Thank you Rev. Darrell Goodwin for speaking here at Eden!
About the Topic:
Rising theological education costs, reductions in scholarship funding, and lower-than-average pastoral salaries are just some of the factors leading to financial challenges among ministers today. Leading a church and managing educational debt along with other personal financial obligations can be overwhelming for ministers. In 2016, Eden Seminary, in partnership with the Association of Theological Schools and the Lilly Endowment began a three-year project to help students reduce their educational debt through the Economic Challenges Facing Future Ministers (ECFFM) Initiative. Around the same time, the Pension Boards-United Church of Christ (PBUCC) launched the Ministers’ Financial Vitality Initiative (MFVI), intended to increase and improve financial wellness among UCC authorized ministers.
Although these combined efforts have been successful, it has become apparent that economic justice and financial vitality conversations with authorized ministers must occur earlier in their experience to be effective. As a result, the PBUCC and Eden are partnering in their efforts to connect some of this information to current students and clergy to plant a seed in their financial wellbeing.
About the Speaker
Rev. Darrell Goodwin serves the Iowa, Nebraska, and South Dakota Conferences as the Associate Conference Minister. Rev. Goodwin brings to this role over 20 years of experience in pastoral ministry and higher education. he has served as pastor and Found of Liberation United Church of Christ in Seattle (2007-2019) and Everett United Church of Christ (2017-2019). He currently serves on the UCC Board of Directors and on the Global Ministries Board. From 2006-2016, he served in several positions in higher education, including Associate Director of Multicultural Affairs and Dean of Students.
