A free, faith-based financial workshop led by a former local educator aims to help community members reduce debt, build stability and apply biblical principles to money management during its final session in Cortez.
The event, titled “Empowered Stewardship: Thriving in Today’s Economy,” combines scriptural teachings on finances with tools for budgeting, debt reduction and building wealth.
The final workshop will be at 9 a.m. Saturday at Lamp Post Creative Learning Center, 32171 U.S. Highway 160.
Andy Bennetts, a Cortez native, former teacher and debt-to-wealth specialist at Empower Wealth Solutions, is one of the speakers at the workshop. Bennetts said the series grew out of his own experience learning a financial system designed to accelerate mortgage payoffs. Using the approach, Bennetts and his wife reduced their 30-year mortgage to 15 years without refinancing.
“We often liken it to a GPS, a financial GPS,” Bennetts told The Journal. “So, instead of just wandering around and paying when the bank tells us to pay, we’re more strategic about it, and it gives us very specific guidance basically on what to pay, when to pay, how much to pay … that kind of stuff.”
The sessions typically draw about 10 participants and are free and open to everyone, though they are promoted through area churches. Organizers expect a larger turnout for the final workshop, with a goal of around 30 attendees. Other speakers include Christian author Lynn Spencer and wealth specialist Sandy Northup.
If you go
What: Empowered Stewardship financial workshop
When: Saturday
Where: Lamp Post Creative Learning Center, 32171 U.S. Highway 160
Details: Free faith-based workshop on debt reduction, budgeting and biblical money principles. Lunch provided.
Information: (970) 739-2229 or www.empowerwealth.solutions
“I knew what it could do for people. I knew what it was doing for us, and I wanted to tell them about that system,” Bennetts said. “People are drowning in debt, drowning in bills and this kind of stuff. And two, as a teacher, I know that financial education is not talked about like it should be at all. So, I’m wanting to remedy some of that.”
Previous workshops have included success stories, Bennetts said, including one couple who reportedly saved more than $100,000 and shortened their mortgage by 10 to 15 years.
“The thing that is probably most impactful to me are the success stories like that, and that just warms my heart,” Bennetts said. “It makes my teacher heart happy knowing that we’re making a difference.”
The program is supported by a grant from the LOR Foundation, which helped cover the cost of the sessions, including meals. Workshops typically last two hours, but the final session will run three hours to include biblical teaching, core financial material and lunch, which will be catered by Mona Makes.
“There’s a lot of wisdom in the Bible as far as how to use money,” Bennetts said.
Follow-up one-on-one conversations with Bennetts are available for participants seeking guidance on topics such as debt, student loans or investing.
More information is available by calling or texting (970) 739-2229 or at www.empowerwealth.solutions. Registration for this weekend’s workshop is open.
