New & Active Clergy, Staff & Students

MR&A Programs

Emergency Aid

The purpose of the Emergency Aid Program is to assist ministers with large, unexpected financial obligations. Applicants will be asked to provide copies of outstanding bills for direct payment if aid is approved. Any credentialed minister or his/her surviving spouse can apply for Emergency Aid.

Note: Pension Fund policies now establish a lifetime limit for emergency aid.

Excellence in Ministry

Excellence in Ministry (EIM) provides early-call pastors with financial education and a relief grant that can be used for student debt, emergency savings or retirement. Only Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) ministers in their first five years since ordination or commissioning are eligible to apply. Learn more about Excellence in Ministry and how to apply by visiting our EIM page.

Student Gift Membership

The purpose of the Student Gift Membership Program is to encourage early participation in the Pension Plan by gifting dues (and provide benefits to the student and family in the event of disability or untimely death). Learn more Student Gift and how to apply by visiting our Student Gift page.

Vocational Counseling

The Vocational Counseling Program helps Disciples ministers who are transitioning from full-time to part-time ministry, helping them discern complementary vocations that may add new streams of household income. The goal of the program is to mitigate burnout and help them stay in ministry longer. Once approved, the minister will meet for several sessions at no cost with an experienced career counselor selected by Pension Fund.

Low-Interest Loan Program

The Low-Interest Loan Program is to provide financial stability to Disciples ministers by helping them accelerate payoff of high-interest debts, such as credit cards and payday loans.

*Note: This program is only available to those who have successfully completed the Excellence in Ministry program.

Parental Leave Assistance

The Parental Leave Assistance Program partners with Disciples congregations to assist ministers as they take paid time off from congregational employment for the birth or adoption of a child. The program provides a grant of $2,500 to a congregation to help them provide paid leave for their pastor. To be eligible, a church must already have an approved, paid parental leave policy in place.

Disaster Relief

In partnership with Week of Compassion, the Disaster Relief Grant Program provides immediate relief to Disciples ministers whose homes and/or churches have experienced loss due to disaster, regardless of Pension Plan membership status.

Note: This grant program is separate from solidarity grants from Week of Compassion. A minister may receive both if they fit the eligibility requirements. There is no application for this program; instead, recipients are referred to Pension Fund by either Week of Compassion or their regional minister.

Reserve Chaplain Dues

The purpose of the Reserve Chaplain dues program is to assist ministers whose civilian ministries are interrupted when called to active duty as military chaplains. With this program, Pension Fund pays a portion of the pastor’s pension dues while he/she is called to active chaplain duty.

Gift Pension for New Church Planters

The New Church Gift Pension Program partners with new Disciples congregations by assisting new church ministers with Pension Plan membership. The program provides a five-year gift to supplement the pension dues paid by a new church start. As the church grows, the amount of the gift steps down each year, while the amount paid by the church increases. To be eligible, the church must be recognized as a new church start by their Disciples region.