UMC Connections
Exploring Wespath connections and partnerships across The United Methodist Church
Connections Drive a More Vital Future
We are all stronger, better and more vital through connection. Wespath partners with a multitude of cohorts throughout The United Methodist Church (UMC) to realize a more vibrant future for the denomination. Through our UMC connections, Wespath is helping revitalize the Church and support the UMC vision to love boldly, serve joyfully and lead courageously.
Through collaboration, Wespath creates shared space for varied voices and diverse perspectives. These dialogues and collaborations are opportunities to build empathy across opinions, uncover systemic challenges, envision new opportunities, and brainstorm pathways to a more vital future for the Church and those who serve within it.
Saving Grace
Saving Grace: A Guide to Financial Well-Being is an educational program for clergy, laity, congregations and individuals. Saving Grace gives participants tools to get comfortable with the topics of saving, earning, giving, spending and managing debt. Participants gain helpful actionable strategies for achieving sustainable financial habits and long-term goals.
Saving Grace was created in partnership between Wespath and Abingdon Press. The program explores money management from a biblical perspective based on Wesleyan theology.
Connectional Pension Support
The Connectional Pension Support (CPS) program provides a steady source of retirement income for United Methodist Church clergy and surviving spouses in the regional conferences outside the United States. Pension plans in Africa, the Philippines and Europe receive funding from the CPS program. These plans support more than 3,700 retirees and beneficiaries and more than 7,500 clergy still in active ministry.
Wespath administers the CPS program and promotes best practices in the management and funding of pension programs outside the U.S. Throughout the year, Wespath’s team travels to meet with CPS program partners and pensioners in their countries and communities. We gather as a collective group every other year for a CPS Forum—an opportunity for shared ideas.
UMC Sustainable Investing Collaboration
In advance of General Conference 2028—the UMC’s worldwide quadrennial gathering—Wespath will assess the need to amend The Book of Discipline regarding guidance on sustainable and socially responsible investing. If changes are warranted, Wespath is committed to collaborating on broadly supported legislation that reflects the diversity of the UMC and is thoughtful, balanced and ambitious in how it calls investors to live into Church values.
As a first step in this process, Wespath hosted a gathering in the fall of 2025 at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary. The event brought together diverse voices from across the connection to explore opportunities for a refreshed approach to sustainable investing.
Clergy Dialogues
Clergy often face systemic challenges. Many pastoral leaders feel overworked, undercompensated, increasingly isolated, and stressed to the max. Understanding these concerns is the first step to addressing them as a denomination.
Wespath convenes dialogues that give clergy from across the UMC an opportunity to speak up and be heard.
CLEAR 2024 (Clergy Leadership, Engagement and Re-Imagining Conference)—gathered 100+ clergy from across all U.S. annual conferences, the Council of Bishops’ president and other influencers. With diverse perspectives, they came together to uncover concerns, brainstorm creative ways to address systemic challenges, and envision a vibrant future for the UMC. Key takeaways and perspectives from the event were shared in a report with the Council of Bishops.
Church Property Repurposing
Maintaining a church building and property is a challenge for many congregations. This could be the result of declining attendance, an aging building or a depleted congregational endowment.
In the summer of 2025, Wespath and Wesleyan Impact Partners co-hosted a gathering in suburban Chicago with individuals from across the UMC. Speakers shared success stories, challenges and ideas in the hope of working toward collective solutions as a united church body. Attendees included annual conference staff, clergy with experience in redevelopment and bishops interested in how to take steps on this key issue within their conference.
Caring for Our Neighbors
‘Caring’ is core to Wespath’s identity and purpose. In ways large and small, Wespath shares its resources to help others. In recent years, Wespath has purchased washers and dryers to modernize laundry facilities dedicated to people experiencing housing insecurity. We funded travel scholarships for young pastors on a Wesley Heritage Tour of England. We frequently host denominational events at our campus. Since 1990, we have invested in affordable housing and community development. And, our employees donate holiday gifts and school supplies for children across the Chicago area. Together these reflect Wespath’s commitment to giving back and uplifting others.
United Methodist Interagency Just and Equitable Net-Zero Coalition
On Earth Day in 2021, Wespath and 10 of its fellow UMC agencies publicly pledged to achieve net-zero emissions across ministries, facilities, operations and investments by 2050. This group of agencies is now called the United Methodist Interagency Just and Equitable Net-Zero Coalition. The agencies learn from, and work with, one another to help members find solutions to common challenges.
The Coalition also places an emphasis on a just and equitable transition to net-zero. This is to ensure structural barriers to racial and gender equity are addressed alongside climate issues.