(10 years, partial supplement)
Participation in the Benefits Plan
1. Income Supplements
2. Housing Supplements

6. Pastors’ Vocational Leadership Needs
Three Types of Grants
Pastors in first 7 years of ministry serving small congregations
Grants of up to $1,500 per year, for up to 4 years
$6,000 maximum per individual
1. Seminary Debt Assistance
Pastors serving congregations < 200 members
10+ years in ministry
Serving current church for at least 6 years
Grants of up to $3,000
2. Sabbath Sabbatical Support

7. Pastors’ Vocational Leadership Needs (cont.)
Mid-career pastors
8-day conference
Participants focus on spiritual, vocational, health, and financial dimensions of their lives
Recently ordained pastors
New, 7-day conferences
Held 2 successive years
Participants focus on the 4 dimensions above, plus leadership formation
3. Presbyterian CREDO

8. Presbyterian CREDO FACTs
Since 2005: 46 conferences and >1,000 clergy and presbytery executive staff
Invitation by random sample of pastors years of age (for Mid-Career); within first 5 years of ministry (for Recently Ordained)
30 pastors,8 faculty members, per conference
Conference locations geographically diverse
8 conferences planned for 2014

9. Assistance Program 2013 Total Grant Support
Three Categories
Number Given
Total Value
Church Workers’ Urgent Financial Needs
Shared Grants
Emergency Assistance Grants
Adoption Assistance Grants
Transition-to-College Assistance Grants
483
$552,000
Retired Church Workers’ Financial and Housing Needs
Income Supplements
Housing Supplements
582
$4,816,000
Pastors’ Vocational Leadership Needs
Seminary Debt Assistance Grants
Sabbath Sabbatical Support Grants
Presbyterian CREDO
259
$310,000
GRAND TOTAL
1,324
$5,678,000

10. Assistance Program Funding
Funds
Types of Grants
Shared Grants*
Emergency Assistance Grants*
Income Supplements*
Housing Supplements*
Christmas Joy Offering*
Gifts, Bequests &
Endowments
(Investment Earnings)
Adoption Assistance Grants
Transition-to-College Assistance Grants
Seminary Debt Assistance Grants
Sabbath Sabbatical Support Grants
Presbyterian CREDO 10

11. Challenges

12. Challenges
Addressing the increasing financial needs of pastors and other church workers
A 47% decline in the Christmas Joy Offering over the past decade
A shrinking donor base

13. initiatives Implementation of the funds development activities
Annual Solicitations
Collaboration with the Presbyterian Foundation
Planned giving

14. Collaboration with The Presbyterian Foundation
Ministry Relations Program - Regional Representatives (Board of Pensions)
- Ministry Relations Officers (The Foundation)
Face-to-face cultivation and solicitation opportunities
Supporting one another’s missions

15. This is the family of faith whom we serve…..
“Whenever we have an opportunity, let us work for the good of all, and
especially for those of the family of faith”
~Galatians 6:10

16. Watch the video on pensions.org