Clergy Benefits Academy 2009:
Course Descriptions
Dimes to Dollars: A Savings Plan for You
The United Methodist Personal Investment Plan (UMPIP) is a key to enhanced retirement security. Learn how to maximize your saving potential and how to tailor your investments to reflect your needs and personal circumstances. Saving has never been so easy. And don’t forget—this plan is available to lay staff as well!
Instructor: Peter Hang, Benefits Educator, General Board of Pension and Health Benefits
Healthy You…Healthy Church
Get excited about creating a healthier you—and a healthier church. Nutrition and physical activity—from both an individual and a congregational perspective—will be the focal point of this class. Ever thought about creating an outreach ministry around food or organizing your refrigerator for healthier eating? Come prepared to think about food and physical activity in a new way, experiment with exercise bands and walk away with tools you can use!
Instructor: Judy Johnston, MS, RD, LD, Research Instructor, Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, University of Kansas School of Medicine
Help! Clergy Tax Laws!
The laws relating to taxation of clergy compensation can be confusing. This class will help you understand your tax liability, the clergy housing allowance, accountable reimbursement plans and other issues unique to clergy. This is a practical class that will focus on the basic issues.
Instructor: Dan Gary, Associate General Counsel, General Council on Finance and Administration
Planning for the Future: Financial Goals and Tools
Do you have financial goals? Is excessive debt eating away at you? Are you monitoring your spending? This class will discuss tools you can use to plan for a more secure retirement. You’ll learn about setting goals, the role of debt, the importance of net worth and other basic financial considerations that will help you plan for retirement security. This is a practical class designed to give you basic tips and tools to improve your financial picture.
Instructor: Lynette Rice, CPA, CFP, Benefits Educator, General Board of Pension and Health Benefits
Planning for the Future: Beyond the Basics
Once you’ve set your financial goals, how do you use insurance policies, savings programs and our various denominational benefit plans to take your retirement planning to the next level? What preparations are necessary for those transitional moments when your well-thought-out plans go awry? How do you keep your plans for the future moving forward? This class is designed to help you make the most of your financial planning.
Instructor: Mark Conner, CFP, CEBS, Benefits Educator, General Board of Pension and Health Benefits
Planning for the Future: Your Family and Your Estate
Do you have a durable power of attorney or an advanced directive? Do you know where your important documents are located? Have you considered estate planning and your long-term financial legacy? Are you familiar with trusts and estate tax laws? This class is essential as you consider ways to care for your family’s future.
Instructor: David Bell, Vice President of Stewardship, United Methodist Foundation of Michigan and Senior Partner, Design Group International
Social Security for Clergy
Social Security provides both retirement and disability benefits, yet many clergy do not participate in this important government program. Learn how Social Security can benefit you, how you might qualify for benefits and what you may expect from Social Security during different life events.
Instructor: North Carolina Social Security Representative
Unexpected Events: Benefits You Need the Most
What happens when life throws you a curve and you face a difficult situation involving disability or incapacity? Learn how the Comprehensive Protection Plan helps you through unplanned transitions. In this class, you will learn “what to do” and “what to expect” at those times when you and your family need benefits the most.
Instructor: Dale Jones, Managing Director of Education and Plan Sponsor Relations, General Board of Pension and Health Benefits
United Methodist Pension Benefits Review
The United Methodist Church offers many benefits to its clergy. This class provides an overview of the benefits you and your family may expect from the Church when you retire. The class will focus on the Clergy Retirement Security Program and the Ministerial Pension Plan.
Instructor: Ron Coleman, Conference Liaison, General Board of Pension and Health Benefits
You Can Do It: Living a Healthy and Balanced Life
What “benefits” can clergy and church leaders derive from contemporary models of health promotion, pastoral care and holistic wellness? This class will identify contemporary trends in clergy and family self-care, strategies for discovering and overcoming obstacles to self-care and the best practices for achieving balanced physical, psychological, relational and spiritual health.
Instructor: The Reverend Ron Johnson, Ph.D., Pastoral Psychotherapist, Bartlett United Methodist Church Counseling Center, Memphis Conference
Special Opportunities
One-on-One Consultation
During on-site registration, schedule a consultation with a General Board of Pension and Health Benefits (General Board) staff member. This private session is your opportunity to discuss your own account balance and pension projection. A knowledgeable General Board employee will help you understand your specific benefit situation.
Financial Planning Forum
Do you want to talk with our three financial planning instructors? This forum will focus on your specific needs and questions. It will look more closely at several issues, including multigenerational planning and integrating your benefits with those of your spouse.
Bonus Tax Class
If you enjoyed the “Help! Clergy Tax Laws!” class and you want to learn more…then this bonus class is for you. If you have more questions or would like to gain additional knowledge from our experienced instructor, plan to attend this evening session.
More…Living a Balanced Life in the Congregation and Connection
What is balanced pastoral living in your local church and connection? How do you understand and handle your difficult situation? Others have dealt with similar circumstances. Join this intimate, smaller group to share, gain support and take home a new perspective on how to balance your life.
Socially Responsible Investing: Your Dollars at Work
The General Board is a socially responsible investor. Learn how the dollars invested on your behalf uphold the values of The United Methodist Church and help promote the goals outlined in the Social Principles.
More Information
Click below to view more information about the 2009 Clergy Benefits Academy.
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