By Shauw Chin Capps

Though we are all dealing with new ways of doing business and being the church, I am committed to riding out this storm with you, my Fellowship family. As we find ourselves in a sea of uncertainties with a volatile market, we are reminded as followers of Jesus that our only certainty is WHO we are following. We put our faith not in portfolios and indexes but in the one who has the power to rebuke winds and waves to calm the storm.

Keeping you updated and informed is important during these times.

Accurate information can help us make sound decisions and prevent defaulting to fear as the driver of our decisions. Our trusted fund managers at HighGround Advisors share these sound information and data that I would like to share with you:

Fast Facts:

• Entering into 2020, we expected modest positive recovery in the global economy and markets. Now with the uncertainty surrounding the continued spread of COVID-19, we are facing a global recession. However, we are hopeful that maximum disruption will be constrained to the second quarter.
• At the close of business on March 24, 2020, the S&P 500 index was down 23.9 percent year-to-date.
• In contrast, HighGround’s Capstone Endowment Fund, one of our three predesigned endowment solutions, was down 13 percent year-to-date, demonstrating the advantages of strong diversification during short-term market disruptions.
• The market rebounded over 9 percent on March 24, 2020 and was up more than 4 percent from the previous day in anticipation of the $2 trillion coronavirus stimulus bill that will flood the U.S. economy with needed financial support to stabilize households and businesses.

Navigating Volatile Markets: We’re Ready.

As an investment management organization founded in 1930, HighGround is no stranger to global crises and market upheavals. While uncertainty will likely continue to fuel short-term volatility in the markets, we believe that the CBF Foundation in partnership with HighGround is well-positioned to face this challenge.

HighGround’s highly disciplined investment program is based on the belief that fundamentally sound investment and risk management practices, when applied consistently, improve the ability to meet your investment objectives.

HighGround’s philosophy centers around five tenets:

• Asset Allocation
• Capturing long-term market risk premiums
• Global diversification
• Active management
• Disciplined process

If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me at scapps@cbf.net. If you have specific questions about your funds, you can contact Connor Roden at 214.978.3331 or email cbff.support@highgroundadvisors.org.

In contrast to the eerily quiet streets these days, our hearts and minds may be filled with anxiety. I want to leave us with the words of the Psalmist in Psalms 46:10 where God is calling us to “Be still and know that I am God.” May we find peace in knowing that the certainty in these uncertain times is the God we follow.

Shauw Chin Capps is president of the CBF Foundation and chief legacy gifts officer for CBF.