Grants Available for Local Church Racial/Ethnic Ministries

NASHVILLE, Tenn. June 17, 2019 /Discipleship Ministries/ – Grants up to $10,000 will be available this fall from Discipleship Ministries to strengthen the leadership training, small groups, worship, stewardship and spiritual formation in ethnic local United Methodist churches.

The application deadline for the Racial Ethnic Local Church Concerns (RELCC) grants is Sept. 10. Special consideration will be given this year to programs that promote racial reconciliation involving leadership with young people.

“Discipleship Ministries is grateful to be able to serve The United Methodist Church by offering support to ethnic local churches and other entities that develop disciples and promote racial reconciliation,” said Naomi Hope Annandale, director of research and strategic evaluation at Discipleship Ministries. “We have been thrilled to learn about new ministries launched with previous RELCC grants that bring youth to Christ, support recent immigrants and strengthen parents, among other projects.”

RELCC grants are made available each year during the 2017-2020 quadrennium. Priority will be given to new programs, and funds are not provided for personnel and equipment.

Applicants must apply online at https://bit.ly/2xUreBy and are encouraged to consult with Discipleship Ministries staff for guidance in preparing the application.

For more information, go to https://bit.ly/2yQranF, or contact Annandale by phone at 615-340-1743 or by email at [email protected].

Applications must be for a ministry or project of a local United Methodist church or of the United Methodist connectional system. In addition, they also must:

• Contribute directly to the mission and ministries of making disciples of Jesus Christ.
• Be consistent with the doctrine and social principles of the United Methodist 2016 Book of Discipline.
• Focus on developing and strengthening the racial ethnic local church for witness and mission.
• Be related to one or more of the essential services provided by Discipleship Ministries, such as accountable discipleship, Christian education, curriculum resources, evangelism, family and life-span ministries, lay ministries, leadership development, spiritual formation, stewardship and worship.
• Involve racial ethnic church members in the planning, leadership and decision-making.

“We look forward to receiving this year’s applications and see it as an opportunity to serve and to learn as we grow in Christ together,” Annandale said.

The mission of Discipleship Ministries is to support annual conference and local church leaders for their task of equipping world-changing disciples. An agency of The United Methodist Church, Discipleship Ministries is located at 1908 Grand Ave. in Nashville, Tenn. For more information, visit www.UMCdiscipleship.org, the Press Center at www.UMCdiscipleship.org/about/press-center or call the Communications Office at (877) 899-2780, Ext. 1726.