Church Pension Group | Defined Benefit Plan

Lay Defined Benefit Plan


Dear Friends,

As The Church Pension Fund looks ahead to its second century of administering pensions, we continue to be inspired by the audacious vision of our founder, Bishop William Lawrence, who said, “The object of pensions is security.”

We remain committed to helping you achieve financial security in retirement. As you review A Guide to the Lay Defined Benefit Plan, if you have any questions about your benefits, or are considering retiring in the near future, we encourage you to contact us at (866) 802-6333, Monday – Friday, 8:30 AM – 8:00 PM ET or at benefits@cpg.org to schedule a retirement discussion.

Thank you for your continued confidence and support.

Faithfully,

Mary Kate Wold
CEO and President
The Church Pension Fund

  • This Guide is a summary of The Episcopal Church Lay Employees’ Retirement Plan (the Plan) as in effect on January 1, 2024, which covers all eligible lay employees who are enrolled in the Plan by their participating employer. Please keep in mind that this is intended to be a summary document only, and it should not be viewed as investment, tax, or other advice. To request a guide describing plan provisions in effect prior to January 1, 2024, please contact our Client Services group.

  • This Guide is intended to help you better understand your benefits and clarify what you need to do to ensure eligibility for the benefits provided by The Church Pension Fund (CPF) to members in the Plan
  • You will note that certain terms are capitalized throughout this Guide, which means they are proper names or are defined in our Glossary of Terms. Other more commonly used terms, such as employer-provided housing or participating employer, also appear in our Glossary of Terms because they have a specific meaning for purposes of the Plan.

  • This Guide uses “you” and “your” when referencing a lay employee who works (or worked) for an Episcopal employer located in the US and is eligible to participate in and is enrolled in the Plan. Although the primary audience of this Guide is lay employees, your eligible spouse and other eligible beneficiaries may also use it as a reference.

  • The Plan is only for lay employees of Episcopal employers that have adopted the Plan. In other words, an Episcopal employer must be a participating employer in the Plan. Episcopal clergy cannot participate in the Plan (unless they were a member of the Plan prior to being ordained).

  • The official plan documents will govern the Plan and all the benefits provided by CPF. In the event of a conflict between this Guide and the official plan documents, the terms of the official plan documents will apply.

  • Individual situations may differ from those described in this Guide. If you would like to discuss your specific circumstances, please contact our Client Services group.