Consultation helps lower student loan debt payments by nearly 70 percent
By Paul Seebeck | Presbyterian News Service
Amy House prepares to return home to Columbus, Ohio, after attending the recent evangelism conference at Zephyr Cove, Nev. Paul Seebeck
ZEPHYR COVE, Nev. — Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) minister the Rev. Amy House was in the black hole of managing her student loan debt.
Serving two small PC(USA) churches part-time in Columbus, Ohio, she had a $650 student loan payment staring at her every month. The only thing bigger for her two boys and husband was their house payment. And she’s had her share of medical challenges this year.
“When you’re worried about money, you take your off eye off the most important thing,” she said. “When I’m stressed about money, it’s difficult to focus on the things that matter.”
House reached out to Presbyterian Mission Agency’s Financial Aid for Service (FAS) for help. In a consultation with loan repayment mission specialist Melonee Tubb, she was able to lower her monthly payment by nearly 70 percent, to $203 per month, by taking advantage of the Federal Student Aid’s Income Driven Repayment plan.
House also applied for and received Transformation Leadership Debt Assistance (TLDA) in the form of a $5,000 loan payable to her student loan service provider. After 18 months of service, it will be forgiven.
“It’s the coolest thing ever,” she said. “I can apply up to three times. I’ll apply again in January. Before I’m through, I will have lowered my debt from $55,000 to $40,000.”
Now, House will do anything to spread the word about FAS, which has had such a profound impact on her life as a small church pastor in the PC(USA).
“Oh my gosh,” she said. “The alleviation of stress, the ability to take care of other things is profound. They are committed to walking with me on this journey and making things easier, so that ministry can be everything it is meant to be.”
‘Before I’m through, I will have lowered my debt from $55,000 to $40,000.’
And House is convinced that ultimately Financial Aid for Service isn’t about money — even though it is.
“I can tell that for Mel [and Laura Bryan], this is a ministry for them,” she said. “You don’t have to wear a collar to minister in the world. They were so concerned for me. They took my burden of student loan debt and lessened it. If that’s not Christlike, I don’t know what is.”
Presbyterian News Service spoke with House during the recent Evangelism Conference: Sabbath Rest, Holy Surrender, Full Life at Zephyr Point Presbyterian Conference Center, which she was able to attend, thanks to a Presbyterian Engagement award grant.
“That’s another thing Mel did. She told me about this opportunity to be part of an incredible conference at Lake Tahoe,” said House. “They had an essay-writing contest. The one I wrote on what Sabbath meant to me in my context was one of the winners. I feel so blessed by my denomination to be where I’d never been before, in such beauty, reflecting on Sabbath rest.”
Transformational Loan Debt Assistance is available for PC(USA) pastors serving small congregations and 1001 New Worshiping Community leaders.
Presbyterian Engagement and Book Awards are offered to student aid and debt assistance applicants. Visit www.pcusa.org/apply4scholarships to learn about programs available to you, your family and members of your worship community.
Schedule a student loan consultation with Melonee Tubb by clicking here.
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