2019 Annual Report
PEOPLE FIRST
ANNUAL
REPORT 2019
THE IMPORTANCE OF ‘YOU’ BENEFITS FOR ALL A PLACE FOR EVERYONE NOT OWNERS, BUT STEWARDS HELPING THE HELPERS EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION
MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE
GAINING NEW PERSPECTIVE
REGAINING FINANCIAL FREEDOM
FINANCIAL STATEMENT & TOTAL ASSETS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS & OFFICERS
Cover photo: Member worshipping at Collective Church, DeLand’s, Easter Sunday Soul Brunch (CC) Children’s time at Cypress Lake UMC, Fort Myers, a Development Fund loan holder (FUMF/Mark Odell)
Have you ever felt invisible?
You might be in a restaurant or in a store waiting to be helped and need a question answered, but nobody notices you standing there.
Or you are put on hold and need help for a particular issue, and the automated receptionist says: “This call may be monitored for quality assurance purposes. You may dial your party’s extension at any time.” That might be helpful if you actually knew the extension.
It’s those kinds of interactions which can make you feel nobody cares — that you are invisible.
We believe putting people first is such an important way to operate as a business. When we grant a loan to a church, we do not really see the mortgage number. We see the ministries and the people whose lives will be transformed by the word of God. We understand that the hopes and dreams of our investors in the Development Fund are more important to us than their account numbers or what they have on deposit.
When we provide scholarships to college students, we are constantly amazed at the plans these
incredible young people have for their lives. When we provide grants through our Future Generations Fund, we see how dedicated people are passing down the faith to the next generation. And when we send relief funds to places like the Bahamas, that have been devastated by hurricanes, we see the
resilience of people who just need a little more help to get their lives back to normal. That is what putting people first means to us.
When we review our 2019 financial results, the numbers are only part of the story. What is important, is how they allow you to meet your financial goals and dreams.
You, the people, are why we do what we do. You, the people, are first in everything we do.
Thank you for giving us the chance to join you in the important work you do.
HIGHLIGHTS 180
Loans to United Methodist churches and agencies
$124.8 million
Value of loans
$10.8 million
Total given to churches and agencies through payments from planned gifts, stocks, grants and investment earnings, plus estimated savings on interest with foundation loans
$361.7 million
Total assets under care
3 out of 4
United Methodist churches in Florida
partnering with the foundation through its services
DANIEL S. HAGER Chairperson, Board of Directors
Damage in the Bahamas after Hurricane Dorian; the foundation sent $50,000 to UMCOR for relief efforts (U.S. Customs and Border Protection/Kris Grogan)
Fader received a $20,000 seminary scholarship from the foundation (FUMF/Courtesy of Sandra Fader)
Counting (FUMF/Tita Parham)
Rev. Mark Becker (right) accepts the Investment Steward certificate from Carlos Panksep, CEFEX managing director (FUMF/Tita Parham)
Putting extra funds away for a rainy day wasn’t enough for the Rev. Sheryl MarksWilliams. When she learned about the foundation’s Development Fund, she knew it would fulfill two goals at once: build a savings account for her family and enable them to do the Kingdom’s work. And the fund’s mission intrigued Marks-Williams, who is on leave from serving Florida Conference churches to complete her doctorate. “I call it socially responsible investing,” she says. “I just love the idea that our money is being used for God’s work.” Her husband, Fred, a retired radiologist, calls it “the best-kept secret in Florida.” The couple opened their account 13 years ago and have been making deposits ever since, growing their savings and building a nest egg for retirement. Now, it’s helping provide monthly income while MarksWilliams is in school. “This is just what we planned — the investment is paying off,” she says. “Since I’m just a student now, having this income is a real blessing.” The ability to draw regularly from the account gives MarksWilliams financial security during a time when she doesn’t have a paycheck. Even more important to her is knowing their investments
are serving a higher purpose — providing loans that enable churches to expand and do more of God’s work. “It’s really a win-win,” she says. “Everybody benefits.”
— By Michelle Bearden
972
Individuals invested in the Development Fund
$73.2 million, $61 million
Amount invested by churches, individuals $1.3 million
Interest individuals earned 2.25%, 4.25%
Fourth quarter investor interest rate, loan interest rate
“I call it socially responsible investing. I just love the idea that our money is being used for God’s work.”
