Our local churches and congregants are ready and willing to embrace enhanced financial literacy. It is with commitment to this goal that the DFI embraces the challenge of extending such training to local church congregations. This training and education will include personal and church wealth.
The DFI launched financial education training by hosting monthly online meetings (entitled Conversations with DFI) that began in February.
Our first series considered the appropriate investment mentality of when, why, and what annual conference assessments are paid by the local church.
Our second and third series of conversations reviewed personal and church economics. General Counsel, Atty. Kathryn Weathers Belger, thoroughly analyzed employee classification – 1099 vs. W-2. Mr. Sean LeDree, Investment Professional, joined us to answer questions on retirement planning and best practices.
During both our second and third series, Mrs. CheRhonda Greenlee, DFI Director, reviewed the status of the CAREs Act 2020 Payroll Protection Plan for new application for funds, as well as forgiveness of previous loans. Our early intervention in 2020 and 2021 helped CME entities generate more than $5,000,000 for payroll protection purposes in their local regions including $700,000 plus for the general CME Church.
Our fourth conversation (May 24 & 25th) includes the renown, respected, and erudite Chairman Emeritus of the 100 Black Men of America, Mr. Thomas W. Dortch of Atlanta, Georgia, who is helping increase investments from corporate America for early talent identification and hiring of African Americans. Additionally, Mr. Hilliard Terry, a former CFO & CEO in his own right, is to help us understand risk assessment and financial applications to the CME Church corporate structure.
We are excited to continue our engagement with local churches and have now made this a programmatic emphasis of the DFI.
We believe it is an integral and imperative ministry to help identify the financial literacy building blocks needed to build, sustain, and transfer Personal & Church wealth. Stay tuned for more conversations.
– Victor Taylor
CFO & General Secretary of Finance & Investment
Department of Finance & Investments
Christian Methodist Episcopal Church