Pension Boards’ online magazine turns numbers into stories that connect and inspire

The finance experts at The Pension Boards of the United Church of Christ (PBUCC) know that behind every number on an Excel spreadsheet are stories — powerful, poignant and prophetic ones.

Stories of parish secretaries squirreling away money for a child’s college tuition, of church custodians watching closely rising healthcare premiums, and of part-time pastors wondering if retirement accounts will be enough when they hang up their clerical collars.

The PBUCC is now sharing these narratives of hopeful possibilities amid a challenging ministry landscape in its digital magazine, Evercall.

Unveiled at last summer’s 35th General Synod in Kansas City, Evercall is a robust PDF magazine, featuring up to 100 pages filled with articles from those on the ministry frontlines. Each issue centers around a theme.

The latest edition, available here, rethinks retirement, lifting voices not only from those in their golden years but of younger clergy who are embarking on sabbaticals and of bi-vocational pastors navigating retirement fiscal health in part-time ministry environments.

Fostering connections

Evercall, though, was not just created to bring numbers to life, but to strengthen the tie that binds the UCC.

“We’re creating space for ongoing conversation that fosters meaningful connection and builds community around clergy and ministry well‑being,” said Caroline Corrigan O’Hare, PBUCC’s Chief Experience and Growth Officer. “We are committed to supporting those who serve with care, clarity and compassion. This is important to our mission as a financial ministry of UCC.”

Corrigan O’Hare, one of the creators of Evercall, recalls how the magazine was born out of conversations with colleagues, including the Rev. Judith Santiago, PBUCC’s Senior Manager, Communications and Content Marketing. It was during these talks one question kept arising: How do we connect with people?

A seemingly simple question, but one that gets a bit more difficult when “financial” is in front of “ministry,” as Corrigan O’Hare acknowledges the universal awkwardness that talking about money creates. Telling stories, though, removes that awkwardness.

“The stories in Evercall are our opportunity to center the attention on the ministries taking place in the UCC and to celebrate them,” said Corrigan O’Hare. “We didn’t want to talk about what we are doing at the Pension Boards. We wanted to hear from those in the churches.”

Links, though, to PBUCC resources are sprinkled throughout the Evercall pages for readers who want to learn more.

Listening and learning

Evercall is also helping PBUCC understand better the needs of those serving local churches, from small to large, rural to inner cities.

“Collecting the stories for the magazine helps our internal team to think more purposefully on how we serve those in the UCC and what we need to prioritize,” said Corrigan O’Hare.

David Klassen, PBUCC President and Chief Executive Officer, agrees, noting how the magazine is one way of “listening and learning together as partners in ministry.”

“By paying attention to the real rhythms and challenges of life and ministry, Evercall helps us keep growing together, so people of call can serve from a steady, reliable foundation with strength and resilience,” said Klassen.

For Corrigan O’Hare, Evercall has been a source of joy for her and her editorial team.

“It’s been exciting to have these conversations with those in the church and to hear how they are finding ways to navigate family, health and work needs,” she said. “Many of the stories, too, have been deeply vulnerable. I have such gratitude for all the people who share so freely.”

The Rev. Paul Ramsey, PBUCC’s Director of Church Relations and Philanthropy, has also been touched by the raw and honest tales from both pulpit and pew.

“Evercall opens the door to honest, meaningful conversation about what it looks like to live our call while holding the rest of our lives with care,” said Ramsey. “I hope my colleagues in ministry will read it, share it, and add their own voices.”

A sentiment Corrigan O’Hare shares with Ramsey as she sees the narratives in Evercall capturing beautifully the pressures and challenges as well as the joys and triumphs of those called to serve.

“These stories can have a positive impact not just on clergy but those in the pews as well. I would encourage people in the congregation to read it,” she said.

Ramsey adds, “When we stay connected and learn from one another, we strengthen not just ourselves, but the ministries and communities we serve.”

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