Read the full story: www.fumf.org/fund-helps-pastor-fulfill-calling/
— Rev. Sheryl Marks-Williams
Members at Good Shepherd UMC, North Ft. Myers, celebrate groundbreaking for a multi-purpose addition, made possible with a foundation loan (GSUMC)
A PLACE FOR EVERYONE
There’s nothing traditional or cookie cutter about Collective Church, launched in 2013 as part of First United Methodist Church in DeLand and chartered in 2018 as a standalone congregation. Which is exactly why Mark Watts, a lifelong believer who’s not afraid to try new things, and his family call it home. “There’s something so unusual in the approach here. It’s hands-on, and it’s relevant,” he says. Collective, Watts adds, is unique — a comfortable and welcoming place for people who haven’t felt they belonged elsewhere. “Love without judgment. That’s the focus here,” he says. “If you come here, you will be surrounded by it.” With a barebones staff and many volunteers, Collective develops out-of-the-box ministries, from a conversation-driven meet-up in a local bar called Pints & Parables to an informal, musicdriven Easter service called Sunday Soul Brunch. And with a $952,000 loan from the foundation’s Development Fund, Collective was finally able to purchase a home of its own — a historic theater under renovation in downtown DeLand. “This is where we’re meant to be,” says the Rev. Ben Collins, Collective’s millennial pastor. “We couldn’t
have done this without the foundation. The people there bought into our ideas for the future and are making it possible for us to move forward. I see incredible things ahead.” That includes ministering to parts of the community where faith initiatives have been few and far between and meeting people where they are. —
By Michelle Bearden
801
Number of Development Fund accounts held by churches, other entities
$1.69 million
Interest churches earned 31, $19.5 million Loans approved, their value $5.7 million Value of largest loan
$1.9 million
Estimated interest savings for churches and agencies with foundation loans (compared to a 5 percent market average for commercial loans)
“We couldn’t have done this without the foundation. The people there bought into our ideas for the future and are making it possible for us to move forward. I see incredible things ahead.”
— Rev. Ben Collins, Collective Church, DeLand
A Collective Church, DeLand, band member helps lead worship at Easter Sunday Soul Brunch (CC)
NOT OWNERS, BUT STEWARDS
Beverly Judge approaches giving with great thoughtfulness. She considers her legacy, responsibilities to family and how to make a difference. She also wants her money to go farther. One principle guides her: “Everything I have belongs to God.” It’s knowledge she has spent her life sharing, both professionally and personally. While working at the General Board of Global Ministries in 1973, her interest in stewardship took shape, and she became an advocate for the concept of joyful giving. Judge believes we are called to be cheerful givers — that it’s our responsibility to make the most of the resources entrusted to us. “I learned to work hard and save,” she said, “but the broader task is to be a good steward of what I’ve been entrusted and to invest wisely the legacy I leave behind.” Judge is doing that, in part, through two charitable gift annuities established with the foundation — planned gifts that allow her to support ministries she values most, while receiving tax benefits and guaranteed income for life. “They are more than charitable gifts,” she said. “They are smart investments.” Among her beneficiaries are ministries that focus on peacemaking, stewardship education and
social justice. “We need to re-evaluate how we think about money and possessions,” Judge says. “We aren’t the owners. We are merely the stewards of all that God has given us.”
And with the foundation’s help, she’s doing the most good she can with her gifts.
— By Suzanne McGovern
$44.5 million
Value of planned gifts managed by the foundation (trusts, donor-advised funds, charitable gift annuities)
$1.4 million
Value of stock gifts distributed to churches and agencies
$2.8 million
Value of gifts from charitable trusts and gift annuities distributed to churches and agencies
Read the full story: www.fumf.org/teaching-others-how-to-give/
“We need to re-evaluate how we think about money and possessions. We aren’t the owners. We are merely the stewards of all that God has given us.”
