NEW ONLINE LEARNING RESOURCES CONNECT CHURCH STAKEHOLDERS, BUSINESS LEADERS WITH FINANCIAL EDUCATION
www.eden.edu/walker-leadership-institute/
St. Louis, MO, April 3, 2020
Two financial ministries of the United Church of Christ have created an online resource for pastors, church endowment/stewardship committee members and other stakeholders focused on financial education for churches and on-profit organizations. Available through the Walker Leadership Institute of Eden Theological Seminary (www.eden.edu), both the United Church Cornerstone Fund and United Church Funds have contributed modules to the online education platform.
“Our job at the Walker Leadership Institute is to equip businesses and faith leaders to do good. These online training modules surrounding financial stewardship and careful concern for entrusted assets is a perfect way to extend opportunities to new audiences, ” said Jeff Wagener, Program Manager at the Walker Leadership Institute. “Users can interact with these modeules in a number of different ways on their own schedules.”
“We are excited for this wealth of information that we’ve created to help churches responsibly steward their assets,” said Matthew Wagner, Director of Institutional Relationships for United Church Funds. “Not only do we have the opportunity to discuss the fiduciary issues impacting churches, but we also have been able to describe the best practices regarding aligning your investments to your missions. Both these concepts – fiduciary wellness and responsible investing – are core to United Church Funds. We’re proud to share our expertise.”
“The United Church of Christ Cornerstone Fund has a long history of supporting churches by offering affordable and attractive investment vehicles for churches as well as providing actionable advice to make congregations more financially healthy,” said Maria Coyne, President and CEO of the UCC Cornerstone Fund. “It’s a natural partnership to provide Cornerstone’s experience to church stakeholders through the Walker Leadership Institute.”
The vision of the Walker Leadership Institute is to reach a multitude of communities who interact with these financial webinars. Additionally, for a small fee, these webinars can be used for certification and contribute to continuing education needs and requirements for clergy and lay leaders. Most importantly, this online resource is an outreach of the mission of the financial ministries of the United Church of Christ.
“After taking the webinars, I feel more capable of providing support to my church regarding the ongoing financial decisions that we need to make, “ said the Rev. Jeff Moore, Pastor of Webster Groves Christian Church. “I would recommend these to anyone who cares about the issue of stewarding assets,” he added.
MEDIA CONTACT
Jeff Wagener, Program Manager
Walker Leadership Institute,
Eden Theological Seminary
314-918-2547
Matthew Wagner
Director, Institutional Relationships
United Church Funds
212-729-2628
About United Church of Christ Cornerstone Fund
The United Church of Christ Cornerstone Fund helps local churches and non-profit organizations create change within their communities. And we are building transformative products that not only empower these communities, but also help our clients earn even more on their investments. We provide low-cost financing that is designed exclusively for churches and ministry organization, and also offer flexible and competitive investment options that are both faith-based and socially-responsible. To learn more, please visit www.cornerstonefund.org.
About United Church Funds
United Church Funds is the leading provider of socially responsible, values-aligned investment management services to the United Church of Christ churches and ministries, as well as all faith-based organizations. We offer customized investment portfolios and prudent investment strategies that provide competitive returns while also reflecting our clients’ values in seeking to achieve a just world. UCF also offers endowment governance consulting, planned giving programs and superior, personalized service from our dedicated Client Services team. To learn more about how UCF can help your church or faith-based organization further its mission while achieving its long-term financial goals, please visit www.ucfunds.org, email us at [email protected] or call us toll-free at 877-806-4989.
About Walker Leadership Institute
Founded in 2016, the Walker Leadership Institute was made possible by a generous gift from Ambassador George H. and Dr. Carol B. Walker. Working at the intersection of faith and business, the Walker Leadership Institute equips business leaders with skills and experiences to guide their organizations in better serving the Common Good. The Institute partners with other academic, religious, and business groups to put together workshops, conferences and forums to identify, encourage, and activate community leadership. Our goal is to empower and connect communities. To learn more, please visit https://www.eden.edu/walker-leadership-institute/
