Decisions have been announced for the 2023 Vision to Action Grant Season…and 2024 will be a year of exciting, new ministries cropping up throughout the Florida-Bahamas Synod! Grants awarded were as small as a few thousand dollars and as large as $40,000. Large or small, however, all approved projects demonstrated an innovative way to do ministry along with clearly articulated plans for engaging new faith communities and growing the church.
To name a couple of examples at different places on the funding spectrum…
- Our Savior, Vero Beach received $5,500 to create a new, lay-led grief support ministry for the larger community, where more than 30% of county residents are over 65. The project plan includes intentional steps for engaging people beyond the church doors and inviting them to connect their experiences of loss with faith conversations and a deepening awareness of God’s presence.
- Resurrection, Cocoa Beach received $15,000 for its project “Grace in Community: Meet Them Where They Are.” Monthly on-campus workshops will address community issues and concerns and engender faith-centered conversation and solutions. The goal is to offer an innovative, new approach for God to use the church to serve the social, emotional and spiritual needs of the entire community.
- Holy Cross, Spring Hill received $39,000 for its comprehensive “Elemental Ministry.” The project involves weekly musical, dramatic, and visual art activities for children and a monthly Elemental Worship Service where they share their art activities. The monthly events connect with the elements of fire, water, wind, and earth, with fellowship being offered around campfires, water activities, and wind and earth encounters. The first outdoor worship experience is being planned, and 34 children are registered! There are myriad ways that existing members are part of Elemental Ministry, making it a congregation-wide endeavor.
V2A will highlight other projects and share success stories throughout the year. Hearty thanks go to the faithful and hardworking Grant Team that reviewed and prayerfully evaluated the applications. The team took to heart the directive from you, the Florida-Bahamas Synod, to fund innovative ministries that grow the Lutheran expression. It is achieved not only through acts of service, but by involving the community in new and creative ways and fostering active involvement in worship and the congregational life.
2024 brings a new grant season. Be on the lookout in E-Spirit for key dates and requirements and consult the V2A website now, to learn more about the grant program and how to begin developing a project.
For more information, contact Rev. Katie Carroll, V2A Grant Program Manager, at grants@fbsynod.org.
