Giving and Receiving

The Rev. Hugh Knapp shares how gifts to The Christmas Fund enabled him to receive an emergency grant, and how he advocates for others to receive the same assistance. Now retired, he lives in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and is a member of the Eastern North Carolina Association. 

Applying for Emergency Grants and its Positive Impact

The emergency grants were essential in keeping us on top of things. I suffer from pulmonary fibrosis of the lungs; our last emergency grant of $1,700 helped us pay medical bills and other bills so that we wouldn’t have to go into debt. We have a mortgage and a home equity line of credit, so we try to avoid too many credit card debts. Without the grants, we would’ve had a very hard time and gone into more debt.

In addition, our townhouse homeowners’ HOA fees have doubled since we’ve lived here, and so has everything else. Our income just hasn’t been able to keep up or meet our current expenses. I’ve been retired for over 20 years, and that’s probably the situation for a lot of ministers who’ve been retired for a while. We’ve lived for a long time, and we haven’t kept up with inflation.

On a positive note, my wife and I loved visiting retired clergy as Annuitant Visitors. We often help them get emergency grants, but I never expected to have to ask for one myself. For example, one retired woman needed a new roof, which was under a thousand dollars. We visited another couple where the spouse had a stroke and needed around-the-clock care. Another woman we visited had a lot of dental-related expenses, while yet another woman needed a hearing aid. We’ve helped a lot of people access emergency grants for various reasons.

Financial Anxieties from Changes in Pension and Retirement

Before I applied for emergency grants, our financial situation was pretty good. Overtime, however, even with my social security, the length of my retirement, market fluctuations, and changing economic conditions, it was challenging to navigate rising expenses.

Your pension also depends on the size of churches you have served, and sometimes the length of service period. I served a church in Utah and also served a very small church in Vermont. When I was there, my salary was $9,800 a year plus parsonage. My wife worked and raised children while I served churches which couldn’t pay very well. They paid what they could. I’ve never served large, high-paying jobs; in the UCC, that means my pension has been on the low side.

As you can imagine, in those 20-some years after my retirement, while my pension has increased by 10 percent, costs probably doubled. I think a lot of minsters who’ve been retired for a long time would be in the same position, that their costs have gone up a lot more than their pension. But at the same time costs are moving at a higher rate.

A Word to Potential Christmas Fund Donors

If you’re a church member, I think it’s really important to support retired ministers who are probably struggling, especially if they’ve served small churches or have lived a long time. I’ve given a modest amount every year to The Christmas Fund and promoted it in churches. I think it’s one of the most important of all church offerings. I know Naples, Florida, and the church I served in Utah have always been high in their per capita support. The church that I attend in Chapel Hill supports The Christmas Fund, and I’m proud of that.

Advice for Those Needing an Emergency Grant Through The Christmas Fund

Just go ahead and ask, don’t hesitate. That’s what the money’s there for. We’re fortunate that we’ve had this Christmas Fund for many, many years now. Please don’t hesitate to apply. I’m sure there are lots of needs, and I hope that The Christmas Fund is supportive of lay people who will soon be retired. I’m happy about it and I’m also very enthusiastic and glad to help in any way possible.