Recently I was asked to share my thoughts on the topic of saving for retirement and what type of questions I receive during pension counseling sessions. I reflected on the experiences that brought me to my current role as a Pension Counselor with the Pension Boards-UCC.
I recently saw the Broadway play “Home,” written by Samm-Art Williams and directed by Kenny Leon. Once called the “road trip of the soul” by the Washington Post, the play follows a man named Cephus who is trying to find a place to belong when his sweetheart, Pattie Mae, marries another man, setting him off from the rural south to the North, trying to find that place called home.
The Pension Boards journeys with the Rev. Terri Akkerman on her ministry career and how she balanced life, health, finances, and ministry, providing tips for younger ministers.
In a moment, her whole world changed. Improvement and progress were words she would never hear again.
“It was an incredibly overwhelming, heavy, and dark time,“ said Veronica Kyle, member of Covenant United Church of Christ in South Holland, Illinois.
As a minister, it can be tempting to focus purely on those you serve, and not place your needs as high on your priority list as you should. But, what happens if you get sick? Can your ministry be sustained long term if your health care needs are not being met?