wfn.org | Mission Capital Grants Program Flooded With Applications, Deadline

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Extended 25-July-1996 
 
 
 
96263        Mission Capital Grants Program Flooded  
               With Applications, Deadline Extended 
 
                      by Jerry L. Van Marter 
 
LOUISVILLE, Ky.--A new capital grants program that provides grants of 
between $2,500 and $25,000 to churches for property improvements and 
equipment has already received applications for four times as much money as 
it has to spend, according to the Rev. Frank Beattie, associate director 
for evangelism and church development in the National Ministries Division 
here. 
 
     And because of printing and mailing delays, the deadline for 
applications for the grants has been extended until Sept. 3. 
 
     Beattie told the Presbyterian News Service on July 19 that more than 
225 applications have been received since the program was announced in 
February.  Those applications seek a total of more than $4.7 million.  A 
little more than $1 million is available for the one-time grants, which are 
funded by four endowments held by the Presbyterian Foundation. 
 
     "I wouldn't be surprised to see 1,000 applications submitted by the 
deadline," Beattie said. "And the evangelism office will be asking the 
General Assembly Council (GAC) to explore further sources of funding for 
this program," he added.  "The church must find money to respond to the 
magnitude of requests that lie way beyond a million dollars." 
 
     The GAC established the Mission Capital Grants program at its February 
1996 meeting to enable churches to purchase or improve their capital 
assets.  Such assets include buildings and grounds, building code-related 
improvements for new programs, major appliances, heating systems and air 
conditioning, pianos and organs.  The grants may not be used to purchase 
motor vehicles. 
 
     Beattie said the grants program "provides a sign of hope for churches 
that may have given up."  While no church that applies is guaranteed a 
grant, "the juices get flowing just from going through the process of 
envisioning enhanced mission," he said.  He said his office is getting "20 
calls or more every day from people who just want to talk about their 
church and share their excitement about what is possible with a little 
help." 
 
     One message that is clear to him in all this, Beattie continued, "is 
that sessions see the connection between their capital needs and evangelism 
-- they are talking about widening doorways, installing elevators, 
landscaping their grounds."  These improvements, he added, "are part of 
cleaning up and fixing up their churches to make them more appealing and 
inviting to new people." 
 
     Cold, hard reality sets in once in a while as well.  "We got a call 
recently from a church that had requested funds to install a new door into 
their sanctuary," Beattie recounted.  "They called back a few days later 
and asked,  Can we change our application?  Our roof just fell in!'" 
 
     Beattie said his greatest fear is "unfulfilled expectations."  With 
such great demand for such limited funds, many churches are not going to be 
awarded Mission Capital Grants.  He said presbytery officials, who must 
sign off on the applications, "are trying to soften the potential blow of 
not being approved for funding." 
 
     However, Beattie believes that "excitement about the possibilities 
will overshadow potential disappointment."  He said numerous churches are 
now considering how to enhance their ministries after having given up on 
such improvements.  Until such time as more money can be found for the 
program, he said, "I believe hope will prevail." 
 
     More information about the Mission Capital Grants program can be 
obtained by calling 1-800-872-3283 or (502) 569-5251. 

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  phone 502-569-5504             fax 502-569-8073  
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