We’ve learned that The Church Pension Group has a new policy as of last week’s Board of Trustees meeting. It limits the role that its employees can play in the Episcopal Church. Part of the policy reads:
CPG Employees who serve the Episcopal Church Employees may not serve, in a personal, elected, or appointed capacity, on any Church-wide governance body of the Episcopal Church including, but not limited to, a deputy of General Convention, a member of the Executive Council or any Committees, Commissions, Agencies and/or Boards of the General Convention, or any other church-wide position.
Additionally, other than the President and CEO of the Church Pension Fund, no employee may serve as a Trustee of the Church Pension Fund.
This is an intriguing development because one candidate for President of the House of Deputies (the Rev. Gay Jennings) and one potential candidate for vice president (Sally Johnson) have recently announced their retirements from jobs with CPG. But they are hardly the only pension fund employees who were active and influential in the Episcopal Church.
Another part of the policy restricts but does not prohibit involvement in dioceses and congregations.