— Beverly Judge, planned gift donor
Beverly Judge (left) greets a member at Coronado Community UMC, New Smyrna Beach (FUMF/Alain Boniec)
Students walk the annual graduation gauntlet at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary, a Judge annuity recipient (FUMF/Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary)
HELPING THE HELPERS
2019 was a milestone year for the Rev. Vicki Walker. She turned 60 and marked her 40th year in ministry. She also questioned whether she could still serve the church. Turmoil in the denomination was the cause. A pilgrimage to formational places in her life was the answer. “I wanted the luxury of spending time alone with God, removed from my usual responsibilities,” she said. A grant from the Passing the Torch Fund made it possible. The foundation and Florida Conference launched the fund in 2015 to provide debt relief and resources for clergy. Of the foundation’s annual $200,000 commitment, $40,000 funds renewal leave grants. Walker and six other clergy received one. Turning her focus inward, Walker connected with God through prayer, nature photography and meditation, including a silent retreat at an abbey in Kentucky. It was a different Walker who returned to her work as minister of missions and outreach at Hyde Park United Methodist Church in Tampa. And the nagging thought she no longer had a place in the church was gone. “I felt full of love and so much lighter,” she said. “I wasn’t carrying the weight of the world in my heart.” The Rev. Brett Opalinksi
says his journey to Celtic Christian sites in Europe helped him get back to his vocational roots. It also refocused his ministry as senior pastor at Christ Church United Methodist in Fort Lauderdale. “This proved to me how the foundation values the spiritual health of its clergy,” Opalinski said. “Now, if I start drifting back to old patterns, I’ve learned some triggers to draw me back to a better place.” — By Michelle
Bearden
$32,500
Total awarded to 13 newly ordained clergy to defray educational costs
$20,000
Total scholarship funds awarded to a seminary student
$40,000
Total awarded to seven active clergy to defray renewal leave costs
All funds provided through the foundation’s $1 million contribution to the Passing the Torch Fund.
Read the full story: www.fumf.org/helping-the-helpers/
“Without the foundation’s grant, I never could have taken this leave. ... And maybe my life would have gone in a different direction. This showed me the church’s commitment to invest in its clergy.”
— Rev. Vicki Walker, Hyde Park United Methodist Church, Tampa
Rev. Brett Opalinski and his daughters visit Celtic Christian sites in Europe during his renewal leave (FUMF/Courtesy of Brett Opalinski)
Rev. Mark Becker presents education assistance checks to ordinands at annual conference (FUMF/Tita Parham)
Rev. Vicki Walker (center) at a gathering supporting Syrian refugee families (FUMF/Courtesy of Vicki Walker)
EMPOWERING THE NEXT GENERATION
Alejandra Salemi is in awe of young people who act on their beliefs. The 22-year-old should count herself in that category. She directs Act Justly at Gator Wesley Foundation, the United Methodist campus ministry for Gainesville’s University of Florida and Santa Fe College. “It’s about becoming more aware and educated … challenging the narrative,” she said. “We have so much power as a collective voice to evoke change.” That change is justice for all, and Act Justly helps students achieve it. They learn about systems that marginalize people, hear from experts on social justice issues, and practice what they learn through advocacy. It’s a mission the foundation’s Future Generations Fund supports. Each year, the fund provides grants to ministries that focus on nurturing the next generation of Christians. In 2019, Act Justly and seven others received grants totaling $93,894. That includes Wesley House at Florida Gulf Coast University in Ft. Myers. The “house” is a learning space where students live at reduced cost, give back to the community, and dig deeper into discipleship. “This grant gives us the security to breathe long enough
to do discipling without being anxious about funding,” says the Rev. Christy Holden, the campus ministry’s director. For Salemi, it’s about “empowering the next generation to keep ownership of church and the wellbeing of our church.” For the foundation, it’s about helping young people be the church in action.
— By Derek Maul
$93,894
Total Future Generations Fund grants awarded
$43,500
Tuition paid on behalf of 18 Sinclair Scholarship recipients
$50,000 Donation to United Methodist Committee on Relief for Hurricane Dorian recovery
DONATE TO THE FUTURE GENERATIONS FUND: www.fumf.org/give-now/
“To receive such a substantial grant from an established, respected source like the foundation is a statement that we’re doing something right. We are legitimate and worth giving to.”
