ELGIN, ILLINOIS – February 5, 2026 – Eder Financial has entered into discussions with Everence® to explore how they together, can build on a shared commitment to better serve individuals, organizations, and congregations for years to come. These conversations are exploratory in nature and are being approached with care and discernment.

Eder and Everence have come to these discussions grounded in a shared foundation of faith, values, mission, and heritage. For more than 80 years, Everence (formerly known as Mennonite Mutual Aid) and its affiliates, and Eder Financial (previously Church of the Brethren Benefit Trust) and its affiliates, have served Anabaptists and other like-minded communities. Both organizations are shaped by the historic Anabaptist conviction that all we have belongs to God and should be faithfully managed for the good of others (Psalm 24).

“Caring for our members and clients to help them achieve their financial goals and dreams is our top priority, such as when we sold the Eder Retirement Plan annuities in late 2024 to give our retirees extra protection,” said Nevin Dulabaum, president of Eder Financial. “We’re pleased to be in discussion with Everence to build on our history of working together and to explore opportunities to leverage their increased scale to provide better services and pricing for our members and clients."

Purpose of the discussions

As part of this collaboration, leadership teams from Eder and Everence are engaging in ongoing conversations focused on:

Strengthening the long-term financial sustainability of employee benefits, deferred gifting programs, as well as organizational investments.

Maintaining church plan status, which allows contributions to be made pre-tax and allows retired pastors to designate some or all of their retirement payments as housing allowance, while responding thoughtfully to regulatory, demographic, and operational realities.

Ensuring continued alignment with shared faith commitments and values as denominational contexts and needs evolve.

Areas under exploration Eder Financial and Everence are engaging in exploratory, strategic discussions focused on understanding long-term sustainability, regulatory realities, and how to best serve our members and churches in the future.

Potential areas of impact being considered include:

Expanded service capabilities and economies of scale for employee benefit members and institutional clients across the Brethren tradition and for those who have common bonds and convictions.

Additional investment screening options aligned with shared faith-based principles.

Broader local and national support structures that strengthen relationships across regions and communities.

"For generations, Eder has been a trusted presence in the lives of church leaders and congregations, “said Ken Hochstetler, Everence President and CEO. "We are grateful for the opportunity to engage in thoughtful discernment that honors Eder’s legacy and reflects our shared commitment to stewardship, service and faith-inspired values."

No determinations have been made regarding organizational structure, governance, products, services, or staffing. We are committed to communicating clearly and responsibly throughout this process and to sharing information as meaningful clarity emerges.

About Eder Financial Eder Financial is a not-for-profit agency, reportable to the Church of the Brethren Annual Conference, that provides retirement, insurance, and organizational investing services. Governed by a Board of Directors comprised of twelve Church of the Brethren members who have expertise in law, finance, benefits, and investment, Eder Financial serves individuals, organizations, and congregations affiliated with the Church of the Brethren as well as those of like mind within the broader faith-based and non-profit community. For further information, visit ederfinancial.org/together.

Contacts Precious Earley, Public Relations Director, (847) 622-3366Michelle Kilbourne, VP, Internal Capabilities, (847) 622-3371