For more than 50 years C.W. served as a Southern Baptist pastor, but now this Alabama preacher finds it difficult to support himself and his wife in retirement. Thanks to the Adopt-An-Annuitant program, a ministry of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), the couple receives financial assistance each month.
C.W. and his wife are two of 124 adopted annuitants from Alabama. Currently, about 3,000 former Southern Baptist pastors, widows and church workers receive supplements each month through the Annuity Board, which has served the SBC since 1918. In April 2002, the Annuity Board’s Adopt-An-Annuitant and Supplemental Assistance programs combined.
Judy Bates, communication coordinator for the program, said many of the recipients worked in smaller, rural churches that provided modest salaries and little, if any, contributions toward retirement.
Individuals who qualify for assistance receive $200 per month and couples receive $265.
Guidelines for assistance are based on income, assets and years of service.
“An individual’s income can’t exceed $15,000 a year and a couple’s income can’t exceed $19,980 a year,” Bates said.
Resources from the SBC Cooperative Program and gifts from individuals, Sunday School classes and churches support the program. Bates said the SBC often recognizes donors with plaques as thank-yous.
“The Alabama Baptist Retirement Center and First Baptist Bay Minette were recognized in March 2003 for their contributions,” she said. “Also, Providence Baptist in Opelika is the largest organizational donor in Alabama and has donated to the program since 1988.”
According to Bates, every dollar donated goes directly to those in need. “We pay [administrative] expenses with earned income from another fund,” Bates said.
The Southern Baptist Convention designated the fourth Sunday in June each year to be “Adopt An Annuitant Sunday.”
For more information call 1-800-262-0511 or visit the resources page of www.thealabamabaptist.org.
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