General Secretary Reflects on a Year On the Job

In his latest blog, Wespath General Secretary/CEO Andy Hendren reflects on his first year as the leadership “face and voice” of Wespath. Staying focused on Wespath’s mission of caring for those who serve, making time for his own self-care and learning from others have been crucial to his leadership journey. Read Andy’s blog here.

Income Tax Basics to Remember This Tax Season

It’s officially tax season, and with the April 18 filing deadline looming in the not-so-distant future, we know that many can use a refresher on the basics needed to report and file this year.

In a segment from his session during a 2022 virtual benefits course, Nate Berneking – director of Financial and Administrative Ministries for the Missouri Annual Conference – provided a helpful rundown of what everyone should know before filing. Check out the video below:

Please note: Nate’s video was recorded during the 2022 tax season. All filers should stay updated on potential rule changes and their unique considerations for 2023. Please contact EY Financial Planning Services for additional guidance at no additional cost.*

Complete 150 Wellness Credits—Earn $150!

Take steps towards your personal wellness and earn $150*! There are many ways to earn Credits—from reading a Virgin Pulse success story, to completing the annual Health Check survey, to trying a self-guided Journey.  Learn about all the opportunities to earn Credits (and cash!) by logging into Virgin Pulse, then clicking “Rewards.” Scroll down to “Action Rewards,” and look for items tagged “Wellness Credits” to find the full list of activities that can earn you Wellness Credits.

Please note: you must be registered in Virgin Pulse to earn rewards. New to Virgin Pulse? Visit join.virginpulse.com/wespath to get started. 

* Incentive rewards are provided in “Pulse Cash,” the “rewards currency” for HealthFlex. Pulse Cash is delivered straight to your Virgin Pulse account and can be transferred to your checking account or redeemed for gift cards, merchandise or charitable donations. The IRS considers cash wellness incentives as taxable income. Contact your tax adviser for more information. You must be enrolled in Virgin Pulse to earn and redeem Pulse Cash.

America Saves Week Starts Feb. 27

Since 2007, America Saves Week has been an annual celebration and call to action to prioritize personal savings. 2023’s campaign, “A Financially Confident You,” really resonates with Wespath staff and our partners at EY Financial Planning Services (EY)! The week’s themes include “Saving Automatically,” “Saving for Major Milestones” and “Saving at Any Age.” Check out Wespath social media each day from Feb. 27 through Mar. 3 for a closer look—just click on the links at the bottom of this email. You can also enlist the help of EY at no additional cost*– just visit wespath.eynavigate.com or call 1-800-360-2539.

* EY Financial Planning Services are available to active Wespath participants and surviving spouses with account balances, and to retired and terminated participants with account balances of at least $10,000. Costs are included in Wespath’s operating expenses that are paid for by the funds.

Celebrate Black History Month by Empowering Your DEI Council

If you’re looking to actively participate in Black history this month, our peers at the General Commission on Religion and Race compiled this helpful list of ways to celebrate. These ideas are examples of individual action, or they can be organized collaboratively by your church or organization’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Council.

Wespath’s own DEI Council is sharing Black History Month resources throughout February, as well as  and collecting employee-funded donations for a local Black history museum. The Council is also hosting a Black History Month-focused “lunch and learn” conversation for Wespath employees. You can also view our Instagram post.

If your church or organization has a DEI Council, or a group of leaders interested in empowering diversity and inclusion, February may be the perfect time to organize! This “Diversity and Inclusion Calendar” created by the National Diversity Council highlights other opportunities to celebrate throughout the year.

Unscripted: Meet Kempton Ingersol of Brown Capital Management

As part of our interview series, Wespath’s Mark Warren, manager of public equities, sat down with Kempton Ingersol of Brown, one of Wespath’s U.S. equities asset managers, in mid-2022 to discuss  what constitutes an attractive investment opportunity, what he has learned from challenging investment performance periods and more.

Personalizing UMPIP 2023 

Join the Benefits Education Team for “Personalizing UMPIP” on Tuesday, March 21 at 1:00 p.m. Central time. This 45-minute educational session provides an overview of the United Methodist Personal Investment Plan (UMPIP), a 403(b) retirement savings plan. Whatever your age, whatever your salary, you’ll learn how you can personalize UMPIP for your best financial future.

Video: January Markets at a Glance

Wespath’s Mark Warren breaks down the link between January’s stock market gains and cooling inflation in the latest Markets at a Glance video. He also unpacks the U.S. job market numbers and explains why the current low unemployment rate and declining initial jobless claims contradict historical norms. Read our January Monthly Investment Report  to learn more.