Fellowship Fund

Your Church’s Responsibility to the Fellowship Fund

All C&MA churches, districts, and supporting organizations are required to contribute to the Fellowship Fund until it is fully-supported, according to 1999 Council mandate.

What is the current mandated contribution amount?

• .7% of your church’s local operations income from the prior year
• .35% for the first five years for new churches (after first year)
• 1.4% of previous year's full-time payroll for District Offices and supporting organizations

How Do Churches Contribute?

• You may set up automatic monthly withdrawal
• You may send annual or monthly check(s)
• You will receive an annual invoice, showing the amount required of your church and the amount contributed year to date. This is based on your church’s Annual Report.

How long are these contributions required?

Until the Fellowship Fund is completely self-sustaining, so we can fulfill the promised monthly amount to every participating retiree for the remainder of his or her life. When the Fund is complete, all churches will be notified. Currently, just under 500 retired pastors, missionaries and workers participate. Their median age is 84. Ten years ago, 740 retirees participated and their median age was 74.

What is the Fellowship Fund?

The Fellowship Fund is the defined-benefit pension plan created in the 1930s that still supports just under 500 C&MA retirees (including missionaries and pastors). Due to the significant underfunding that occurred during its 60 years of operation, the Fellowship Fund is still dependent on monthly contributions from the National Office, district, churches, and C&MA subsidiaries and affiliated enterprises in order to properly fund the Fellowship Fund’s payment to its retirees.

Today, it provides a good benefit when compared with the individual’s contribution, but it was never designed or funded to keep pace with the significant economic changes in the last 70 years.

How much do Fellowship Fund Retirees receive?
In 2010, the maximum benefit for a couple is $615.99 and for a single, $431.20. For many retirees, this modest pension and Social Security comprise their entire income.