Financial Assistance
RCA clergy, you are not alone. You are worthy of being compensated for the good work that you are doing. The Board of Benefits Services is committed to serving you, so that you flourish in the ways God has called you to serve. Through good stewardship and strategic partnerships, we have a number of funds and initiatives to support you in becoming financially healthy.
Ministerial Excellence Fund
Debt among clergy has led to a ripple effect of problems in the North American church. The Board of Benefits Services has partnered with the Lilly Endowment to help clergy get out of debt and become financially healthy with grants from the Ministerial Excellence Fund. We believe that financially healthy pastors lead to healthy congregations.
Assistance Fund
RCA pastors, their spouses, and long-time missionaries give to the church in countless ways. Yet in retirement, some find themselves in extenuating financial circumstances.
The assistance program provides grants to eligible ministers and their surviving spouses and dependent children. Financial assistance is primarily awarded for needs related to housing and utilities, on-going medical insurance premiums, funeral grants to surviving spouses, retirement contributions for disabled ministers and other emergency needs deemed acceptable by the assistance grant approval team. Missionaries with ten or more years of service and former employees of the Southern Normal School are also eligible for grants from the assistance program. (The RCA operated this boarding school in Brewton, Alabama, for 86 years.)
Retirees, surviving spouses, missionaries (10+ years of service) or former Southern Normal School employees requesting assistance must complete an application, which is reviewed by a staff committee. Recipients must resubmit an application annually to continue receiving assistance.
Applications are available by contacting the retiree chaplain, the BOBS’ office at 866-221-5480, or emailing mrich@rca.org.
In 2014, General Secretary Ed Mulder and wife Luella gave a generous donation to endow the BOBS assistance fund. Every year, proceeds from that endowment contribute to the funding of the assistance fund.
Frank Williams Fund
The Frank Williams Fund is an endowment that aids active ministers who experience special emergency needs. To make use of this fund, a match is required, usually provided by the classis or the local church.
Have a question?
We are here to help!
Board of Benefits Services
475 Riverside Drive, Suite 1606
New York, NY 10115
retirement@rca.org
866-221-5480
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