Central Conference Pension Initiative Launches Angola Pension Pilot Project

For Immediate Release
March 25, 2010

Contact: M. Colette Nies, Managing Director—Communications
(847) 866-4296 or cnies@gbophb.org

Evanston, IL—The General Board of Pension and Health Benefits (General Board) and the office of the Central Conference Pension Initiative (CCPI) announce the launch of a pension pilot project in the country of Angola. This is the CCPI’s third pilot program; the first pilot program was launched for the Liberia Annual Conference in January 2007, followed by a pilot program for Mozambique’s two annual conferences in January 2009.

Retirees and surviving spouses in the East Angola and West Angola annual conferences received their first pension payments in February 2010. Both annual conferences in Angola are served under a single pension program, covering 77 retirees and 85 surviving spouses who receive quarterly pension payments. The funds are sent by bank transfer and deposited directly into the pensioners’ personal banking accounts.

This is not the first pension program for Angola. Pension support existed in the country until civil unrest in the 1990s strained the churches’ resources and caused the programs to be discontinued. CCPI has worked with Bishop José Quipungo in the East Angola Conference and Bishop Gaspar João Domingos in the West Angola Conference since August 2008 to develop a new plan, ensuring that all of the country’s retirees would be supported. In addition, CCPI held a training session with both conference boards of pensions to ensure that they were knowledgeable about the program and prepared to administer it for the country’s retirees.

CCPI Managing Director Dan O’Neill says, “The interest and generosity from across our Church has enabled us to reach another group of worthy individuals who have served our Church so well. This year, we aim to launch pilot projects in four additional annual conferences. It is our hope that we can extend our reach to all conferences by 2014. CCPI is close to reaching the $25 million challenge goal for pension support—with $19.5 million in gifts and pledges to date.”

Church leadership in Angola has expressed appreciation for CCPI’s efforts to implement the pilot, and for individuals and churches throughout the denomination which have made central conference pension support possible through their generous gifts and donations.

“Thank you for the wonderful job and leadership, in engaging to let the dream become reality. May God bless all the members at CCPI … Yes we can; we are together,” says Bishop Domingos.

Visit the CCPI website at www.ccpi-umc.org to donate online or to access volunteer resources. With your continued support, CCPI expects to exceed its goal of $25 million and provide a retirement with dignity for all who serve in The United Methodist Church’s central conferences.

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About the Central Conference Pension Initiative

The Central Conference Pension Initiative is designed to become a long-term solution and a foundation for retirement security for dedicated church leaders who would otherwise have little or no pension support when their careers in ministry end.

There are more than 10,000 United Methodist pastors serving in the 74 annual conferences within the central conferences. The complexities of local laws, cultures, history and traditions in these diverse areas present a variety of challenges in establishing pension programs. Pilot project are now under way in Liberia, Mozambique and Angola. CCPI hopes to set up pension programs for all of the central conferences by 2014. For more information, please visit the CCPI website at www.ccpi-umc.org.

About the General Board

The General Board of Pension and Health Benefits is a not-for-profit administrative agency of The United Methodist Church, responsible for the general supervision and administration of the retirement, health and welfare benefit plans, programs and funds for more than 74,000 clergy and lay employees of the Church.

The General Board is the largest faith-based pension fund in the United States and ranks among the top 100 pension funds in the country. As a socially responsible investor, the General Board is actively involved in shareholder advocacy, proxy voting, portfolio screening and community investing.