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07419 July 12, 2007
2007 Walton Award recipients announced
Eight outstanding new church developments each receive $50,000
by Rob Klouw Office of Communication
LOUISVILLE, KY - The Mission Development Resources Committee (MDRC) of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) has announced the winners of the 2007 Sam & Helen R. Walton Awards [http://staging.pcusa.org/missionprogramgrants/walton.htm] for outstanding new church developments (NCDs).
Each of the eight award recipients will receive $50,000 to enhance or expand its facilities for ministry.
The Walton Awards were established in 1991 as part of a $6 million gift from the late Sam and Helen Walton - founders of Wal-Mart - through the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Foundation. Half of the gift created an endowment, the interest on which funds the awards.
Every January the MDRC offers an opportunity to sessions, presbyteries and synods to nominate NCDs that are working in creative ways to bring the Gospel to their local communities. The number of awards given annually - the General Assembly Council's executive committee approves nominations from MDRC - is based on funds available from the endowment.
Since 1993, there have been 80 Walton Awards totaling $3,110,000 presented to exemplary new church developments from 56 presbyteries in all 16 synods.
The 2007 Walton Award recipients are:
Iglesia de la Comunidad, Los Angeles, CA, Synod of Southern California & Hawaii, San Fernando Presbytery. The goal of this church was to create a regional multicultural church with multiple programs to serve the community, including a food distribution program (now serving over 200 families each month), after-school tutoring/mentoring for children and parents, sports and art/music programs, as well as turning the Faith United campus into the Highland Park Community Center to serve the Los Angeles community. The Walton Award will be used to upgrade the building to meet fire code requirements and resurface the parking lot.
Word of Life Presbyterian Church, Port Hueneme, CA, Synod of Southern California & Hawaii, Santa Barbara Presbytery. Word of Life arose from a need for a theologically reformed, English speaking church to reach out to young un-churched families of 2nd and 3rd generation Hispanics in Oxnard, California. Since September 2004, the church has grown by 175%, primarily through evangelism, as 95% of its members were un-churched when they first started attending. Their goal, with the help of the Walton Award, is to become a regional church of at least 300 members and to become the presbytery's primary agency for church planting.
Kaw Prairie Community Church
[http://www.kawprairie.org/page/page/910575.htm], Shawnee, KS, Synod of Mid-America, Heartland Presbytery. Kaw Prairie's plan has been to create a church community where the un-churched and the de-churched feel welcome, accepted and able to grow into maturing Christians. This goal has been achieved and the congregation has grown from 65 in attendance in 2004 to 250 by 2006. The Walton Award will be used to create an eco-friendly, low maintenance landscape and water detention pond that's required by the City of Lenexa.
Spanish Springs Presbyterian Church
[http://www.spanishspringspres.org/], Sparks, NV, Synod of the Pacific, Nevada Presbytery. The vision of Spanish Springs is not simply to make "converts", but to nurture genuine and committed disciples of Jesus Christ. As their congregation has grown, they have taxed the capacity of their rented space and believe that these cramped quarters have been an obstacle to attracting younger families. When they moved from their first rental space into the larger second one, they experienced an immediate increase in the number if young families. Thus, the Walton Award will contribute toward their relocation that is necessary for their continued growth.
Montgomery Ministries
[http://www.montgomery-ministries.org/], Skillman, NJ, Synod of the Northeast, New Brunswick Presbytery. Montgomery Ministries is bringing the Gospel to a part of the secular northeast where more and more people allow the trappings of modern success to displace Jesus Christ as their center of worship. Secondly, through their connections with Princeton Theological Seminary, they are becoming a missional "boot camp" for the next generation of clergy. They intend to use the Walton Award to pay for the church rental costs for worship and office space.
Presbyterian Church of the Springs
[http://churchofthesprings.com/], Barium Springs, NC, Synod of the Mid-Atlantic, Salem Presbytery. Presbyterian Church of the Springs began in the vacant Little Joe's Presbyterian Church sanctuary on the campus of the Barium Springs Home for Children. This property was deeded to Salem Presbytery with the expressed desire to be a viable church presence for the staff and young people under treatment at the home and for the larger community. Because of their success, the Walton Award will go towards acquiring additional property that adjoins their current property and will provide them with the commercial-grade kitchen, playgrounds and office space that is needed to expand their outreach programs.
Hot Metal Bridge Faith Community
[http://www.hotmetalbridge.com/], Pittsburgh, PA, Synod of the Trinity, Pittsburgh Presbytery. After starting worship on October 1st, 2004, Hot Metal Bridge has experienced strong, steady while ministering to a community of great diversity, where all races and backgrounds are represented - young people, old people, families, college students, homeless, addicted and the marginalized. They started with 125 in attendance and are now at 350-400 weekly. They currently have only enough room for about 350 people and are at standing room only on many Sunday mornings. The Walton Award will help fund their search for a larger worship space.
Dripping Springs Presbyterian Church
[http://www.dspres.org/], Dripping Springs, TX, Synod of the Sun, Mission Presbytery. Dripping Springs' vision is to gather people of all ages and backgrounds to explore the life of faith, to grow as disciples of Christ and to go out in the world as his missionaries to share the good news of the Gospel. The growth of these disciples is occurring and is evident by the active participation in their small group ministries (70% of the members). Dripping Springs is expected to continue its growth at a double-digit rate for the next several years, so they intend to use the Walton Award for site preparation and construction of their first church building.
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