Transformative Process Saves Churches
For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 3:9-11
During the Bishop’s pilgrimage to churches in the Diocese, it was clear that a number of congregations needed small to medium capital improvements in order to expand their capacity for ministry, hospitality, and community engagement.
With the feedback from the Diocese and the approval and support of Standing Committee and the Finance Committee, the Growth Development Fund (GDF) was created in 2017 with the first awards distributed in 2018.
GDF is a unique program that provides churches with the financial means to address infrastructure issues that get in the way of their core work. This is the second year of the five-year, $1.5M program. Each year, the grant disburses up to $300,000 in funds.
A committee of six people representing clergy, laity and the Diocesan staff, spent many hours reviewing the 48 grant applications based on the urgency of the need and the potential impact on a congregation’s life and ministry. The following 11 churches received awards for this calendar year:
- Calvary St. Augustine, Philadelphia, to repair and restore church walls
- Church of the Incarnation, Morrisville to repair their roof and secure the space
- Redemption, Southampton, to upgrade bathrooms to make them more accessible to church and community groups
- Church of St. Andrew and St. Monica, Philadelphia, to renovate their basement to expand outreach programming
- Church of St. Asaph, Bala Cynwyd, to repair wiring and plumbing that is impacting programming
- Church of St. John the Evangelist, Essington, to establish secure storage for an upcoming food ministry
- The Church of St. John, Merion, to update church bathroom, add another bathroom and add 12 parking spots to accommodate current and future needs
- St. Mary’s, Ardmore, to update the kitchen to support current outreach activities and rental opportunities
- St. Mary’s, Hamilton Village, to create ADA-accessible bathroom and storage area to accommodate current outreach and future rentals
- St. Stephen’s, Norwood, to replace the sidewalk, steps curbing to make the area safer and more inviting
- Trinity, Ambler, to repair the roof and secure the space
"Working with the Growth and Development subcommittee was a great opportunity to discover more about my brothers and sisters in the Diocese,” said Warren Wanlund, who served on the review committee. “To learn of the diverse ways we are currently serving as Christ's hands and feet to assist our communities, and to discern how we, as a Diocese, could provide assistance to support and enhance our delivery of services to meet the needs of others."
Churches that did not receive grants in this round - or those that did not submit an application – may apply for the 2020 grant year. Please feel free to reach Canon Horner, dhorner@diopa.org, with questions regarding the next round of funding.