The Pension Boards journeys with the Rev. Terri Akkerman on her ministry career and how she balanced life, health, finances, and ministry, providing tips for younger ministers.
In a moment, her whole world changed. Improvement and progress were words she would never hear again.
“It was an incredibly overwhelming, heavy, and dark time,“ said Veronica Kyle, member of Covenant United Church of Christ in South Holland, Illinois.
As a minister, it can be tempting to focus purely on those you serve, and not place your needs as high on your priority list as you should. But, what happens if you get sick? Can your ministry be sustained long term if your health care needs are not being met?
Summer vacation travel is at the forefront of many of our minds, offering an exciting escape from the daily work or ministry routine. But, if you are a clergyperson, retired, or a lay member living on a tight budget, how can you venture into the vacation season with financial confidence to ensure a worry-free and enjoyable summer vacation?
Keeping track of your healthcare costs can take effort, but the payoff can be worth it. Following these tips could mean more money in your pocket, and may even help you get healthier.
If you are a UCC clergyperson pondering the optimal timing for your retirement to begin receiving monthly annuity benefit payments, the decision is an important one that carries significant weight, and can impact your financial security.
By Rev. Bruce G. Epperly, Ph.D.
My friend and fellow theologian and member of the Medicare generation Patricia Adams Farmer talks about taking a “beauty break.” Amid the various activities of the day, we can pause and notice the wonder of life around us. We can as poet Mary Oliver says, “Pay attention” and “Be astonished” at the amazing world in which we live and the wonder of our own lives, “awesomely and wonderfully made.”
By Rev. Bruce G. Epperly, Ph.D.
Francis of Assisi’s first biographer Thomas of Celano described Francis as “always new, always fresh, always beginning again.” Now, for most of us with a history and several decades of habits and preferences, Celano’s description seems an impossibility. We often feel set in our ways and resist change. Yet, as President Jimmy Carter noted, the most creative times of our lives are when we go away to college and in our first years of retirement. Certainly, that was the case with Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter, who embarked on four decades of adventures of spirit, politics, and service following Carter’s presidency.
New York, New York May 06, 2024 - PBUCC has been awarded a Top Workplaces 2024 honor by The NewYork City Top Workplaces.
This list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-partysurvey administered by employee engagement technology partner Energage, LLC. The confidential survey uniquely measures the employee experience and its component themes, including employees feeling Respected & Supported, Enabled to Grow, and Empowered to Execute, to name a few.
According to a survey by USA Today Blueprint, the top four 2024 resolutions for Americans are saving for: a rainy-day fund, retirement, their kids’ education and a big purchase. Paying down credit card debt rounds out the top five items on Americans’ wish list.