Church Planting and Redevelopment: New Episcopal Community Grants
Resolution text
Resolved, That the following New Episcopal Community grants, having been recommended by the Task Force on Church Planting and Redevelopment and having been reviewed and recommended by the Joint Standing Committee on Mission Within the Church, are approved in the total amount of $242,000.00, to be paid out of budget line item 27a; and be it further
Resolved, That the grantees shall submit program and financial reports as may be required by the Finance Office and/or the Task Force on Church Planting and Development:
Beloved in the Desert - Arizona
Grant Level: Discernment
Amount Awarded: $5,000
Program Summary: Currently an Episcopal Service Corps community, they believe that there is opportunity to expand and gather larger groups of people. Grant would fund stipend for a leader to facilitate discernment work around creating a path forward and exploring potential partnerships (refugee communities, more).
Community Outreach Center - Central Gulf Coast
Grant Level: Discernment
Amount Awarded: $5,000
Program Summary: To develop a community outreach center created by and with the community. In the beginning, they will likely incorporate a meal component and day shelter. Very preliminary in discernment work.
Edible Hope - Olympia
Grant Level: Seed
Amount Awarded: $5,000
Program Summary: Operating soup kitchen wants to develop a weekly dinner church drawing participants from the clients and neighborhood millennials. Goal is to spur this new “congregation” off of St. Luke’s, Seattle, who operates the soup kitchen. Grant would fund staff person to coordinate the liturgy, meal, planning, etc. for the weekly service.
Episcopal Church of the Epiphany - Georgia
Grant Level: Growth
Amount Awarded: $30,000
Program Summary: Church start began by Kelly Steel, now led by Michael Chaney, meeting in LGBT space. Received a Seed Grant previously.
Gathering on Main Street - Fort Worth
Grant Level: Discernment
Amount Awarded: $5,000
Program Summary: Gathering on Main with the EC in Arlington wants to work with the city to redevelop two downtown blocks, making the church “less island, more town square”, will include community space and worship space. Grant funds would pay for coaching, mentorship, and consulting around adaptation in this space.
Green Church - Massachusetts
Grant Level: Discernment
Amount Awarded: $2,000
Program Summary: Boston area new church would develop community with creation and climate as primary mission using non-Sunday worship and discipleship practice, mostly lay facilitated, no owned property.
Grovetown Mission - Georgia
Grant Level: Growth
Amount Awarded: $30,000
Program Summary: 2-year old growing church plant on a new military post using dinner church model. Hoping to launch a Sunday service while continuing midweek dinner church. They have received $100,000 in prior triennium.
Halau Wa’a - Hawaii
Grant Level: Discernment
Amount Awarded: $5,000
Program Summary: Husband (priest)/Wife (lay) team planting literal church without walls in Hawaii. Will meet in a park to begin and hope to eventually build a “canoe house” for gathering. Grant would fund coach, assessment, and marketing materials. Diocese is contributing a full-time salary for the clergy person.
Holy Family HTX - Texas
Grant Level: Seed
Amount Awarded: $10,000
Program Summary: UMC church becoming an Episcopal Church in aftermath of LGBT decision. Majority of members identify as LGBT. Pastor will be received as an Episcopal priest. Has been worshipping with Episcopal liturgy for a long time.
Micah - Virginia
Grant Level: Discernment
Amount Awarded: $5,000
Program Summary: Micah is an ecumenical service provider addressing homelessness in Fredericksburg, VA. Grant would fund development of a Sacred Space in the community, developing a worshipping community alongside Micah - Episcopal and ecumenical. The leaders and some members hope to visit homeless worshipping communities in Atlanta and Boston to learn from similar gatherings.
New Hope Church - Southern Ohio
Grant Level: Seed
Amount Awarded: $30,000
Program Summary: Multi-ethnic, multi-cultural church plant in suburb of Dayton, OH led by husband/wife team from Rwanda. Currently in relationship building stage, meeting at a local restaurant. Goal is to officially launch in Summer 2020. Diocese is paying planter’s salary, grants for operations.
Saint Peter’s Episcopal - New York
Grant Level: Seed
Amount Awarded: $30,000
Program Summary: New church start in Chelsea out of a folded congregation. This is a re-application from being denied in the previous round - they have done the work necessary to receive the TF’s full support.
San Joaquin Latino MInistry - San Joaquin
Grant Level: Seed
Amount Awarded: $30,000
Program Summary: Funding a missioner from Colombia to come develop and lead a new latino congregation out of the cathedral as well as to support and resource other congregations in latino ministry in the diocese. This is a re-application from being denied in the previous round - they have done the work necessary to receive the TF’s full support.
Warrior Church - Texas
Grant Level: Growth
Amount Awarded: $30,000
Program Summary: Spin-off community from St. Isidore’s (Sean Steele) that gathers military community, especially those experiencing PTSD/moral injury, for a community bridging exercise with spirituality. The grant would fund the team to go share their model with other communities to replicate.
Wild Church UP - Northern Michigan
Grant Level: Seed
Amount Awarded: $20,000
Program Summary: Community (predominantly young families) gathering for worship based around themes of creation care and climate. Meets in local parks or in borrowed space during the winter. Applied and was awarded in the last round but EC denied due to confusion over NEC grants/Roanridge Grants.