Abundance: that word describes the educational opportunities available to our rostered ministers and congregations, and the number of partnering agencies who provide that education.
Executive Skills for Church Leaders
A week long course taught by faculty at California Lutheran University (CLU), offered twice each year. CLU’s Executive Skills for Church Leaders provide 1- and 2-year courses focused on professional counseling around tax issues and education debt; and training for effective compensation and salary negotiations.
Upcoming dates:
January 11-15, 2021
Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center, Carefree, Arizona
Resources
Portico Benefit Services provides free financial and/or retirement planning by financial planners who understand the intricacies of our church benefits plan.
Resourceful Servants
Our ELCA churchwide partners have developed an online course for treasurers and other congregational leaders.
LSS Financial Counseling
Portico Benefit Services contracts with LSS Financial Counseling to offer numerous benefits to Portico members. One of those many benefits is that Portico members and their immediate family members have access to six free financial counseling sessions. LSS Certified Financial Counselors will review financial profiles and offer individualized advice to help achieve financial goals. Even if an individual has a healthy financial status, the counseling process can affirm that they are on the right track.
What can you accomplish with one of the LSS Certified Financial Counselors?
Improve your credit score
Manage your student loans
Buy and protect your home
Establish a budget
Consolidate your payments with a Debt Management Plan
Simple steps to engage with a LSS Financial Counselor:
An appointment is scheduled over the phone (1-800-528-2926) and individual mentions “Portico” to trigger certificate generation and correct billing;
A one-on-one financial counseling session takes place (approx. 45 min in length) and individuals are given a very specific action plan based on the conversation;
A “Certificate of Attendance” is presented to the individual acknowledging completion of a first counseling session;
Additional sessions can be scheduled to work through the action plan (up to six).
For educational opportunities that include a cost, scholarships may be available through 3E as an encouragement for all leaders in the church to be growing in their knowledge, and growing in their ability to manage the abundance of wealth that God has trusted to our hands.
The purpose of Lilly Endowment grant is to build a Ministerial Excellence Fund and to help congregations enhance stewardship.