You need enough coverage to meet the needs of your survivors and should consider expenses such as a mortgage, raising children, and college. A general rule of thumb is to start with 10 times your annual income. Remember, the amount you need is always changing. A 35-year-old with a spouse and kids needs far more life insurance than a couple nearing their 60’s who are empty nesters.

No, ordination is not a requirement for enrollment in Geneva benefits. Employees who work 30 or more hours per week are considered full-time and eligible for Geneva group benefits (both retirement & insurance).

Please copy the current month’s invoice which lists the employee and his/her coverage.  On the copied sheet, make a note by that employee’s name with the change of employment and the last day worked, if applicable. Fax (678.825.1261) or email the page to Geneva for processing at benefits@genevabenefits.org. Changes and any needed adjustments will be reflected on the next month’s invoice (credits or retro billings).

Benefits are effective the first day of the month following the date of hire. Please do not send contributions before this date.

New hires should complete and submit an Enrollment form, found on our My Benefits page, and enroll for new insurance benefits within the first 30 days of hire.

You can add insurance benefits for your church/ministry staff by following these simple steps:

Step 1: Visit our My Benefits page to download and complete two forms:

A) Group Insurance Adoption Agreement (IAA). This allows you to select which insurance products your organization will offer full-time employees.

B) Benefit Plan Enrollment Form. This provides us with the information needed to set up an account in SmartBen (our on-line benefits administrator).

Step 2: Request a secure email link by emailing us at enrollment@genevabenefits.org.

Step 3: Submit forms through secure link.

Most of our insurance products are designed to be offered without medical questions if you enroll within 30 days of your date of hire at your ministry organization.

This needs to be coordinated with Geneva and your employer. There may be voluntary products for which you are eligible. Call us to discuss at 678.825.1260.

Geneva products begin the first of the month after your month of employment (or after approval if enrollment occurs well after your date of hire).

Life and Disability insurance offer portability to a new employer or conversion to individual insurance policies.

We are currently not accepting new enrollments in our counseling benefit through Full Strength Network.

Geneva Counseling and Wellbeing provides access to confidential counseling and coaching sessions through the Full Strength Network (FSN).  Choose from hundreds of Christian counselors with the Global Counseling Network (GCN).

Employee Eligibility:

• Must work for a PCA Church, Church Related Organization, or Like-Minded Organization.
• Must work at least 30 hours per week for their employer.
• If Non-ordained staff – Must work for a church or a ministry of a church. Non-ordained staff of para-church organizations are not eligible at this time.
• Must reside in a state within the United States of America.

Employer Requirements:

• Organizations must commit to paying for membership for the earlier of: 12 months or the employee’s termination month.
• Organizations must agree to remit payments for membership of their staff.
• Organizations must participate in another non-voluntary, Geneva sponsored insurance plan (Life, LTD, Dental, or Vision) in addition to the Counseling & Wellbeing Plan.
• Organizations must execute a Counseling Remittance Service Agreement.

Payments for membership dues should be provided for through employee payroll deduction on an after-tax basis.

Peer cohorts, while vital for pastoral wellbeing, are voluntary and mutual. Periodically, pastors need direction from trained professionals who can ask different questions, name issues with language to aid understanding, and lead them through intentional processes that cultivate personal and professional growth.

The pastoral vocation is uniquely challenging. Work like sermon preparation, preaching, teaching, counseling, and day-to-day administrative oversight of the church are difficult and time-consuming enough. But pastors bear the additional burden of being “always on.” They get calls at night and on weekends, and wherever they go, they are seen in their pastoral role. For long-term wellbeing, pastors need occasional seasons away from these all-consuming demands provided by sabbiticals.

Signing up for Cherish is easy. Our counseling providers have a list of all ordained PCA teaching elders in their database. Visit genevabenefits.org/cherish, and select the counseling provider of your choice. Once you complete their intake form, one of their counselors will reach out to you to assist you in selecting a counselor and scheduling. Cherish is confidential, so Geneva staff does not receive information of those served through it. If you have challenges in registering, reach out to us at relief@genevabenefits.org.

We are currently not accepting new enrollments in our counseling benefit through Full Strength Network.

Yes, you have access to 7 free/subsidized counseling sessions every year. 

Signing up for Cherish is easy. Our counseling providers have a list of all ordained PCA teaching elders in their database. Visit genevabenefits.org/cherish, and select the counseling provider of your choice. Once you complete their intake form, one of their counselors will reach out to you to assist you in selecting a counselor and scheduling. Cherish is confidential, so Geneva staff does not receive information of those served through it. If you have challenges in registering, reach out to us at relief@genevabenefits.org.

The Relief Fund is a ministry of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA). Qualified recipients include PCA pastors and their wives as well as PCA church/ministry staff.

The Relief Fund provides long-term (6 months or greater) and short-term (less than 6 months) financial assistance as well as access to affordable Christian counseling.

Access to affordable Christian counseling is made available to the wife of any PCA Teaching Elder through our Cherish program. Learn more at genevabenefits.org/cherish

Long-term assistance is recurring monetary gifts which are designed to enable pastors and their widows to provide for basic necessities of life such as medical bills, groceries, utilities, housing, and other basic needs.
There are three categories of short-term assistance.

• Survivor’s assistance is a one-time $1000 payment to the surviving spouse and dependents on the death of a PCA Teaching Elder or his spouse.
• Health Insurance Assistance (HIA) is a reimbursement of health insurance premiums for up to six months for families of pastors between calls.
• General assistance is reserved for one-time or short-term emergencies such as medical bills, funeral expenses, or other such situations that warrant assistance. PCA pastors and ministry staff qualify for this type of assistance.

The Relief Fund depends on the support of generous individuals and churches. You can make an individual gift online at genevabenefits.org/give or equip your church to take a special offering to support our PCA church servants in need. Learn more at genevabenefits.org/getinvolved

Qualified individuals (PCA pastors, widows, and ministry staff) can apply for relief assistance online. Visit genevabenefits.org/applyrelief

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