Wespath Renames 'Central Conference Pensions' Program to 'Connectional Pension Support'

During the November 2025 Pensions Forum in Manila, we mentioned central conferences are now referred to as 'regional conferences' following The United Methodist Church's (UMC's) adoption of regionalization, and we would seek a new name for the Central Conference Pensions (CCP) program accordingly. After months of consideration, we are pleased to announce the new name that reflects the UMC's structural change and the program's continued support of UMC pension plans around the world: Connectional Pension Support (CPS).

We received and considered several suggested names from within and outside Wespath as well as from our Board of Directors. From these suggestions, we emailed the top three proposed program names to pension officers and others who attended the November 2025 Pensions Forum, asking them to rate the proposed names. "Connectional Pension Support" received the top ranking. Thank you to all who responded with a ranking or top choice.

This new name also aligns with the preferences of Wespath staff who work with the pension plans. "Connectional" honors the program's origins as a multi-agency initiative of the General Conference and the denomination-wide endowment fundraising to establish the program. "Support" includes the consulting, actuarial valuations, audits, investment management and other services the program provides, in addition to funding from the endowment.

In the next few months, we will be updating webpages, publications and other communications to reflect the new program name. As the UMC embarks on the regionalization journey, the name of our program may have changed, but our commitment to working with you for sustainable pension plans remains the same.

Plan Summary Letters to be Distributed

As you may recall, Wespath has historically sent a customized report to the bishop and key leaders of each pension area every two years. This is in addition to the CCP (now CPS) Report that is scheduled for release in the fourth quarter of 2026 and discusses the entire program. The Plan Summary Letters are addressed to each episcopal area, which allows for more detailed and specific comments on the pension plan's financial sustainability and administration. We believe it is helpful for bishops and other key leaders to hear directly from Wespath regarding some of the unique challenges their local pension plan faces. The summaries are being finalized; you can expect to receive your letter this week.

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