VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 6/8/20)—On Thursday, May 28, 2020, American Baptist Women’s Ministries (ABWM) hosted a Courageous Conversation about Financial Wellness Amid COVID-19 and beyond. Inarguably, money is one of the top stressors people face. A pandemic only exacerbates the stress. Panelists shared budgeting tips, educational resources, as well as advice about ways to begin financial wellness habits.
Participants learned that financial wellness is not just about meeting financial obligations. Financial wellness is learning about and reflecting on one’s behaviors and attitudes about money. Participants were encouraged to set attainable financial goals and check with their employers to learn of available resources. COVID-19 has caused many individuals and families great financial strain due to job loss. Panelists stressed the necessity for an emergency fund to prepare for life’s unexpected events. Panelists also approached financial wellness from an intergenerational lens, providing statistics and information tailored for young adults and youth. Participants raved about the host of free resources from the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau’s, Your Money, Your Goals program and Ministers and Missionary Benefits Board (MMBB).
“Discussing money is not an easy subject for most of us as we have more questions than answers. How do we budget? How do we implement good stewardship over the resources that God has provided? How do we recover from past fiscal mistakes? The panelists invited everyone into a no-judgment zone conversation and equipped them with tools and approaches to become financially savvy and to become more educated about investment opportunities”, noted Rev. Dr. Gina Jacobs-Strain, executive director, ABWM.
Panelists included Mr. Colin Nass, Senior Manager, Financial Planning, Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board (MMBB); Dr. Laura Miraz, Trainer, Your Money, Your Goals, associate executive director of Human Resources Management Services, American Baptist Home Missions Societies (ABHMS); Rev. LaThelma Yenn-Batah, Trainer, Your Money, Your Goals, associate executive director of American Baptist Women’s Ministries (ABWM). American Baptist Women’s Ministries is excited to continue providing public resources during the unprecedented COVID-19 and beyond. To support ABWM in COVID-19 relief and restoration efforts, make a gift today at www.abwomensministries.org/ResetandReimagine.
To view the webinar recording of Courageous Conversation: Financial Wellness Amid COVID-19 and Beyond visit www.abwomensministries.org/webinars. ABWM’s will be beginning its Fall webinar series covering Addiction on September 24, 2020.
American Baptist Women’s Ministries (ABWM) is a diverse community of American Baptist women and girls serving in ministry in Christ’s name in the US, including Puerto Rico. With local, area, region/state, and national levels of ministry, American Baptist Women’s Ministries creates and sustains communities of passionately faithful, mission-minded women and girls engaged in worship, service, and friendship. Our ministries include domestic violence and sex trafficking prevention and education, building beloved community, and developing leaders. To learn more about American Baptist Women’s Ministries, visit our website at www.abwomensministries.org.
American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.