The New and Renewing Ministry Fund

The New and Renewed Ministry Fund is separated into the following four streams:

Establishing New Ministries
The Establishing New Ministries stream provides funding to support new congregations, new worshipping communities (examples: café ministries, house churches, sports ministries, third-space ministries, etc.) and helping established congregations begin new parallel ministries (examples: newly arrived immigrants, young families, singles, etc.) or embracing creative new forms of ministry (dinner church, etc.).

Renewing Ministries
The Renewing Ministries stream provides funding to supporting vibrant congregations seeking to realize their vision more fully, or congregations seeking to significantly renew or to replant their ministry. Examples include expanding existing programs, experimenting with additional worship services, hiring staff to work with the community, developing programs in partnership with community agencies, significantly changing ministry configuration etc.

(Re)development of Property
These grants are designed to help support to Presbyterian congregations, ministries and/or presbyteries explore the feasibility of redevelopment of the buildings and property to better participate in God’s mission. More than just a building renovation to better serve the congregation, these grants will help ministries re-visioning and re-working buildings and property to maximize service to the community through affordable housing and/or to creating space to serve the good of the community by addressing education, health, food security, small businesses/entrepreneurs, child care, addiction support needs and more.

Redevelopment of Church Buildings & Properties Grant Process and Guidelines

New Beginnings Renewal Programs
Offered in partnership with Hope Partnership Services (formerly The Hope Network for Missional Transformation), the New Beginnings program guides congregations through a process of discerning God’s call for their future and creating a plan for moving forward. This program is ideal for congregations that know it can’t continue ‘as is’ but doesn’t yet know what to do. During the yearlong process, churches will be paired with a Guide, who will support them through assessments, small group gatherings, information analysis, and determining future directions. There are 6 grants per year available to cover up to 90% of the total cost of running the New Beginnings program.

Interested leaders or ministries wishing to learn more about new ministry ideas or renewal programs/resources are invited to contact Congregational and Community Ministries.

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 1.
The fund is administered by Congregational and Community Ministries of the Life and Mission Agency of the PCC. The right to grant or refuse requests will be at the discretion of Congregational and Community Ministries on the basis of the priorities of the Life and Mission Agency.

A project can be terminated because of an unreasonable extension of the time, or because of failure to implement the project as submitted in the application.

A detailed budget and an endorsement from a governing body (please see more information below) must accompany all applications.

Capital Grants

For applications related to capital or building expenses, please contact Congregational and Community Ministries or 1-800-619-7301.

Expectations after Receiving a Grant

Grant-receiving ministries are required to:

• Submit a yearly report detailing progress in the areas of identified goals and benchmarks
• Submit an annual Leading with Care report to their presbyteries
• Inform Congregational and Community Ministries of any changes that occur during the year (e.g. leadership, change in call or contract, retirement, programs, etc.)
• Participate in PCC story sharing initiatives (Stories of Mission, Mission Moments, etc.) as requested

Applicants must add to any literature the following acknowledgment: “Supported in part by donations made to The Presbyterian Church in Canada.”

Continued Contributions to the Fund

Donors who wish to contribute to this fund may donate online, or email Corrie Stewart in Stewardship & Planned Giving or Jennifer Astop in Congregational and Community Ministries, or call 1-800-619-7301 ext. 298.

Support from Governing Body

Grants through the Life and Mission Agency are only available to ministries under the care and oversight of a court of The Presbyterian Church in Canada.

All grant applications must be endorsed by the ministry’s governing body. Examples of governing bodies and the ministries they oversee include:

• Presbytery – congregations, local missions, chaplaincies, etc.
• Synod – camps, conference centres, etc.

If you are unsure which governing body to approach, please contact Congregational and Community Ministries for guidance.

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.