Saving Grace — Winter 2025 Series on Wesleyan Approach to Financial Well-Being
Saving Grace is a program designed to teach about financial well-being and provide tools to help with managing, giving, saving, spending and debt. The Christian-based program incorporating Wesleyan values consists of six lessons, with three special sections specifically written for clergy. The clergy sections cover the unique rules that apply to pastor compensation, clergy taxes, and pastoral financial leadership, including tips on preaching about money.
There are videos associated with each lesson. Former Virginia Annual Conference pastor (now Bishop), the Rev. Tom Berlin, is one of the hosts in the videos. The videos offer realistic, real-world tips, perspectives and approaches to implementing the best practices identified in the lessons.
Continuing education unit (1.0 CEU) credit is possible for clergy who attend the course.
The course will be held Wednesdays from 1:30 to 3:00 p.m., starting on January 22 and running through March 5, 2025.
Saving Grace offers relevant, Christian-based methods, techniques and ideas for gaining and maintaining control of your money, so it does not control you. The cost of the clergy workbook is less than $25. The workbook includes forms and even offers PDF versions with built-in calculating. Some homework is required before the course starts to help you understand where you are, what your values are, what your actual priorities are, and perhaps why you are in your current financial shape. There are also forms to help you develop a spending plan. However, at no time are you ever asked to divulge personal financial information.
The group discusses and shares ideas along with the challenges of following the program. The instructors are experienced and knowledgeable about money management, clergy compensation and clergy taxes. There are usually three instructors, all of whom are willing and able to answer detailed or more personal questions off-line.
For questions, contact Brad Duty, Foundation Services Advisor, email: bradduty@vaumc.org
