Last week, I attended the United Church Funds Board of Directors meeting as part of my covenantal work with the wider church. As a pastor and UCF Board member, I left encouraged and grateful for UCF's ministry to our churches.
Many congregations have endowments, reserves from property sales, memorial gifts, or long-term funds set aside for mission. The question is always the same: How do we steward these resources faithfully and responsibly?
United Church Funds helps churches by offering transparent, faith-aligned investment options that prioritize responsible management and mission-driven value.
United Church Funds (UCF) is the investment ministry of the United Church of Christ. It exists to help churches, conferences, and other UCC-related ministries invest their assets in ways that align with our faith and values.
As of December 31, 2025, UCF manages approximately $1.37 billion in total assets. That represents congregations, conferences, and ministries across the country who trust UCF to help steward their financial resources.
UCF offers 11 professionally managed fund options, including equity, fixed-income, alternative, and balanced funds. Many churches choose a balanced fund that provides a diversified, “set it and forget it” approach with a traditional 60% equity/40% fixed-income allocation.
What impressed me again at the board meeting was the level of oversight:
An experienced UCF Investment Team actively manages allocations.
An Investment Committee and Board of Directors provide fiduciary oversight.
Outside investment managers are selected for expertise and evaluated regularly.
This structure gives churches confidence in strong financial oversight, accountability, and professional management, protecting your church's resources.
UCF does not separate faith from finance.
All UCF funds use social and environmental screens and actively engage with companies. For example, the Beyond Fossil Fuels Fund excludes companies in oil, gas, or coal while aiming for competitive returns.
At our recent meeting, we also reviewed UCF’s active shareholder advocacy work, including proxy voting and corporate engagement aligned with justice, equity, and environmental responsibility. This means your church’s investments are not silent. They help shape corporate behavior consistent with UCC values.
UCF’s clear, straightforward reporting allows finance committees to easily track performance and benchmark against peers, supporting informed, transparent decision-making.
With publicly listed, all-inclusive expense ratios and no hidden fees, churches are empowered to budget wisely and plan confidently.
UCF partners with churches navigating property transitions, endowments, or gifts, helping to invest these assets for long-term mission impact and lasting ministry.
As someone who serves both a local church and the wider Conference, I believe this is a moment for thoughtful stewardship. We are called not only to manage resources wisely, but to align them with the Gospel commitments of justice, sustainability, and inclusion.
If your church has:
An endowment
Reserve funds
Proceeds from property sales
Memorial or legacy gifts
Or is it reviewing its investment strategy
Contact United Church Funds to learn more, ask your questions, or attend their quarterly town hall to see how they can partner with your church. Faithful stewardship is a sacred ministry. Let us embrace this responsibility with renewed purpose, unwavering clarity, and deep conviction, confident that our choices today will bless generations to come.