Hawai’i Conference, CHHSM Member Arcadia Part of New UCC Ministerial Assistance Capital Campaign Partnership

The “Generations of Service: Faith and Finance in Action” Capital Campaign is delighted to announce a Partnership among the Hawai’i Conference Foundation, the Arcadia Foundation, and the United Church Board for Ministerial Assistance, Inc. (UCBMA) with the goal of raising $6,000,000 for Ministerial Assistance.

The Partnership is made possible by the commitment of leadership level contributions from The Arcadia Foundation and the Hawai’i Conference Foundation. Funds raised through the Partnership will assist retired clergy and lay employees as well as support programs for current clergy in Hawai’i.

“This partnership is a transformative moment for the Campaign. We are convinced that this support from the Arcadia Foundation and the Hawai’i Conference Foundation will have an enormous impact on discussions with potential donors and translate into significant financial support for the campaign,” says Brian R. Bodager, President and CEO of The Pension Boards-United Church of Christ, Inc. (PBUCC).

“With coming waves of challenge for many in our United Church of Christ family, we choose to act boldly and shape how we care for one another. The Hawai’i Conference’s partnership will be a powerful voice of advocacy for investment in the kind of pastoral care essential to effective leadership in the United Church of Christ,” Bodager adds.

Sherman Hee, Executive Director of the Hawai’i Conference Foundation, and Gabrielle Fackre Chavez, Intentional Interim Conference Minister, are excited about the significant impact they believe the partnership will have in the Hawai’i Conference.

“The Hawai’i Conference has first-hand experience with the timely and caring responsiveness of UCBMA’s assistance. In recent weeks, immediate financial assistance for urgent medical services required by a retired pastor in need was made available as soon as the need was made known to UCBMA staff,” says Sherman Hee. “Along with these immediate, individual needs, we also face the need to ensure the sustainability of viable ministry for our early- and middle-career clergy,” he adds.

Emmet White, CEO and President of the Arcadia Foundation, observes, “The wonderful thing about this partnership is that our missions are well-aligned. Partnering with the Pension Boards through this campaign will allow us to have the greatest impact serving those in need here in Hawai’i.”

The Arcadia Foundation provides financial assistance to retirement home residents who have exhausted their resources as well as to older adults in the greater Hawai’i community. It is associated with the CHHSM member Arcadia Retirement Residence, opened in 1967 by Honolulu’s Central Union Church, a congregation of the United Church of Christ.

“We are able to reach out with both financial aid and operational expertise in senior care and senior living,” says White. “The fruits of this partnership will expand and secure our capacity to live out our mission. It is estimated that by 2020, one out of four people in Hawai’i will be over the age of 60. Our ability to meet an increased need for senior services is critical to caring for Hawai’i’s elderly.”

Partnering with UCBMA, the charitable arm of The Pension Boards, is a natural fit.  “The ‘Generations of Service’ campaign is our opportunity to make sure our grants and programs that are affecting lives right now will be strengthened in anticipation of increased needs for clergy and lay church workers in years to come,” says Bodager.

UCBMA has provided financial support to current and retired clergy and lay church workers in need for over 100 years. In 2017, more than $3 million in financial assistance was given to servants of the church whose incomes fell below a designated level, or who faced emergency situations ranging from high medical bills to the after-effects of natural disasters, including hurricanes Harvey and Irma.

In recent years, UCBMA has launched significant leadership development programs to address pressing needs facing UCC clergy in today’s rapidly changing ministry landscape. These include the Next Generation Leadership Initiative  (NGLI), CREDO, The Annuitant Visitor Program, and most recently, the Ministers’ Financial Vitality Initiative (MFVI).

The $20 million Campaign focuses on raising funds to address three key areas of need faced by the United Church of Christ:

• $10,000,000 will enhance assistance grants for current and future retired clergy
• $7,500,000 will fund sustainable ministry and leadership initiatives
• $2,500,000 will address the mounting challenge of clergy debt through the recently launched Ministers’ Financial Vitality Initiative

For more information on how to Partner with the “Generations of Service” Campaign, contact Rev. Dr. Jonathan B. Lee, Philanthropy Officer, PBUCC at jlee@pbucc.org or 800.642.6543, ext. 2718.