Notes from Fellow Travelers: One Clergy Couple’s Take on Savings and Ministry

In September 2024, Rev. Jack Knoespel (retired) and Rev. Laurie A. Knoespel, pastor at Jackson Park UMC (Kannapolis, North Carolina) traveled to Alaska for what they called “the trip of a lifetime.”

“We did the land portion first, traveling from Anchorage to Denali National Park before boarding the cruise ship in Seward and traveling down to Vancouver, stopping at several ports along the way,” Jack said. “The scenery was amazing.”

“The defining word for me was ‘vast,’” Laurie noted. “I was not prepared for just how vast it is. The Hubbard Glacier was breathtaking! And I had not anticipated—but very much enjoyed—the tour guides’ teaching about the history, wildlife, weather and plant life.”

The Knoespels have also journeyed through decades of ministry together, navigating the transitions between ongoing service and retirement with grace and wisdom. Jack, retired since 2016 after 40 years of ministry, and Laurie, still actively serving, both noted the importance of planning for retirement. You might say they’ve enjoyed Wespath’s role as “tour guide” on their journey.

“I’ve always appreciated the straightforwardness of what was offered and the sense that the UMC and Wespath were looking out for me,” Jack shared.

Their respective journeys have included personal contributions to the United Methodist Personal Investment Plan (UMPIP). “I’ve always done what I can and tried to inch up my contributions a little bit, maybe a percentage point every other year to build my retirement savings,” Jack said. “If I'm going to have something at retirement, it will depend a lot on me and my discipline and willingness to set money aside (in addition to what the Church contributes).”

The Knoespels attended a pre-retirement seminar at their annual conference, where Wespath’s benefits educators laid out different scenarios for their future in retirement, showing what they could expect based on various percentages of personal contributions.

“It’s hard to just look at a spreadsheet and make sense of the numbers,” Laurie said. “But Wespath helped us understand what retirement would look like for us as a couple with one retired and one still working.”

Both are also grateful for the broader support Wespath offers through EY Financial Planning Services (EY). Jack noted that an EY planner was particularly helpful when they were navigating the financial impact of the sale of their Hendersonville, North Carolina, condominium after Laurie’s appointment to a Kannapolis church more than 125 miles away.

“We didn’t have any immediate plans for the proceeds of the sale and that’s when we contacted EY and talked to a planner,” Jack said, noting that they were impressed with the planner’s knowledge and ideas. “It was good to go to a trusted source who wasn't trying to sell us something—we wanted an objective voice.”

“For me it’s just the security of knowing that this service [EY] is provided for us—that we don’t have to wander around looking for who or what,” Laurie said. “It’s just knowing that’s part of our relationship with Wespath.”

For younger clergy, Jack and Laurie’s advice is clear: start saving early, even when it feels difficult.

“We both know a number of young clergy who are struggling with the flux of appointments as a result of disaffiliations, and it can be stressful,” Jack said. “But I would guess the old advice is still true: put away what you can.”

“Even an extra 10 or 50 dollars a month can make all the difference years down the road,” Laurie said.

Beyond being good stewards of their resources and planning for retirement, the couple stresses the importance of clergy maintaining personal well-being and cultivating supportive relationships in ministry. “God wants you to be healthy, and if you’re going to be healthy, you have to take care of yourself,” Jack advised.

“I would say to be deliberate about making friendships, both with other clergy, but also with other non-clergy,” Laurie said. “Ministry can be very isolating, so finding ways to either get out into the community or finding other groups of clergy or friends can be uplifting. Just find those points of connections with other people.”

The Knoespels’ journey highlights not only the importance of saving for retirement and taking care of oneself, but also the resources available through Wespath to support participants at every stage of their careers. Their story is one of dedication, careful stewardship, and appreciation for the guidance and tools that have helped them prepare for their future while continuing to serve faithfully.