Funding supports existing communities and helps start new ones
July 23, 2018
The Presbyterian Mission Agency recently approved 10 Mission Program Grants to a diverse range of worshiping communities.
The Mission Development Resources Committee announced one $25,000 Growth Grant recipient, three $25,000 Investment Grant recipients and six $7,500 Seed Grant recipients.
Growth Grants ($25,000) are typically given to worshiping communities that have the goal of growing a viable, sustainable PC(USA)-related community.
- Eventide Disaster Response Ministries, Sacramento Presbytery, Synod of the Pacific
Eventide is a Christian community in Sacramento, California, with a one-word statement: “mission.” One of its leaders, Jeanie Shaw, is an active member of the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance team. “We’re committed to send people into neighborhoods, the nation and the world to work in Presbyterian-connected mission projects,” she said. Young adults are drawn to Eventide because they are looking for a place to serve. Read more.
Investment Grants ($25,000) are typically given to worshiping communities that are making progress at living into their mission and ministry.
- Anthem new worshiping community, Grand Canyon Presbytery, Synod of the Southwest
In Anthem, Arizona, this new worshiping community’s primary vision and mission is to build relationships in the community by meeting people where they are spiritually. As a result, many of the individuals coming to Anthem NWC to worship and learn about discipleship have never had an interaction in a more formal, traditional church setting.
- Church in Motion, Greater Atlanta Presbytery, Synod of South Atlantic
In Duluth, Georgia, this worshiping community was launched with a new vision and passion to serve multiple generations of Korean-Americans. Members are exploring new ways of worshiping God — and they’re motivated to face the challenges that come as they serve the people around them.
The worshiping community led by Billy Honor, pastor of Pulse Church in Atlanta, has received an investment grant — for living into its goal of providing a spiritual home for those who want to be guided by a progressive faith experience. Photo courtesy of Pulse Church
- Pulse Church, Greater Atlanta Presbytery, Synod of South Atlantic
In southeastern Atlanta, Pulse is a worshiping community for those seeking spiritual formation, guided by a progressive faith experience. Offering ministry that “connects one’s lived reality to a faith,” Pulse has become a spiritual home to a diverse group of people.
Seed Grants ($7,500) are typically given to help new worshiping communities get started.
- Arabic Presbyterian Fellowship, Los Ranchos Presbytery, Synod of Southern California and Hawaii
Because of the “Arab Spring” of 2011, thousands of Christians left Egypt and came to the United States. Egyptian families in Huntington Beach, California, banded together and began to pray and plan to start this Arabic-speaking fellowship. Click here for more information.
- House Church West Philadelphia, Philadelphia Presbytery, Synod of the Trinity
Self-described as “a house church that is hyperlocal, urban, with neighborhood-based ministry,” this new worshiping community seeks to create a new narrative about church that reflects a faith witness to the gospel.
- Kairos Fellowship, San Francisco Presbytery, Synod of the Pacific
Committed to loving neighbors as they seek justice and pursue God’s shalom, Kairos is a new worshiping community in the Bayview-Hunters Point community in the San Francisco Bay area.
- Sacramento-Uganda Fellowship, Sacramento Presbytery, Synod of the Pacific
This new worshiping community gathers to serve one another and reach out in compassion to the world. Called to respond to mission needs in their own community, members also remain sensitive to needs in their home country of Uganda. They are excited about becoming a more intentional Christian community in Sacramento while staying open to people of other faith practices.
- Telos at Southminster, Presbytery of Middle Tennessee, Synod of the Living Waters
Southminster Presbyterian Church in Nashville, Tennessee, was faced with declining membership and a rapidly changing neighborhood. Their discernment led them to create Telos at Southminster as a new worshiping community, supported by and ministering to the neighborhood around the church, but separate from the congregation.
- Ukirk South Alabama, South Alabama Presbytery, Synod of the Living Waters
Spring Hill Presbyterian Church in Mobile, Alabama, felt called to find a way to serve the community at the University of South Alabama. The congregation hired a campus minister to revive a dormant campus ministry program in the form of this new worshiping community.
Mission Program Grants are made available through Racial Ethnic & Women’s Ministries of the Presbyterian Mission Agency. These grants support new worshiping communities’ and mid councils’ work to transform existing churches.
Paul Seebeck, Mission Communications Strategist, Presbyterian Mission Agency
Today’s Focus: 1001 New Worshiping Communities
Let us join in prayer for:
PC(USA) Agencies’ Staff
James Seaman, BOP
David Sedlak, PMA
Let us pray:
Gracious God, empower us to use our talents to build bridges of compassion and peace. Amen.
Daily Readings
Morning Psalms 135; 145
First Reading Joshua 7:1-13
Second Reading Romans 13:8-14
Gospel Reading Matthew 26:36-46
Evening Psalms 97; 112
You may freely reuse and distribute this article in its entirety for non-commercial purposes in any medium. Please include author attribution, photography credits, and a link to the original article. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDeratives 4.0 International License.