About Us

Mission Statement

The Pension Boards administers comprehensive employee benefits programs for the United Church of Christ, providing the highest standards of service, access and options to active and retired UCC clergy and lay employees.

In 1914, the average 25-year-old minister fresh out of seminary could expect to earn an annual cash salary ranging from $600 to $1,800. Benefits such as health insurance or a retirement plan were rare. In all likelihood, his wife – most pastors were male – would be expected to assume an unpaid position in the church. The family probably would live in a parsonage throughout the pastor’s career, only moving into their own home at retirement – if they could afford one. A great many clergy spent their “golden” years struggling to make ends meet.

That same year, visionary stewards of one of the UCC’s four predecessor bodies realized that congregations are only as strong as their leaders. As a result, they began establishing programs to assist both clergy and lay employees in achieving a level of economic security that allowed them to fulfill their callings without the additional stress of financial worry.

Today, the majority of seminary students are women. Thanks to advances in lifestyle and health care, the average life expectancy is now 78. Health benefits, retirement plans and housing allowances are standard in a pastoral compensation package.

But one thing hasn’t changed. The Pension Boards–United Church of Christ, Inc. (PBUCC) carries on the legacy of those predecessor agencies by administering comprehensive benefits programs for the active and retired clergy and lay employees of the UCC that provide the highest standards of service, access and options. PBUCC assists those who serve the church achieve health and economic security through:

• The Annuity Plan for the United Church of Christ – a professionally-managed 403(b) pension plan with eight investment fund options for members in their active years of employment, converting to lifetime annuity payments in retirement


• The UCC Medical and Dental Benefits Plan – comprehensive medical coverage including wellness and preventive care, pharmacy and mental health benefits, and optional dental and vision benefits
  
  
• The UCC Life Insurance and Disability Income Benefit Plan – provides financial peace of mind to survivors in the event of a participant’s death, as well short- and long-term disability income benefits
  
  
• The Flexible Benefit Plan for UCC Ministries – a tax-advantaged means of setting aside money, through salary reduction agreement, for anticipated medical and dependent care expenses
  
  
• Long-Term Care Insurance – available to UCC employees at favorable group rates and with relaxed health screening through LTC Partners
  
  
• The United Church Board for Ministerial Assistance – a subsidiary corporation of the Pension Boards that provides annual visitation, pension supplementation, health premium supplementation and Christmas gift checks to lower-income retired clergy and lay employees, as well as emergency assistance to active and retired employees facing unforeseen financial crisis
  
  
• Member Education – seminars, conference calls and webinars for participants at all stages in their careers that offer financial education and information on a variety of employee benefits topics
  
  
• The Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Ministry - assists the Covenanted Ministries, United Church Foundation, and Pension Boards - and those they serve - achieve greater harmony between their economic resources and the policies and programs of the Church

More than 95 years have passed since four forward-thinking Congregationalists met to start a retirement fund for clergy. And while the Church has changed in many ways, the covenant made in 1914 remains constant as PBUCC carries out a tradition of excellence – standing with you today and tomorrow.