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Pension Fund of the Christian Church

Employer-Sponsored Retirement Products

Overview

As a church plan, Pension Fund is able to offer flexible and worry-free retirement options for employers and their employees. Our team of Area Directors will meet with you to discuss your needs and help you get started.

Individual Savings & Retirement Products

Overview

Whether you’re just starting out or closer to retirement, choose from a variety of products to help you reach your retirement and savings goals.

Program Applicants

Ministerial Relief & Assistance

Our relief programs meet the evolving needs of new, active, and retired clergy and their families to ensure all ministers and lay workers can enjoy a strong, smart, secure retirement.

Supporters & Donors

Make An Impact with a Donation

Your gifts and financial support helps ministry workers in need bridge the unexpected from now until retirement (and beyond).

Resources

Overview

Discover planning and educational tools & resources to help you navigate your financial wellness journey.

For Members & Clergy

For Members

Guides, factsheets and resources to aid you on the Road to Financial Wellness.

For Clergy

Clergy-specific resources to support your call to ministry.

For Employers

For Employers

Hiring tip sheets, tax guides and more to help you manage your employees' benefits.

Your Money Line

Pension Fund has partnered with Pete the Planner® to provide members with access to financial guides who will help answer your tough financial questions & online tools such as calculators and eLearning courses.

Stay Connected

News & Publications

Events

Retirement Readiness Seminars

Ready to retire soon? Attend this seminar and get answers to common retirement questions to help you prepare for the next step.

The Gathering 2024

Register now to attend The Gathering. We will be in Washington D.C. Sept 3-5.

Employer-Sponsored Retirement Products

Overview

As a church plan, Pension Fund is able to offer flexible and worry-free retirement options for employers and their employees. Our team of Area Directors will meet with you to discuss your needs and help you get started.

Individual Savings & Retirement Products

Overview

Whether you’re just starting out or closer to retirement, choose from a variety of products to help you reach your retirement and savings goals.

Program Applicants

Ministerial Relief & Assistance

Our relief programs meet the evolving needs of new, active, and retired clergy and their families to ensure all ministers and lay workers can enjoy a strong, smart, secure retirement.

Supporters & Donors

Make An Impact with a Donation

Your gifts and financial support helps ministry workers in need bridge the unexpected from now until retirement (and beyond).

Resources

Overview

Discover planning and educational tools & resources to help you navigate your financial wellness journey.

Your Money Line

Pension Fund has partnered with Pete the Planner® to provide members with access to financial guides who will help answer your tough financial questions & online tools such as calculators and eLearning courses.

History

Historical photo of Pension Fund's first board of trustees

Serving in times of greatest need for over 125 years.

Pension Fund originated in 1895 as the Board of Ministerial Relief, serving pastors in dire financial need. Beginning with our first Pension Plan payment in the Great Depression — and throughout the market ups and downs since — we’ve honored our commitments to our members. Today, we administer one of the strongest, fully funded pension and retirement systems in the country.

Members Icon

Evolving with the needs of our members.

Over the years, we’ve listened to our members’ needs and added to our products and services. Our goal is to offer comprehensive products and services for all life stages and income levels.

Pension Fund 125 Anniversary Timeline

Timeline

1895

Board of Ministerial Relief is formed:

Ira Chase, minister and former governor of Indiana, dies and leaves behind a blind widow and several children with no means of support. A.M. Atkinson forms the Board of Ministerial Relief and raises an initial $2,165.31 for the purchase of a home owned by Wabash Christian Church for the surviving Chase family members. William R. Warren serves as the initial board president.

1919

A new system of ministerial pensions is proposed.

George A. Huggins, an expert actuary instrumental in developing many religious, educational and governmental pension systems, helps structure a new ministerial pension system administered by the Board of Ministerial Relief. The Pension System would initially provide $500 per year to 3,663 eligible ministers.

1928

Pension Fund of the Disciples of Christ is Formed.

The International Convention approves the development of a new pension plan, closes the Board of Ministerial Relief, and authorizes a new board of trustees, to be named The Pension Fund of the Disciples of Christ, tasked with managing both ministerial relief and pensions.

1931

The Pension Plan is launched during the Great Depression.

In the first 9 months, four ministers died and death benefits were paid.

1951

Supplemental Gift program begins.

Dr. Hollis Turley is named president of Pension Fund.

1953

Student Gift Membership program begins.

1954

Pension Plan survivor benefits are increased through the Family Protection Plan.

1973

First Special Apportionment is awarded.

1993

Pension Fund passes $1 billion in assets under management.

1999

Pension Fund passes $2 billion in assets under management.

2013

Pension Fund passes $3 billion in assets under management.

2015

Pension Fund launches the Excellence in Ministry program through its partnership with Lilly Endowment Inc.

Pension Fund introduces a new Traditional IRA product and reintroduces the Benefit Accumulation Account.

2018

Pension Fund awards members a historical $144 million in Special Apportionments and Good Experience Credits.

Pension Fund Board of Directors approves plan to expand the Ministerial Relief & Assistance program. Pension Fund launches online portals for members and employers which allow for online transactions and additional self-service.

2020

Pension Fund celebrates 125 years.

Pension Fund currently manages more than $3.3 billion in assets, for more than 14,000 members. In 2019, Pension Fund paid out more than $129 million in annual pension benefits. As of 2020, Pension Fund has paid more than $2 billion in pension benefits to our members throughout its history and tens of millions of dollars in ministerial relief and assistance.