Pension Fund Board Meets; Approves 2025 Special Apportionment

Indianapolis - Pension Fund’s Board of Directors met virtually April 23 - 26, 2025. The multi-day meeting began with the Investment Committee receiving the annual valuation from the external actuaries. The board approved a Special Apportionment Credit (SAC) of 3.5% based on the Dec. 31, 2024 funding status and assets under management. The SAC will be applied to July 1 pension payments and credit balances for active and inactive members based on December 31, 2024 credit balances.

David Stone, Chief Investment Officer, shared with the board that “while many of our members were unhappy with the Good Experience Credits (GECs) in the fall of 2024, our long-term outlook and market strategy is proving once again to be the right approach for ensuring stability, as our investments have experienced very little volatility since January 2025 compared to those who have chased high-risk growth sectors in the market.”

Rev. Dr. Todd A. Adams, President and CEO, updated the board on the 2025-27 Strategic Plan. “As we look to the future, we are studying the past to understand enrollment trends, contributions, and the conditions of the sector we serve,” shared Adams. Pension Fund staff is working through over 140 data-driven topics to chart the direction of the organization for the next decade and beyond. “We know that, since the year 2000, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has experienced decline in excess of 60%. Our seminaries are enrolling fewer students pursuing a Master of Divinity and our colleges, with the exception of a few, are struggling financially. While this has no impact on our ability to pay benefits, it does beg the question about how we need to be structured to serve a church that is radically different today than it was 25 years ago,” said Adams.

In other work, the board met with Grant Thornton, our external auditors, to receive the 2024 audited financials with an unmodified or “clean” opinion and with WTW, Pension Fund’s external actuaries, to receive the annual Pension Plan valuation. The board received updates on our investment performance, technology and cyber security efforts, and the work of Ministerial Relief and Assistance, including the launch of Cornerstones focusing on clergy health and wellness.

We invite members to join Rev. Dr. Todd Adams on Wednesday, May 7, as he leads the 2025 member conference calls at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. EDT. The toll-free number for both calls is 800.717.1738. The 11 a.m. Conference ID is 79156, and the 7 p.m. Conference ID is 57969.

The next meeting of the board is November 14 - 15, 2025, in Indianapolis.