See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?
I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.
Isaiah 43:19

Purpose
The purpose of the New and Renewed Ministry Fund (New Beginnings Renewal Programs Stream) is to assist congregations to take part in the New Beginnings program.

The New Beginnings program guides congregations through a process of discerning God’s call for their future and creating a plan for moving forward. During the six-eighth month process, churches will be paired with a coach, who will support them through assessments, small group gatherings, information analysis, and determining future directions.

Administration
In order for applications to be considered, they must be received by April 15. If there are funds remaining after the first review, additional applications will be considered if received by October 15.

The fund is administered by Canadian Ministries of the Life and Mission Agency of the PCC. The right to grant or refuse requests will be at the discretion of Canadian Ministries on the basis of the priorities of the Life and Mission Agency.

Conditions of Disbursement

  • New Beginnings program cost: $5,000.
  • The New Beginnings grant will cover up to 90% of the total cost of the renewal program. The participating congregation must cover the remaining cost of the program.
  • There is a maximum number of 6 grants per year.
  • A grant can be terminated based on an unreasonable extension of the time, or because of failure to participate in the program as submitted in the application.

Expectations after Receiving a Grant
Grant-receiving ministries are required to submit a report at the end of the program detailing the outcomes and any identified goals or benchmarks for moving forward in ministry.

Ministries are required to inform Canadian Ministries of any changes that occur during the program (e.g. change in leadership, discontinuation of renewal program, etc.)

Continued Contributions to the Fund
Donors who wish to contribute to this fund may contact Karen Plater in Stewardship & Planned Giving or Jen de Combe in Canadian Ministries.

Support from Governing Body
All grant applications require the endorsement of a ministry’s government body. Examples of governing bodies and the ministries for which they provide oversight could include:

Presbytery – congregations, local missions, chaplains, etc.
Synod – camp and conference centres, etc.

Contact Canadian Ministries if you are unsure of the governing body to approach.

The following example provides all the necessary elements of an extract of meeting minutes for a complete application; the example can be used to make a motion at a presbytery or synod meeting. If the application is endorsed, the Clerk of Presbytery/Synod will provide the applicant with a copy of the extract to upload to the application.

Example: On motion of J.Calvin/J. Knox, upon review it was agreed that the Presbytery of Caledonia endorse the application and supporting documents from St. Andrew’s, O’Leary, PE to the New and Renewed Ministry Fund in the amount of $10,000 to support the (ministry name) in 2019.