Contact: Robert Coleman, COGIC, 901-235 2160; James Dowd, First Tennessee, 901-523-4305

MEMPHIS, Tenn., Sept. 20, 2016 /Christian Newswire/ -- The Church of God in Christ's world headquarters at the historic Mason Temple in Memphis will soon be home to free financial literacy counseling for consumers, small business leaders and entrepreneurs, courtesy of First Tennessee Bank.

First Tennessee will provide a full-time, on-site Operation HOPE financial counselor who will offer seminars and one-on-one counseling on credit and money management for consumers and entrepreneurial training for start-up small businesses. The counselor will be available to Church of God in Christ congregation members and the public at the Lelia Mason Museum on the grounds of the Mason Temple. Hours will be established in partnership with the Church of God in Christ, and the workshops and counseling sessions will begin early in 2017.

First Tennessee has made a four-year commitment to provide the financial counseling in partnership with the Church of God in Christ.

Church of God in Christ Presiding Bishop Charles E. Blake, Sr., says, "The Church of God in Christ is delighted to partner with First Tennessee Bank and Operation HOPE to open a financial literacy center in the newly built Lelia Mason Museum on the campus of the historic Mason Temple. This financial literacy center will provide training and assist individuals in raising their credit scores and provide classes for small business development." He added, "This center is only the second of its kind in the country and could not have been accomplished without COGIC Urban Initiatives, First Tennessee Bank and Operation HOPE coming together to help the Memphis community."

"First Tennessee is honored to partner with the Church of God in Christ to offer free financial empowerment training to church members and neighbors of the historic Mason Temple," said David Popwell, president of banking for First Tennessee's parent company, First Horizon National Corp. "We will offer easy access to the financial literacy skills that support economic justice and can make free enterprise work for everyone."
 
About the Church of God in Christ:
The Church of God in Christ is one of the oldest Pentecostal denominations in the world and the 4th largest Protestant group in the United States, with churches in over 82 countries worldwide and a membership of nearly 6.5 million adherents. www.cogic.org 

About First Tennessee:
First Tennessee Bank is the largest bank headquartered in Tennessee, with the number one deposit market share in Chattanooga, Knoxville, Memphis and the Tri-Cities and a top-five deposit market share in Nashville. First Tennessee was founded during the Civil War in 1864 and has the 14th oldest national bank charter in the country and one of the highest customer retention rates of any bank in the country. First Tennessee and FTN Financial are part of First Horizon National Corp. (NYSE:FHN), which has 4,300 employees. First Horizon has been recognized as one of the nation's best employers by Working Mother and American Banker magazines. More information is available at www.FirstTennessee.com.

Contact:
Robert Coleman, COGIC (901) 235 2160
James Dowd, First Tennessee (901) 523-4305