CHICAGO (ELCA) -- The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has awarded $347,179 in grants to new urban ministry initiatives illustrating a potential for transforming lives, congregations and communities in U.S. cities. The "In the City for Good" fund team selected 23 projects from more than 140 proposals it received in the program's first year. The size of the grants ranged from $1,000 to $30,000.
"This is a good start," said the Rev. Richard A. Magnus, executive director of the ELCA Division for Outreach. The fund team has learned much in the first year and will improve the process for future years, he said.
The fund team has developed new criteria and guidelines for 2000. Applications for those grants will become available July 1. New proposals will be sent to the ELCA's 65 synod offices across the United States and Caribbean by Jan. 15, 2000. Synods will evaluate and rank the proposals for recommendation to the Division for Outreach.
The urban team intends to work with those whose innovative proposals were not funded so those projects might be funded in the future, said the Rev. Warren A. Sorteberg, ELCA executive for congregational outreach services, Division for Outreach.
"It was encouraging to hear of the many different approaches to urban challenges. There is a lot of creative energy focused on reaching people and serving needs in our church," said Sorteberg. In the City for Good grants are for one year as seed money for projects that can be sustained beyond the period of the grant.
"More than $3.5 million was requested in the proposals," said Sorteberg. "It is an indication of the needs that exist in our urban areas and the wide variety of ministry initiatives by our congregations."
Sorteberg said $500,000 was available for distribution this year, and $153,000 was not spent. That amount will be added to what is available next year for projects that meet the criteria with innovative and transforming potential. The team plans to distribute $500,000 each year through 2008. If resources remain available, the grants may be awarded after 2008, he said.
The fund was created with money from several sources, including an initial $1 million grant from the Lutheran Brotherhood Foundation. Lutheran Brotherhood is a member-owned fraternal benefit society based in Minneapolis.
Grants were awarded to projects in Fresno, Los Angeles and Oakland, Calif.; Coral Gables, Fla.; Chicago, Ill.; East Boston, Mass.; Detroit and Muskegon, Mich.; Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minn.; Omaha, Neb.; Bronx and Buffalo, N.Y.; Philadelphia, Pa.; Dallas and Houston, Texas; Wheeling, W.Va.; and Milwaukee, Wis.
Funded projects fit several categories, such as community development, strategic planning for mission, training for leadership, and outreach to ethnic communities and strengthening of ethnic ministries. They exhibited potential for transforming people's lives and congregations and for transforming communities into desirable places to live, work and worship.
The division has planned a series of convocations to help Lutherans discuss what it may take to transform lives, congregations and communities in urban settings and mobilize for action. Convocations are planned for Sept. 11 in Chicago, Sept. 18 in Detroit and Oct. 23 in Reading, Pa.
For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or NEWS@ELCA.ORG
http://listserv.elca.org/archives/elcanews.html
- - -
About the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America:
The ELCA is one of the largest Christian denominations in the United States, with 2.8 million members in more than 8,500 worshiping communities across the 50 states and in the Caribbean region. Known as the church of "God's work. Our hands.," the ELCA emphasizes the saving grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, unity among Christians and service in the world. The ELCA's roots are in the writings of the German church reformer Martin Luther.
For information contact:
Candice Hill Buchbinder
Public Relations Manager
Candice.HillBuchbinder@ELCA.org
