Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) - Eight new mission program grants totaling $250,000 awarded

Eight new mission program grants totaling $250,000 awarded

New church development and presbytery transformation grants support evangelism and discipleship efforts to expand Presbyterian mission and ministry

Louisville

A group of church members -- children and adults, standing together.

Eleven new members - 8 who were baptized and 3 who joined by transfer of letter - are pictured here with Rev. Prachuab Dechawan and his wife, Gloria (at far left), following the church’s 9th anniversary celebration service on September 4, 2011. —Photos by Elder Somsak Poolperm.

Four new church developments and two presbyteries will receive mission program grants from Evangelism and Church Growth of the General Assembly Mission Council (GAMC).

The grant recipients, selected by the Mission Development Resources Committee of the GAMC, are:

Second-Level New Church Grants ($25,000 each)

The Kinesis Ministry, Louisville, Ky. (Synod of Living Waters), will continue their ministry work of creating Christian community for young adults and developing a network of small groups in Mid-Kentucky Presbytery.

House of Manna Faith Community, Pittsburgh, Pa. (Synod of the Trinity), will continue to serve people in the Homewood community, helping revitalize an urban area in Pittsburgh Presbytery. Using media, sports, after school tutoring and cultural and leadership development as evangelistic tools, they are spreading the gospel, reversing years of social, spiritual and economic decline.

The Young Adult New Ministry New Church Development, Hershey, Pa. (Synod of Trinity), will continue to build a community where everyone participates in outreach service, creatively expressing evangelism as a central practice of ministry in Carlisle Presbytery.

First-Level New Church Grants ($25,000 each)

The First Filipino-American Presbyterian Church of Southern Nevada, Henderson, Nev., (Synod of the Pacific), will reach out to the burgeoning Filipino population in the greater Las Vegas area in the Presbytery of Nevada.

First Thai / Laotian Presbyterian, Las Vegas, Nev., (Synod of the Pacific), will expand its ministry to the growing jobless and homeless population in Nevada Presbytery. The congregation has introduced many homeless persons, especially those with drug, alcohol, gambling and other substance abuse problems, to the life-transforming power of Jesus Christ.

The Hope Presbyterian Church at Lake Nona, Orlando, Fla. (Synod of South Atlantic) will grow Hope into a contemporary missional congregaation reaching out to the medical, technological and other young professionals moving to this high growth area in the Central Florida Presbytery.

Presbytery Transformation Grants

The Presbytery of Charlotte, Charlotte, N.C., (Synod of the Mid-Atlantic). A $50,000 Transformation Pilot Project grant will be used to enlist, train and support a cadre of coaches to work with congregations, cultivating health and developing disciples of Jesus Christ whose lives are transformed.

The Presbytery of Wabash Valley, Rochester, Ind., (Synod of Lincoln Trails). A $50,000 Mission Transformation Process grant will deepen transformation efforts that began with a presbytery-wide Bible study. The presbytery will provide coaching to congregations, pastors and sessions as they move into a new identity and discover their future mission.

Twenty-three new church developments and 12 presbyteries have received new mission program grants this year. To learn more, visit the Mission Program Grants website. Make a gift to support evangelism, discipleship and transformation efforts, expanding the reach of Presbyterian mission.