Cambridge United Presbyterian Church used a Grant from the Presbytery to upgrade the community building and improve access to the food pantry that is housed there.
Would you and your congregation like to pursue a new project that would give visible witness to your commitment to Jesus as the giver of new life? Would repair to an old chair lift or the addition of heat to an unused space mean you could begin a new mission project? Could you host a hymn sing for some differently abled neighbors who long for accompaniment by that great organ you just had tuned? What about starting a clothing room for the people in your neighborhood who are cold or food distribution point for the dry goods your community gathers each Sunday? With all your current church funds tied up in operating costs, this kind of mission thinking can get bogged down in the day to day support of church facilities. We want to offer you the opportunity to think differently about your building and its use for mission.
All those building challenges might be helped through the Presbytery Grants and Loan funds. This is a fund created from the sale of church buildings that is set aside to help improve other church buildings for the purpose of mission. The process for application begins with some discernment and involves some assessment. Each step of the way, this is an opportunity to reflect on the ways your current assets might bloom into a vision for service that has never made it off your wish list.
Visit the Albany Presbytery website –> Resources –> Grants and Loans to find the doc: Temporary Process for Grant and Loan Allocations 2016
The direct link is: http://s3.amazonaws.com/albanymedia/wp-content/uploads/sites/71/2013/03/Temporary-Process-for-Grant-and-Loan-Allocations-020816.pdf.
Application Deadline: April 31, 2016
The application as described on the web page is due to Viki Brooks, brooksv@union.edu, by April 31st. A taskforce will review each application and awards will be determined by June 1st.
The Rev. Dr. Viki Brooks has been a member of the Albany Presbytery for over 25 years and currently serves area congregations and governing bodies as the part-time Campus Protestant Minister at Union College. Viki’s serves community service includes membership on the founding board and task forces of the Capital Region Theological Center, past Board Membership at Planned Parenthood and member of the Board of Trustees of Albany Presbytery. She and her husband, John, live in Scotia where kayaking, gardening, cooking and entertaining keep them actively engaged in the outdoors and the practice of hospitality. You can reach Viki via email at brooksv@union.edu.
