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Thirteen Upper New York ministries awarded 2014 RON MOT grants
September 12, 2014 / By
The Reaching Our Neighbors Mission Oversight Team (RON MOT) has awarded $59,776 in grants to 13 Upper New York Conference ministries in its latest round of grant funding.
RON MOT members met on Sept. 4, 2014 at the Fayetteville First UMC along with four members of the Spiritual Leadership MOT and the Rev. Bill Gottschalk-Fielding, Director of Connectional Ministries.
After fixed costs were paid, RON MOT had $60,000 of 2014 funds available to support ministries throughout the Conference. Read about the granting process.
The team considered 29 applications received between July 15 and Aug. 15, and came to consensus on supporting the following ministries:
- Backpack Project (Northern Flow District), $1,500
- Downtown Community Breakfast Program (Albany District), $5,776
- Fairview Reaches Out (Binghamton District), $1,500
- Foothills Rural Community Ministry (Northern Flow District), $4,000
- Furniture Program of Troy Area United Ministries (TAUM) (Albany District), $1,000
- Hope Epidemic (Binghamton District), $1,000
- Karing Kitchen (Mohawk District), $2,000
- Native American Outreach (Crossroads District), $3,000
- Seneca Street Community Development Project (Niagara Frontier District), $20,000
- Tri-Town Food Pantry (Northern Flow District), $2,000
- Urban Native American Traditions Renewal (Genesee Valley District), $1,000
- Willow Mission (Cornerstone District), $5,000
- Youth Summer Lunch Mobile Unit (Albany District), $12,000
Three of the 29 applications were forwarded to the Spiritual Leadership MOT for funding consideration, because the stated ministry goals aligned more closely with that mission of "encouraging and developing leadership within the laity and clergy that is diverse and unified by our love of Christ."
At the Sept. 4 meeting, Rev. Gottschalk-Fielding reviewed the original purpose for the formation of MOTs outlined when the new Conference was formed:
- To help our Conference align missions with resources;
- To be the place where visions/visionaries can go to access resources for new and ongoing ministries;
- To practice oversight and evaluation of ministries supported by Conference funds (what fruit is being borne)
Plans are underway to connect with RON's Conference Ministry Action Teams (CMATs): Volunteers-in- Mission, Global Ministries, Social Ministries, and Disaster Response to review what is working and what might be strengthened, in order to promote continued fruitful ministries.
RON is also advocating for a grant-writing workshop at Annual Conference, as well as a time of sharing transformational ministry practices with those just starting a ministry.
Article by Susan Hardy; she is a member of the Reaching Our Neighbors Mission Oversight Team (RON MOT).