Webinar series focuses on giving

By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate This month I would like to highlight a resource about giving and a resource from Anabaptist Disabilities Network related to baptism. Provident Giving Sessions This fall MennoMedia is partnering with Everence to provide a free webinar series about generosity, “The Provident Giving Sessions.” The first webinar, held in August, explored why people give.…

Series to explore generosity and stewardship

Starting this month MennoMedia is offering three online sessions focused on generosity and stewardship, featuring input from consultants at Everence. Beginning Thursday, Aug. 17, the monthly sessions will unpack the “why” behind our giving and provide input on specific charitable tools that you can use to support the causes and organizations that are important to you. All sessions begin at…

Everence Blessing Booth

Everence in Northeast Ohio was privileged to partner with Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) and the Ohio Mennonite Relief Sale this year. The sale was held on July 7 and 8, 2023, at the Mt. Hope Event Center in Mt. Hope, Ohio. Everence staffed a Blessing Booth where attenders could donate directly to their favorite MCC project without having to bid or take…

Pastor salary guidelines updated for 2023-24

The 2023-2024 Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) pastor salary guidelines are now posted on the MC USA website at https://bit.ly/PastorSalaryGuidelines. Each April, the MC USA Church Vitality office and Everence collaborate to update the guidelines, which aid pastors, congregations, pastoral search committees and conferences in negotiating fair compensation for pastors and conference ministers. For more information, see https://bit.ly/2023-24SalaryGuidelinesUpdate.

Everence adds staff in NE Ohio

Everence Financial® has announced the addition of Roger Dishong, Justin Wagler and Glenn Black to its staff in Northeast Ohio. For more details, please see Everence – New NE Ohio Staffers.

Journey Award honors stewardship role models

Who is your role model when it comes to being a responsible steward of their gifts and resources – including time, talent, money, health and the earth? Nominate them for the annual Everence® Journey Award! Nominations are due by April 30. See https://evrnce.com/igf for more information or to nominate someone.

Scholarship application deadline is Feb. 28

Everence is continuing its college scholarship program for the 2023-24 school year and will be accepting applications through Feb. 28, 2023. The program awards scholarships of $1,000, $2,000 and $3,000. To be eligible the student or the student’s parent must own or be using an Everence product. For more details or to apply, visit everence.com/college-scholarships.

Giving Tuesday event planned at Sauder Village

Everence will hold a Giving Tuesday event on Nov. 29 at Founder’s Hall at Sauder Village in Archbold. The event, which will include dinner and a Difference Makers Expo, will begin at 5 p.m. Register by Nov. 21 for this event. For more information, please see https://bit.ly/2022EverenceGivingTuesday.

Register now for stewardship event

Oct. 23 is the deadline to register to attend Weaving a Legacy – Finances God’s Way. This Everence stewardship event will take place Sunday, Oct. 30, at 2:30 p.m. at Sharon Mennonite Church in Plain City. The afternoon will include workshops on topics such as teaching children about money, how investments can reflect one’s faith values, and estate planning. There…

Stewardship event planned at Sharon Mennonite Church

More than a dozen Mennonite churches in central Ohio will join Everence Financial® to host a special stewardship event: Weaving a Legacy – Finances God’s Way. The event will take place at 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 30, at Sharon Mennonite Church in Plain City. The afternoon will include workshops on topics such as teaching children about money, how investments can…

Weaving a Legacy: Finances God’s Way

Resources address challenging issues

By Ann Leaman Ohio Conference Resource Advocate This month I would like to highlight a new Sunday school resource from Mennonite Central Committee and RAWtools, as well as a webinar from Anabaptist Disabilities Network and Everence. FEAR NOT How do we respond to violence in our homes and churches? Does our faith have anything to say about how we understand…

Webinar to explore disabilities and estate planning

Caring for someone who is dependent due to a significant disability is a major responsibility. Making provisions for that person’s physical, emotional, and financial well-being after the death of the caregiver can be complex and confusing. Anabaptist Disabilities Network will host a webinar in cooperation with Everence to help with estate planning for families with a dependent disabled family member. “After We’re Gone: Disabilities and…

Everence scholarship application deadline is Feb. 28

GOSHEN, Indiana ─ Everence Financial® is accepting applications for college scholarships for the 2022-2023 school year until Feb. 28. Everence will award 45 regional scholarships of $1,000 to students chosen by local Everence offices. Three students also will receive national scholarships ─ one of $2,000 and two of $1,000 ─ so the top three recipients will have Everence scholarships totaling…

Everence scholarship applications now available

Everence® college scholarship applications for the 2022-2023 academic year are now available. Current or new Everence members (and their children) are eligible to apply for the scholarships of up to $3,000 to help pay for eligible college expenses. Recipients are chosen based on community involvement, extracurricular activities, leadership, and a written answer to a question about the applicant’s stewardship influence.…

Everence seeks financial consultant

Everence Financial is growing in Holmes and Wayne counties, and looking for a highly motivated individual to grow with Everence as a financial consultant. The ideal candidate will have a passion for finance, great analytical skills, and the ability to build trusting relationships. But most importantly, they will have a burning desire to help Everence members plan for their financial…

Resslers receive regional Journey Award

Bill and Edna Ressler of Dalton were chosen recently to receive a Journey Award from the Everence Financial® offices in Northeast Ohio. The award recognizes the Resslers for their generosity in sharing their resources. See https://bit.ly/2021JourneyAward for more information.

