The Creative Ministry Fund, which was created by the Diocese of California as part of the Jubilate Deo initiative, has just announced the awarding of its first grants. Ten grants were awarded on June 25th, with a total funding of $84,250. Since Creative Ministry grants are matching funds, these awards represent some $170,000 in funding toward new and creative ministries in the Diocese.
The grants were awarded to congregations from throughout the Diocese, and included parishes and missions of every size. Grants ranged from $2,150 (for an innovative evangelism program at St. Alban’s, Brentwood) to $25,000 (to assist planning and implementation of a $3.9 million project to create a community learning center at St. James, San Francisco). Other creative ministries funded include the collaborative youth ministry formation program in the Contra Costa Deanery, the Fellowship of the Lord; new multilingual educational programs at True Sunshine, San Francisco; a children’s choir school at Our Saviour, Mill Valley; and a new multigenerational, interfaith-sensitive liturgy at St. Mark’s, Palo Alto.
These first awards represent the discernment and planning of scores of people from throughout the Diocese and beyond: When the committee met, they were joined spiritually by many people from throughout the Diocese who had prayed, planned, strategized, and dreamed about creativity ministry. Over 100 different people were directly involved in the site interviews alone. To have so many people in our diocese in conversation about new and creative ministries is itself a wonderful accomplishment during this Jubilate Deo time.
Committee members include Ms. Kathleen Crisp, Mr. Jim de Mersman, The Rev. Mary Moore Gaines, The Rev. Scott Hayashi, The Rev. Bob Honeychurch, and the Rev. Mark Stanley. In accordance with the committee’s commitment to transparency and fairness, no member was a part of any discussion or review of an application in which his or her congregation had an interest.
The next Creative Ministry grants will be made on October 26, 2003; the deadline for these fall grants is September 26, 2003. I am enclosing a copy of application form for the grant. For further information, please contact me at michaelb@diocal.org, visit the Congregational Development website at www.condev.diocal.org, or call 415-869-7825.
Jubilate Deo
June 2003 Creative Ministry Fund Grants
True Sunshine
San Francisco $15,000 Multilingual educational ministries
Fellowship of
The Lord $4,000 Collaborative youth formation program
St. Alban’s
Brentwood $2,150 Community evangelism program
Transfiguration
San Mateo $5,000 Creation of family teaching liturgy
St. James’
Fremont $10,000 Ministry to and with deaf community
Our Saviour
Mill Valley $3,600 Children’s choir school
St. Aidan’s
San Francisco $6,000 Appreciative Inquiry training to assist other in AI
St. James’
San Francisco $25,000 Planning for community learning center
Holy Innocents’
Corte Madera $3,500 New children’s education program
St. Mark’s
Palo Alto $10,000 New multigenerational, interfaith sensitive liturgy