Sound Footings – Spring 2022

Greetings fellow Methodists! The times, they are a changing. So far in 2022, the financial markets are reacting to inflationary pressure and escalating conflict internationally, leading to a wider range of potential outcomes. As we’ve seen in the past, active investors generally become less speculative, seeking value and liquidity over growth potential. Be assured that our Investment Committee is working closely with our advisors at Merrill Lynch, and we feel that our mix of investments is properly positioned over the long-term. Diversification is rewarded in times like these, as certain sectors perform less predictably. Our investors may recall that in the Spring 2020, those who stayed the course were rewarded over time.

All news isn’t bad. There is hope that the effects of Covid are waning, and many locales are relaxing restrictions as a result. As of this writing, the Annual Conference is planned to return in-person this June, and we are excited to see many of you, and meet many new people who perhaps have been elected or appointed to new positions.

We recently added a new staff member, Brad Duty, who will be working as a Foundation Services Advisor from his home in northern Virginia, which will give him greater availability to the many churches we serve there. Brad is a retired Air Force officer with long-term experience in finance and investments. You’ll see Brad out and about with other Foundation officers, and we hope you will welcome him and take advantage of his presence and experience.

We remain in close touch with our sister Methodist foundations around the country who face similar opportunities. At the end of March, we will be attending a meeting of the foundations of the Southeast Jurisdiction Being in connection with each other gives an opportunity to discuss best practices and solutions that we can share with the respective conferences we serve. We are aware that General Conference was recently postponed until 2024.

The word ‘stasis’ derived from a Greek word meaning ‘standing still.’ During the past two years, the United Methodist Church may have seemed to be in something a holding pattern. Since its founding, however, Methodism has rarely been in stasis. Though the issues before us may change, we as Methodists share a common goal to express God’s love in our communities, and in connection with each other. We’re always seeking the best ways to do that within the Virginia conference, and we appreciate each opportunity to do so.

Sincerely,

Bo Bowden, President