Everence to hold development conference

Registration is open for the Everence Development Conference, which helps charitable organization leaders stimulate and nurture generosity to strengthen their missions. The event, Invest in What Lasts, is scheduled for Sept. 28-30 at the Lancaster Marriott at Penn Square, Lancaster, Pennsylvania. You can register now at everence.com/devcon21. The event is offered every two years.

Giving is more than an expression of gratitude

By Beryl Jantzi Director of Stewardship Education, Everence No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed. —Deuteronomy 16:16 He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed. — Luke 1:53 One of the biblical images used to teach generosity is that of hands. Empty hands. And the message is don’t come before God empty-handed. Giving is…

Everence offers tips for planning giving

Everence offers Spring tips to refresh your giving plans. Now is an ideal time to review your 2021 charitable goals. See http://bit.ly/RefreshYourGiving for details.

Leonard Dow assumes new role at Everence

Everence has named Leonard Dow as its vice president of community and church development, effective March 31, 2021. Dow first joined Everence in 2017 as a stewardship and development specialist, helping to create the organization’s urban market business plan. To learn more, see http://bit.ly/EverenceLeonardDow.

How important are emergency savings?

Evelin Gonzalez, a financial consultant at Everence, discusses the importance of an emergency savings fund during a pandemic: http://bit.ly/Everence-EmergencySavings.

MyNeighbor credit card purchases can help support your congregation

You can support your church every time you buy groceries, gas and other items — with the MyNeighbor card from Everence. When you use the MyNeighbor credit card for your purchases, Everence donates 1.5 % of the transaction total to your church or other selected organization — your Neighbor. It’s a great way to provide financial support, with no additional…

March 10 is application deadline for Everence scholarships

Everence is continuing its college scholarship program for the 2021-2022 school year and will be accepting applications through March 10, 2021. The program awards scholarships of $1,000, $2,000 and $3,000. To be eligible, the student or the student’s parent must own or be using an Everence product. For more details or to apply, visit everence.com/college-scholarships.

Everence to celebrate 75th anniversary July 19

GOSHEN, Indiana — Everence is not letting social distancing deter plans to commemorate the organization’s 75th anniversary. Instead of an in-person gathering, the faith-based financial services company will celebrate virtually, with a videocast on Sunday, July 19, at 3 p.m. (EDT). The July 19 videocast will feature comments from John D. Roth, Ph.D., Goshen College Professor of History and author…

Applications pour in for COVID-19 Congregational Relief Fund

By Susan Kim GOSHEN, Indiana — Anabaptist churches in the U.S. have submitted more than 200 applications to the new COVID-19 Congregational Relief Fund since its launch on April 13, 2020. The great majority of the applications have come from churches serving racially or ethnically diverse communities – congregations whose needs center around lost jobs and income that have led…

MDS, Everence and MCC launch COVID-19 Congregational Relief Fund

GOSHEN, Indiana — Mennonite Disaster Service (MDS), Everence® and Mennonite Central Committee U.S. (MCC U.S.) have joined together to launch a COVID-19 Congregational Relief Fund to aid churches facing financial crisis due to the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. The new fund was seeded with a combined $550,000 commitment from MDS, Everence and MCC U.S. The fund will be administered by Everence…

Everence offers support during COVID-19 outbreak

Everence has expanded its services to members during the outbreak of COVID-19. Some of these expanded services include waiving ATM fees, allowing borrowers to skip a pay on certain loans, and a sharing fund increase for churches with an advocate. For more details, see the Everence website: https://www.everence.com/resources/supporting-you-during-the-covid-19-outbreak.

Everence offers assistance and relief options during COVID-19 outbreak

As part of its mission to help people, churches, businesses and organizations integrate their faith and values into their financial decisions, Everence is offering assistance and relief options to help members and customers impacted by the evolving COVID-19 outbreak. To learn more, see https://bit.ly/EverenceCOVID-19Response.

Everence’s MyNeighbor program benefits Ohio Conference, other nonprofits

During January the Ohio Conference received a check for $1,077.66 from Everence Financial as part of Everence’s MyNeighbor credit card program. With the MyNeighbor program, individuals and businesses generate reward dollars for their favorite nonprofit every time they use their MyNeighbor credit cards from Everence. Everence donates 1.5 percent of each purchase to the card user’s chosen nonprofit agency. Then…