CMO Awards $59,000 In Grants For “Ministry With” Efforts
Seven organizations were honored in 2019; Apply now for 2020
In 2019, the Center for Missional Outreach began offering Ministry With Grants to help local churches and United Methodist-related organizations catalyze creative or innovative missional efforts. Grants are for new efforts or efforts that catalyze existing ministries that have building relationships at their core. It is our belief that the foundation for building the church, justice and compassion is relationships with and among those who are marginalized.
A total of $59,000 in grant have been awarded in 2019. This funding opportunity generated a great deal of interest, affirming the CMO’s belief that on-the-ground United Methodists are catalysts for creativity, justice and compassion in their communities.
Grant awards are one-time only and range from $3,000 to $10,000. Continuing support requests do not fit the purpose for the grant. While all 2019 grant funds have been deployed, the CMO’s staff encourages those who are interested to connect now about ideas for 2020 applications.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis and evaluated according to how they intend to live into the “ministry with” values below:
- Come alongside neighbors in a spirit of friendship and mutuality. Listen to and learn from them.
- Build long-term relationships with neighbors.
- Uncover the often-undervalued gifts, talents, dreams, desires and connections of neighbors.
- Adopt the iron rule: never do for others what they can do for themselves.
- Address the systems that perpetuate suffering and inequity rather than only deal with the symptoms of our broken world.
- Use a strengths-based approach that leverages the gifts and relationships of local partners.
The following churches and organizations received grant awards for Ministry With work in North Texas:
- First UMC Allen: Change the World Allen housing redevelopment, $3,000
- Dallas Bethlehem Center: Community Liaison Work, $10,000
- Christ UMC Plano: STARS Tutoring at Dooley Elementary School, $6,000
- Ubuntu Music Project Summer Camp: One+One Partnership with DISD schools and local churches, and Recruitment Concert for volunteers and partners, $10,000
- Christ’s Foundry UM Mission (Dallas): FestiKIDS Off-site Ministry with Children and Families, $10,000
- St. Paul UMC Dallas: WOW (Walk Over Wednesdays) student ministry with Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts, $10,000
- Open Worship at First UMC Denton: LGBTQ Ministry Collective to offer safe spiritual community for all in Denton area, $10,000
Please email Rev. Andrew Fiser (or call 972-526-5018) with the Center for Missional Outreach to learn more about how you might catalyze Ministry With efforts in your community. We especially encourage rural leaders to consider applying for grants and connecting early about possibilities.
Published: Tuesday, August 13, 2019