The Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church is incredibly blessed by the generous grants The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas has awarded during its first quarter of giving.
The Emerging Partnership Grant ($50,100) is a pilot ministry for clergy to aid in the discernment, planning, and implementation of new partnerships.
This grant provides online leadership coaching and spiritual direction for 20 pastors who will be shepherding their congregation(s) through a discernment process that may lead to a new cooperative parish, satellite campus, missional partnership, and repurposing properties.
Each pastor has to be recommended by their District Superintendent. If you or your pastor find this helpful, please contact your DS today.
“We are so grateful for the support from The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas. This grant will allow our clergy to provide confident leadership as they navigate their church(es) into new relationships and partnerships,” shared Amy Ezell, director of congregational vitality and communication.
The Methodist Foundation has also provided additional funding ($30,000) to the 200,000 More Reasons hunger and literacy initiative of the Arkansas Conference.
This grant will provide funding for local churches specifically conducting literacy ministries. The funding will continue to support ongoing ministries, including the purchase of books for distribution, small capacity building projects, and the purchase of curriculum. New to this grant is larger support of churches designing literacy programs based on successful ministry models in our Conference and beyond. This opportunity will be funded through a separate rolling grant process available beginning this spring.
Samantha Menley, project coordinator for 200,000 More Reasons, shared, “We have seen a desire in our ministries to expand their ability to support childhood literacy in their community. This opportunity will remove some barriers congregations face when going where the Holy Spirit is calling their ministry. 200,000 More Reasons, and our grant recipients are grateful for the continued support of the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas.”
The Arkansas Conference UMC Emerging Leader Network grant ($15,000) will provide scholarships for the five Arkansas clergy under age 40, nominated by Bishop Laura Merrill, to participate in the United Methodist Church of the Resurrection’s new Emerging Leaders Network.
We are excited to announce that these five clergy under the age of 40 are Rev. Virginia Brown (Central UMC, Fayetteville/Wesley at U of Ark), Rev. Jana Green (Cavanaugh UMC and Wesley UMC, Ft. Smith), Rev. Jeremy Hopper (Hoxie UMC and Walnut Ridge UMC), Rev. Abbey Maynard (Ft. Smith UMC), and Rev. Dane Womack (Paragould First UMC).
Rev. Jim Polk, Assistant to the Bishop, shared, “The willingness of The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas to provide this kind of support makes MFA an invaluable partner with the Arkansas Conference in the promotion of continuing clergy development, and we are grateful for both the partnership and support.”
The grant for the Hendrix Youth Institute ($15,000) is fulfilling a long-standing collaboration between the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church, The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas, and the Miller Center for Vocation, Ethics and Calling at United Methodist-affiliated Hendrix College in Conway. HYI runs alongside Sr. High Assembly each summer to allow high school students who are exploring a call to ministry to spend time in small groups, to hear call stories from ARUMC lay and clergy members and engage in thoughtful reflections about what it means to be called to ministry in a variety of ways both inside and outside the church walls.
Please also see the press release from The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas here.