Dear Friends:
For decades, it has been our practice to publish a Report to the General Convention in the weeks leading up to this landmark event in the life of The Episcopal Church. By now, the Blue Book submission we drafted in 2023 is several months old, and we have greater clarity on key topics of interest to the House of Deputies and the House of Bishops. This report focuses on two critical points of connection between the Church Pension Group (CPG) and the General Convention:
- Election of trustees to The Church Pension Fund Board
- The longstanding collaboration between General Convention and CPG on the topic of benefits parity between clergy and lay employees
This summer marks the 15th anniversary of the Denominational Health Plan (DHP) and the Lay Employee Pension System (LPS), two programs established by the General Convention that are administered by CPG. Rooted in a desire to provide affordable, quality healthcare to all and increase financial security for lay employees, the DHP and LPS have had a positive impact on the lives of participants and have helped to advance parity among lay employees and clergy.
This Report to the 81st General Convention summarizes the critical role of the CPF Board. It also describes how CPG has used the resources entrusted to us to deliver quality, comprehensive benefits to clergy and lay employees while communicating actions the Church could take to pursue full (or at least greater) parity in pension benefits. I hope it adds value to deliberations and conversations at the 81st General Convention.
CPG’s Report to the 81st General Convention is dedicated to the memory of the Very Rev. George Werner, who passed away last year and previously served as vice president of the House of Deputies (HoD) (1994 to 2000), the 31st president of the HoD (2000 to 2006), a member of the CPF Board (1976 to 1988 and 2006 to 2015), and Dean Emeritus of Trinity Cathedral in Pittsburgh. Dean Werner embodied the connection between CPG and the General Convention. He was a stalwart supporter of our ongoing work to serve those who serve the Church. May he rest in peace.
Faithfully,
Mary Kate Wold
Chief Executive Officer and President
