As a way of saying "thank you" for years of service to the Church, some annuitants with limited financial resources receive an annual Christmas “Thank You” Gift Check.

Eligibility
Eligible persons are one of the following:

• Authorized Ministers with current UCC Standing
• Lay Employees of a UCC congregation, Association, Conference, or National Setting (aka Qualified Church Controlled Organization), with a minimum of 10 years of service
• Surviving spouses/partners of the above

In general, these requirements must also be met:

• Age 65 years or older
• Total household income below $42,250

Values listed are effective as of January 1st, 2024. It may be expected but there is no guarantee that the established income levels would increase every year based on market inflation.

Eligible persons living in Massachusetts are referred to the Massachusetts Board of Aid because they include the Pension Boards’ gift along with the Christmas “Thank You” checks that they send.

Application
Annuitant Visitors and Conference Staff identify potential recipients to the Director of Grants and Scholarships. There is no individual application process.

Funding
The source of funding is the Christmas Fund Offering and the Ministerial Assistance Fund.