— Rev. Christy Holden, Gulf Coast Wesley Foundation, Ft. Myers
Students march for justice for migrant workers as part of Gator Wesley’s Act Justly program, a foundation grant recipient (GW)
MAKING DREAMS COME TRUE
Pursuing a master’s degree was not in Caitlin Booth’s game plan. But then came the divine nudge from God to be an ordained minister. “I couldn’t ignore the call,” says Booth, director of children’s ministries at First United Methodist Church in Ormond Beach. “God had other plans.” A big roadblock was finances, but Booth’s prayers were answered. She received financial assistance from several sources, including a scholarship from her home church, Ortega United Methodist Church in Jacksonville. The scholarship was from one of seven funds the church invests in the foundation’s investment funds. For 10 years, Ortega has relied on the foundation to invest its charitable gifts — funds that help students like Booth, support missions and children’s ministries, and send Christian leaders to training programs. The foundation invests the gifts in a diversified portfolio, following guidelines on environmental, social and governance investing. “It’s a safe place to keep these funds,” says the Rev. Art McClellan, Ortega’s senior pastor. “Not only is our money growing, we can keep supporting ministries that our annual budget would not allow.” He and his team also like
the interest they earn, the cash-on-demand feature that allows the church to grow its ministry year-round and the customer service. Booth says it takes a lot of angels to make dreams come true. She counts Ortega’s members among them. And with the foundation’s help, they have many more miracles to go. —
By Michelle Bearden
$174.48 million
Balance of assets in the foundation’s investment funds
$3.86 million
Total churches, agencies and the Florida Conference earned from investments in the funds
272
Number of accounts
Certified
Received the Investment Steward Certification, a seal of approval from the Centre for Fiduciary Excellence
Read the full story: www.fumf.org/make-dreams-reality/
“It’s a safe place to keep (our charitable and designated) funds. Not only is our money growing, we can keep supporting ministries that our annual budget would not allow.”
— Rev. Art McClellan, Ortega United Methodist Church, Jacksonville
Ortega UMC, Jacksonville, scholarship recipient Caitlin Booth reaffirms her baptismal vows (FUMCOB/Buck James)
The Rev. Cesar Villafaña says many of his clergy friends experience culture shock when thinking about financial planning — taxes, insurance, what’s needed for retirement. That’s coupled with a dose of denial. “Pastors think they’re going to live forever. But they’re not,” said Villafaña, pastor at Wesley Hispanic United Methodist Church in Miami. “People need to know how to invest, how to use Social Security.” That’s one reason he attended the foundation’s first-ever financial planning seminar for Hispanic clergy. As a mentor to several local pastors, he wanted to share information he knows they need. The session followed R-10 and Counting, the foundation’s annual seminar for clergy within 10 years of retiring. Both are part of broader efforts to help pastors be financially sound, but the difference between the two is perspective, says the Rev. Sandra Santiago, the foundation’s regional stewardship consultant. “Anglos are more conscious of preparing themselves for retirement,” she said. “But this is not something that comes with our DNA. We know God will provide, but we need to have faith that when we plan, we not only provide GAINING NEW PERSPECTIVE
for the future, we can provide for the church and be more generous.” The Rev. Cynthia Weems, superintendent of the conference’s South East District, said the session filled a real need. “Our denomination is very U.S. centric. We forget not everyone has the same information,” she said. “The day was a real win for us as a church.”
— By Derek Maul
Number of calls, meetings and touch points with church members and district leaders offering assistance with stewardship initiatives
9
Number of Faithful Expressions Workshops provided to churches — explores the practical, legal and spiritual steps taken as part of a lifetime of Christian stewardship and offers guidance on end-of-life issues
“Many workshops can be a waste of time, but (the foundation’s Hispanic financial planning session) was very important to prepare for the future. New pastors need to know faith is great, but you have to prepare.”
— Rev. Cesar Villafaña, Wesley Hispanic United Methodist Church, Miami
Rev. Sandra Santiago, the foundation’s regional stewardship consultant, leads worship at the Hispanic financial planning session (FUMF/Tita Parham)
REGAINING FINANCIAL FREEDOM
The Rev. Carrie Yoder says she doesn’t know what she and her husband, Jon, would have done if she hadn’t found the Rev. John Peterson, the foundation’s certified financial planner. “We’re in our 30s, and it feels like crisis mode,” Yoder said. “Jon and I both went to seminary, we worked jobs on the side, and we never splurged. Even still, we racked up $50,000 in educational debt.” Then, while serving as pastor of discipleship and family ministries at Memorial United Methodist Church in Fernandina Beach, Yoder was diagnosed with thyroid cancer, requiring two surgeries and radiation. That was followed by the premature birth of their child and several related surgeries. “Every time we’d make some progress, we would add a new layer (of debt),” she said. The couple felt some relief when they learned about Peterson’s services. As vice president of stewardship and education, Peterson offers free financial planning to conference clergy. It’s part of broad-based efforts to help clergy of all ages make sound financial decisions now and for the future. Although the process hasn’t been easy, Yoder says Peterson offered a plan that made sense. “John walking us through this
is making a huge difference,” she said. “This makes it feel like the conference and the foundation really care.” Now, Yoder’s family has hope. “The light at the end of the tunnel will be here soon,” she said. “I can see the freedom coming.”
