The Florida United Methodist Foundation recently completed its Financial & Generosity Readiness Initiative, with over 50 clergy members selected to participate in the program. This newly established initiative, developed in collaboration with the Florida Annual Conference and underwritten by the Foundation with additional support from Wespath, provided clergy with critical financial skills to strengthen both their personal and church financial leadership.
Marisa Gertz, Pastor of Care and Discipleship at Trinity UMC in Gainesville, reflected on the experience, saying, “The gathering was empowering for me as a young clergyperson. Financial best practices are not something that is taught in seminary, so it is often daunting when we are faced with the challenge of cultivating a culture of generosity in our churches. I am grateful for the wealth of knowledge and will be using this information for years to come.”
The initiative kicked off with one-day immersive seminars, led by skilled consultants from Ministry Architects, and held in three locations across Florida. Sessions took place at Christ Church in Ft. Lauderdale on September 5th, Hyde Park UMC in Tampa on September 17th, and First UMC in Gainesville on September 19th, offering clergy the opportunity to engage with the program in their local regions. Each seminar covered essential topics such as personal finance, church finance, and strategies for fostering generosity within congregations. Following the seminar, clergy had the option to be paired with individual coaches for ongoing support, tailored to their specific ministry contexts and needs.
Participants found the training to be highly beneficial. Jim Berlau, Pastor at Peace Church in Orlando, shared, “I was able to return to the church with very clear objectives and strategies for how to address our financial hurdles. The training also helped me learn about the generational differences in patterns of giving, enabling us to determine the best way to lead our diverse congregation into a more meaningful and inspired expression of generosity.”
John Shughart, Co-Pastor at Community of Faith UMC, echoed this sentiment, saying, “I would recommend this to any clergyperson looking to take a day apart to simply refocus on their own financial health and the health of their congregation. The statistics about congregational giving helped to affirm the work we are already doing in my context and generated some ideas for new strategies for us to try. I was very encouraged by this workshop and interested in the additional coaching that Ministry Architects is offering to pastors.”
Rev. Dr. Chandra Snell of New Life UMC in Tallahassee also highlighted the value of the initiative, stating, “The Initiative was highly informative, giving practical and theological grounding for both church and personal finances for clergy.”
By participating in this initiative, clergy made a significant investment in both their personal financial well-being and the long-term sustainability of their ministries. The Foundation is proud to have equipped these leaders with the knowledge and tools necessary to lead their congregations with greater financial confidence and clarity. This initiative underscores the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to empowering clergy with the resources and guidance they need to thrive in both their personal and professional lives. The Florida United Methodist Foundation looks forward to continuing this vital work in the years to come.