C2FM + MBA Collaborate for Clergy
The Clergy and Church Financial Ministry (C2FM) started with a partnership between the Lilly Endowment and the Missouri UM Foundation. The idea was to deliver new resources to help Missouri’s UM clergy and their families to address financial challenges with access to counsel, educational development, and financial aid. To date, C2FM has delivered over $1.7 million in grants, hundreds of hours of coaching, and scores of educational opportunities.
While the C2FM program continues to play a vital part in the lives of our clergy families and congregations, the program has a new partner with a much older Missouri pedigree – the Methodist Benevolent Association. Started in 1876, the MBA grew out of a similar desire to address financial challenges facing Missouri clergy, especially in retirement.
“Our mission pre-dated more modern assistance for pastors,” notes current MBA chair, Rev. Kyle Hern. “The quaint language of our documents expresses concern for ‘superannuated and worn-out pastors’” explains Hern, “and the MBA has continued to be of assistance for 149 years!”
C2FM Director, Rev. Mark Struckhoff, is delighted that these complementary programs are collaborating. “The MBA has a proud history of caring for our clergy, and now we are able to add a new and productive chapter to that story,” states Struckhoff. Struckhoff explains the two new ways that the MBA is partnering with C2FM:
- $25,000 Matching Grant Challenge. The MBA has been an active contributor to C2FM for the last three years and this year they are challenging others. The MBA challenge grant will provide dollar-for-dollar matching for other gifts. “These gifts increase our ability to provide clergy well-being grants to aid in times of need,” explains Struckhoff.
- $18,000 Retired Clergy Response Grants. This funding will help stand up a new Retired Clergy Well-Being Program under C2FM. Struckhoff welcomes this opportunity and says, “C2FM will continue to serve our active clergy. This is an opportunity to bring our retirees – and surviving spouses – into the circle of connection with services such as Your Money Line and well-being grants to address those crises that can and do still arise.”
Struckhoff encourages folks to call or email to learn more about the programs. “Many of the pastors we have helped, in turn, give back to the program,” states Struckhoff, “and we have a new Clergy Helping Clergy Fund to build long-term endowment for that very purpose.”
Credit card gifts to C2FM can be made securely online at https://mumf.org/give-now/give . If you would like assistance with gifts of other assets or to create a legacy fund of your own, contact Mark Struckhoff at mstruckhoff@mumf.org.