— By Derek Maul
69
Number of free financial planning seminars and consultations for candidates for ministry and active clergy
42
Number of participants at R-10 and Counting, an annual seminar for clergy retiring within 10 years
22
Number of participants at the one-day retirement workshop, held each spring for clergy retiring that year
“John (Peterson) walking us through this is making a huge difference. This makes it feel like the conference and the foundation really care.”
—
Rev. Carrie Yoder, Memorial United Methodist Church, Fernandina Beach
Rev. Carrie Yoder joins Bishop Ken Carter and the Revs. Dr. Mark Charles (left) and Drew Weseman (right) at annual conference (MUMC)
Children wash Rev. Carrie Yoder’s feet on foot washing Sunday at Memorial UMC, Fernandina Beach (MUMC)
$375,000,000
$350,000,000
$325,000,000
$300,000,000
$275,000,000
$250,000,000
$225,000,000
$200,000,000
$175,000,000
$150,000,000
$125,000,000
$100,000,000
$75,000,000
$50,000,000
$25,000,000 INVESTMENT FUNDS BALANCES Ending Balance Dec. 31, 2019
$2,231,281 Cautious
$80,948,903 Balanced Growth
$11,723,239 Aggressive Growth
$4,668,083 Charitable Gift Annuity
$99,571,506 TOTAL
BOARD MEMBERS (2019-2020)
Board members serve three-year terms for a maximum of nine years.
REV. LAWRENCE BARRINER
Simpson Memorial UMC, Jacksonville
STEPHEN R. BELL
SECRETARY
Assistant Director of Annual Giving and Alumni Relations
Florida Southern College
Heritage UMC, Clearwater
REV. ROBERT BLEDSOE
Cypress Lake UMC, Fort Myers
RONALD C. COLEMAN
President/CEO
Baronco Management Consultants Inc.
Calvary UMC, Orange Park
MARKITA COOPER
VICE CHAIRPERSON
Professor
Florida A&M University College of Law
Peace UMC, Orlando
BRUCE FORD
Vice President
WHA Design
Cornerstone UMC, Cutler Bay
WILLIAM FRYE JR.
President
Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches Inc.
Youth Ranch Chapel, Boys Ranch, Live Oak
DANIEL S. HAGER
CHAIRPERSON
Chairman and CEO
First Southern Bank
Trinity UMC, Bradenton
LARRY HANNAH
President, Demeter Energy LLC
Chairman, OMNI AI LLC
Boca Grande Lighthouse UMC
JERRY HARALSON
President
The Haralson Group
First UMC, Orlando
JOSEPH HURT
Visiting Professor of Law
Florida A&M University College of Law
First UMC, Winter Park
PHYLLIS KLOCK
Retired President/Chief Operating Officer
Comp Benefits Corporation
Asbury UMC, Maitland
REV. RICHARD NUSSEL
Ruskin UMC
BEN SIMMONS
Retired CPA and Partner
Deloitte & Touche
Cypress Lake UMC, Fort Myers
REV. CESAR VILLAFAÑA
Wesley Hispanic UMC, Coral Gables
REV. DR. DENNIS VLASSIS
Executive Director
Community Christian Counseling Center of Palm Beach Gardens
Trinity UMC, Palm Beach Gardens
JANE ZODY
Accounting Information Systems Manager
Florida State Board of Administration
Bethel UMC, Tallahassee
NONVOTING, EX-OFFICIO DIRECTORS
FLORIDA CONFERENCE
BISHOP KENNETH H. CARTER JR.
REV. DR. SHARON AUSTIN
Director, Connectional Ministries
MICKEY WILSON
Treasurer
STAFF OFFICERS
GINNY GARSKE
ASSISTANT SECRETARY
MARGARET COX TREASURER
REV. MARK BECKER PRESIDENT
ANDY CRASKE PAM HICKS
TITA PARHAM
REV. JOHN PETERSON
J. THOMAS WILKINSON VICE PRESIDENTS
Florida United Methodist Foundation Inc.
P.O. Box 3549
Lakeland, FL 33802-3549
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED
DEVELOPMENT FUND RATES
second quarter 2020
2.25% Investor Rate
4.25% Loan Rate Rates are subject to change on a quarterly basis.