As a 36-year veteran UCC minister, I thought I knew almost everything about the UCC in general and the Pension Boards in particular.

You can imagine my surprise to learn that on average the Ministerial Assistance Board distributes $3 million annually. These gifts take the form of supplements to small pensions, mini-grants to meet health and emergency needs, as well as one-time Christmas checks to make the lives of our retired clergy and lay employees a bit easier.

Imagine my shock upon discovering that less than half of the annual supplements come from contributions to the Christmas Fund Offering for the Veterans of the Cross and the Emergency Fund. The rest comes from the Ministerial Assistance Fund. I did not know the Fund existed.  

I was surprised and pleased to learn that over half of the gifts to the Fund came from UCC clergy, their children and lay church workers through bequests. What wonderful examples of commitment to the Gospel and recognition of a generous God who calls us to faithful discipleship in this life and the life everlasting.

Have you considered a bequest to the Ministerial Assistance Fund? Perhaps you would like to help those who will follow you into a variety of ministries, but feel you cannot make a significant gift today. Your solution may be a charitable bequest.

Is a charitable request the right gift for you? Most choose a bequest because it:

• is not payable until your or your spouse’s/partner’s death, so it does not affect your assets or cash flow during either of your lifetimes,
• is revocable – you can change the provisions in your will at any time, and
• is private – your will is not filed or made public until your death.

Your giving options are increased because:

• a bequest can be for a specific dollar amount,
• a bequest can be for a percentage of the estate or a percentage of the residue, and
• your gift will become a part of the Ministerial Endowment Fund where only the earned interest is used to carry out its ministries.

For more information about how to make a bequest to the Ministerial Assistance Fund, contact us at 1.800.642.6543, ext. 2718.