Eight new church developments—all in different presbyteries—will receive Mission Program Grants. The New Church Grant recipients are incredibly diverse. Each new church development/worshiping community is connected to a synod and supported by a presbytery and is on track to become a new church.
Second-Level New Church Grants ($25,000)
Westminster Stateline (Synod of Lincoln Trails, Blackhawk Presbytery) began as a kids’ club in 2010 along the state line of Wisconsin in Northern Illinois. It launched its first public worship and ministry in mid-October to more than 150 people.
Camino de Vida (Synod of Southwest, Presbytery of Santa Fe), an ecumenical Hispanic Latino(a) ministry in Albuquerque, New Mexico, has grown to more than 125 members. It gave away 45,000 pounds of food to nearly 1,000 families in 2011.
Middle Eastern Presbyterian Fellowship (Synod of Southwest, Presbytery de Cristo) ministers to the Middle Eastern community in Tucson, Arizona. Recently, new families from Egypt and Iraq joined the fellowship—strengthening commitment to outreach through friendship and worship—in partnership with sponsor church Northminster Presbyterian.
As part of Tidelands NCD ministry outreach to young, unchurched familes, pastor Brandon Bailey coaches a youth soccer team in Stanwood-Camano Island, Washington[ —Photo by Brandon Bailey
First-Level New Church Grants ($25,000) Greenville Chin Presbyterian Church (Synod of South Atlantic, Foothills Presbytery) ministers to Burmese immigrants in Greenville, South Carolina. Founded by Rev. Ngaih Sa Vun who moved from northwestern Burma (now Myanmar), Greenville Chin worships at John Knox.
Haymarket Crossroads (Synod of Mid-Atlantic, National Capital Presbytery) meets the spiritual needs of 5,500 residents in three “active adult” communities (age 55+). Supported by Brambleton, Centreville, Riverside, and Vienna Presbyterian churches in William County, Virginia.
Redwood City NCD (Synod of Pacific, Presbytery of San Francisco) practices the way of being Jesus with a young, multiethnic population in a less affluent neighborhood in Redwood City, California.
New Creation Church (Synod of Living Waters, Presbytery of Middle Tennessee) is learning how to “walk with Christ” with friends, neighbors and co-workers in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Soon New Creation will add a storefront gathering space that will provide a place for meetings, events and support groups to serve the community.
Tidelands NCD (Synod of Alaska-Northwest, North Puget Sound Presbytery) is reaching out to young families who have no church experience in the Stanwood-Camano Island community in Washington state. Led by youth minister Brandon Bailey from Mountain View Presbyterian Church, Tidelands is living into a new way of planting faith communities centered in mission.
Mission Program Grants is a ministry of Evangelism & Church Growth in the Presbyterian Mission Agency. Continue to support these ministries that are expanding the reach of Presbyterian mission through these evangelism, discipleship and transformation efforts.