VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 3/16/20)—In response to the recommended guidelines to contain the spread of COVID-19, on Monday, March 16, most of the staff at MMBB Financial Services began remote work operations.

Dear MMBB Family:

As our organization responds to the global health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I wanted to reach out to you to let you know how MMBB has been working in preparation for potential disruptions. We understand that the rapidly changing news and potential impact on your health and that of your families and congregations is understandably cause for anxiety and concern.

You can be assured that the health and safety of our staff, members and employers remains our top priority, and we are monitoring the information and guidelines recommended by the Center for Disease Control (CDC), the World Health Organization, and New York State and local authorities. We are committed to keeping MMBB’s ministry and business fully operational during this challenging time and wanted to share details with you about the steps we will be taking in the coming weeks. Please note the following:

• We already have in place technological measures that currently enable most MMBB staff to work remotely.
• Most staff are furnished with laptops and already utilize Zoom to maintain communications via video conferencing and virtual meetings.
• Therefore, you can be assured that we have the capability for staff to conduct business seamlessly from home.
• MMBB’s IT structure is significantly cloud-based and every unit including our Service Team and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals are available to respond to all of your concerns as per our standard business practices.

After a successful remote “dry run” practice event on Friday, March 13th, during which time our physical offices were closed and mostly all staff worked remotely, we have decided to implement full remote operations beginning today, March 16, 2020 through Monday, March 30, 2020. We will assess the need for remote operations to continue beyond that date.

As a matter of safety and compliance with CDC recommendations to restrict the gathering of large groups and practice social distancing, all in-person meetings and conferences scheduled for March and April have been postponed, and we will assess May events in the coming weeks.
MMBB will continue to closely monitor this pandemic, and we will provide additional updates as needed.

Know that you, your families and your congregations and staff remain in our prayers as we look to God for safety, guidance and wisdom and lean not on our own understanding.

We ask for your support and prayers as together with our nation and the world we deal with this most extraordinary time.

Grace and Peace,
Louis P. Barbarin, CPA Chief Executive Officer

Founded as a nonprofit in 1911 (and chartered in 1913) as The Ministers and Missionaries Benefit Board, MMBB has grown to become an important provider of retirement planning and other benefits to clergy and church administrators, primarily in the American Baptist and free church communities. While its original focus was to administer pensions to retired ministers, today MMBB works closely with American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) and a variety of denominational partners across the United States and Puerto Rico to provide comprehensive retirement and financial planning throughout all phases of life.

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.