Annuitants – A Responsibility of the Pension Boards

The Rev. Dr. Richard W. Brandon of Wildwood, Missouri, a member of St. John’s United Church of Christ in Chesterfield, Missouri, has served as an Annuitant Visitor for four years on behalf of the Pension Boards. He shares about one special visit with a widow named “Emma” (not her real name).

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Moving from Talk to Action on Divestment

As she listened to an update Sunday on a resolution passed four years ago urging all settings of the church to divest from fossil fuel companies, Laura Keating texted her pastor, asking if their church had divested.

The answer: no. And not likely to happen due to "oil barons" serving as trustees.

Dismayed, Keating, a Member in Discernment from the Montana Conference, stood up at the hearing and asked: "How can we make changes in churches when the culture is very pro-fossil fuel?"

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2017 GSAM Symposium: The Future of ESG and Impact Investing

The 16th GSAM Symposium took place on April 4-5 and convened a distinguished group of investors and thought leaders who discussed inflection points they believe would shape global markets and trends. PBUCC Chief Investment Officer David A. Klassen was among the participants in a panel discussion on the topic, "The Future of ESG and Impact Investing." 

gsamSymposium
Taylor Jordan,
Head of AIMS Imprint, Goldman Sachs

David Klassen, Chief Investment Officer, Pension Boards United Church of Christ
Elizabeth Lewis, Head of Sustainable Investing, World Resources Institute
Moderated by: Hugh Lawson, Global Head of GSAM Institutional Client Strategy, Goldman Sachs

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PBUCC Selected to Receive Lilly Endowment Grant

The Pension Boards has been selected to receive a $1 million implementation grant from Lilly Endowment’s National Initiative to Address Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders.

The grant will fund development and implementation of a “faith and personal finance” initiative intended to strengthen ministry in the UCC by:

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2017 Health Plan Enhancement – Eligibility to Include Opposite Gender Domestic Partners

Beginning January 1st, 2017, opposite-gender domestic partners are eligible for coverage under the UCC Medical and Dental Benefits Plan (includes Non-Medicare Plan, Medicare Supplement Plan with Rx, and Dental Plan).  Applications will be accepted beginning November 1st, 2016. Eligible participants are those who have been in a relationship for at least six months and can provide documentation of financial interdependence. Participants currently in a relationship of less than six months may enroll upon completion of their six month anniversary. In order to apply for coverage, the following forms must be completed: Medical and Dental Benefits Enrollment Application; Domestic Partnership Statement of Financial Interdependence; and Certification of Domestic Partner as Dependent or Non-Dependent Form. Please check back in the coming weeks for the availability of these forms.

For questions regarding this benefit, please contact the Health Plan Operations team at 1.800.642.6543, ext. 2870.

Policy for Faith and Finance

The Pension Boards’ new Mission and Vision Statements affirm our unique ministry of providing benefits and services to the Church from the intersection of faith and finance. We are pleased now to share with you our Policy for Faith and Finance, which was unanimously adopted by the Board of Trustees.
 
The policy describes faith and finance as the major differentiator between the Pension Boards and other benefits plan providers, and also discusses the development of a “faith and finance filter” for new and existing products and services. It sets forth a process for achieving key organizational objectives as we endeavor to meet the changing needs of the 21st Century Church. It further reflects the Pension Boards’ desire to collaborate faithfully with all of our covenant partners and ministries in the Church and the ecumenical community, and to increase our witness to sustainability in ways that respond to the call for justice, equality, and service.

Click here to download a copy of the Policy for Faith and Finance. We encourage you to read this policy, to share it with others in your ministry settings, and to use it in group study and discussion. We also welcome your comments and questions.