“I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?”
Isaiah 43:19

Purpose

The purpose of the Worship and Liturgy Fund is to provide grants to assist people committed to improving their knowledge and skills as worship leaders in The Presbyterian Church in Canada (PCC). Initiatives supported by this fund will increase excellence in worship leadership and/or add to an understanding of worship that can benefit the wider church.

Administration

This fund is administered by the Life and Mission Agency (Canadian Ministries). Decisions for the distribution of the fund will be made by the Life and Mission Agency through Canadian Ministries, as grants are submitted.

Canadian Ministries has the right to grant or refuse requests based on:

1. Terms of the fund

2. Priorities of the Life and Mission Agency

3. Availability of funds

Approximately $5,000 is available per year for distribution from this fund.

Grants made to individuals or groups will not exceed $1,000.

Conditions of Disbursement

The applicant can be either an individual or a group.

In order to be eligible, the applicant must be:

enrolling in an accredited education program that focuses on worship and liturgical concerns or a postgraduate program in liturgical studies. The program must be offered by an accredited theological institution recognized as consistent with reform worship. or committing to a self-directed program of study and research in worship or liturgy resulting in the development and publication of a paper or presentation on a specified subject that can be shared with the wider church.

or

attending a worship conference that will improve their knowledge and skills as a worship leader. The conference material must be consistent with reform worship

Support from Governing Body – Extract of Minute

All applications require the endorsement of a ministry’s governing body; governing bodies provide oversight for ministries. Examples of governing bodies and 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 minute that will be required 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 Avondbloem Experimental Fund in the amount of $750 to support the [program name] in 2020.

Expectations After Receiving the Grant

A report and any supporting documents will be submitted to Canadian Ministries within four weeks of the project or conference’s completion. This enables material to be shared with the wider denomination. A template for the report will be provided by Canadian Ministries, or can also be filled out online from the following link:

Final Report – Online Form

Applicants must add to program literature the following acknowledgment: “Supported in part by a bequest to The Presbyterian Church in Canada.”

Questions about the Fund

If you have a question about making an application to the fund, please email Jen Astop in Canadian Ministries or call 1-800-619-7301 ext. 298.

Continue Contributions to the Fund

Donors who wish to contribute to the Chisholm Fund may email Karen Plater in Planned Giving or Jen de Combe in Canadian Ministries, or call +1-800-619-7301 ext. 290.

Getting Started With Your  Grant Application

When you are ready to apply, click on the link below.