NC Church & School Trip

North Carolina Road Sign with dramatic clouds and sky.In August of 2016, our office staff embarked on the first set of church school presentations. We had started the planning process back in January of 2016, with the vision of educating the denomination that any employee of a Free Will Baptist ministry is eligible to participate in our retirement program. We started looking at church schools as the best option to start the expansion of our vision. The process was simple… find churches that had schools/daycare workers and ask if they knew their employees could participate in the program. We contacted a few churches in North Carolina and started the ball rolling. We talked with Pastors and finance workers for the churches and asked if they had ever considered providing or allowing their employees to have retirement through their employer? Appointments were made to present our plan in sort of an open enrollment presentation. The idea was well received, and we started the process of setting up presentations to churches that were interested in allowing their employees to save for retirement.

 

Hilltop

Hilltop Church, Fuquay-Varina, NC (Pastor Jeff Jones)

Hilltop Church in Fuquay-Varina, NC was one of the first we presented to. Planning began way back in later part of February after talking with Pastor Jeff Jones.  Pastor Jones loved the idea and was unaware that employees of FWB churches or agencies, other than preachers or missionaries, could be in the plan. It was encouraging to see what the church was doing for their full time staff members of both the church and the school.

 

Faith Church 4

 

Faith Church, Goldsboro, NC (Pastor Christian Powell)

Faith Church in Goldsboro, NC was also one of the first we began the process with back in June. Faith was already participating in the Board of Retirement for retirement for their employees, but they felt it was good for the employees to have us come out and present the plan to them and explain and answer questions they might have. It again was encouraging to see the church had a matching retirement program already in place.

 

New LIfe 6

 

New Life Church, New Bern, NC (Pastor Scott Coghill)

Pastor Coghill was approached at the National Convention and asked if we could come and present to his staff as well. He wanted us to come while we were in NC. We presented the plan to them and explained how the church could help their employees prepare for their financial futures.

Gastonia 2

 

 

First Free Will Baptist Church, Gastonia, NC (Pastor Darin Gibbs)

In Gastonia we met with Pastor Gibbs and his staff and presented the plan and explained the options they had to provide an option for retirement savings to their employees that is a cheaper option than what they could get on an individual basis through an IRA.

 

Overall, the trip was worth the time and effort.  We had the privilege to share our ministry and passion.  We were able to help at least 34 people, and probably others, get on track with a secure financial future.  Most of those 34 didn’t have a retirement account and now they do.  It was a great opportunity to get to share with close to a hundred people and help them to think and talk about their financial future.  And we got to be a part of that!  We look forward to assisting them more in the future.

 

We are looking for more opportunities to be able to help churches provide for their employee’s financial future and share our plan. If you are interested in having us come and present to your church, school, daycare, or agency please contact our office. We want all of our Free Will Baptist employees to have a happy and fulfilling retirement, but you have to take the first step.