JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — This month, Rick Wheeler, president and chief executive officer of Florida Baptist Financial Services, signed the 2025 distribution of the Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund to Mission:Dignity. Supporting nearly 300 retired Florida Baptist pastors and their spouses or widows, this year’s record-breaking amount represents the largest gift in the history of the Florida fund — $278,285.41.

“On behalf of our board of directors, I am pleased to announce that this year’s gift from the Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund represents the single largest gift we have been delighted to forward to these saints in need,” Wheeler said. “As a cooperating ministry of the Florida Baptist Convention, ‘Stewardship. Simplified.’ is constantly looking for ways to financially resource the many Great Commission causes of Florida Baptists.”

Through the Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund, Florida Baptist Financial Services is able to partner with GuideStone Financial Resources’ Mission:Dignity to provide an extra check — a 13th check — to retired pastors and their wives or their widows in the Sunshine State, many of whom spent their entire lives in ministry, often serving at smaller churches which had smaller budgets and were unable to contribute toward any type of retirement fund.

Aaron Meraz, director of Mission:Dignity, immediately posted to social media his appreciation to Florida Baptists for this record-breaking financial gift.

“Mission:Dignity can’t say ‘THANK YOU’ enough to Florida Baptist Financial Services and Rick Wheeler,” Meraz wrote. “The generosity to these Florida recipients and those who served in Florida is truly an incredible blessing!”

Florida Baptist Financial Services has facilitated stewardship and generosity among Florida Baptists and has served as the charitable foundation of the Florida Baptist Convention since 1947. In 2022 Florida Baptist Financial Services began partnering with Mission:Dignity and GuideStone when the Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund was launched following the sale of the Florida Baptist Retirement Center in Vero Beach. Since then, the total amount distributed from the fund has been more than $750,000.

“We are grateful to provide these funds from the Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund,” Wheeler said. “Together, we are truly making a difference in the lives of these heroes of the faith who have faithfully led and blessed Florida Baptist churches.”

Across the nation, more than $9 million is distributed annually through Mission:Dignity, ensuring a well-deserved dignity and independence to those who have served faithfully in local Southern Baptist churches. Of the 2,700 individuals receiving assistance each year, approximately 60% of the recipients are widows. One of four is a pastor’s widow age 85 or older.

Wheeler said Mission:Dignity and the Retired Shepherd’s Fund are a natural channel to provide aid to those who deserve the highest honor as “heroes.”

“We stand on the shoulders of these wonderful heroes of the faith who have faithfully served churches across Florida,” he said. “What a joy it is to help meet their needs. May we be found faithful in our generation as they were in theirs.”

To participate in giving to the Florida Baptist Retired Shepherd’s Fund, please contact Florida Baptist Financial Services at 904-345-3222 or by email at [email protected].

For more information on assistance provided by Mission:Dignity for retired ministers, please go to https://www.guidestone.org/Mission-Dignity.

(EDITOR’S NOTE —  Jessica Pigg writes for the Florida Baptist Convention. This article originally appeared at flbaptist.org.)