The 2011 Roanridge Grants totaling $129,700 were recently awarded to seven Episcopal Church agencies actively engaged in developing new and creative models for leadership development in small communities across the Church.

The grants are administered through the Office of Congregational Vitality and recipients were announced by the Rev. Bob Honeychurch, Episcopal Church Officer for Congregational Vitality.

“The Roanridge grants assist new creative ministry approaches in rural settings,” Honeychurch said. “The funds will seed new possibilities of ministry.”

A key component, Honeychurch added, is the evaluation of these innovative programs and how they can be applied to other settings. “Part of the grant process is an update and evaluation from the recipients, so we can use the best practices in other areas of The Episcopal Church.”

Grants will be awarded during the first quarter of 2011.

2011 Roanridge Grant recipients

The following grants were awarded:

Province IV for “Leadership Marks for Creating and Growing Vital Congregations for Small Churches,” a program which aims to provide clergy and lay leaders with a continuing education plan to engage in leadership skills development.

The Episcopal Church in Navajoland for the Bishop Steven Plummer Leadership School, to provide a training program for leaders emerging from the Hooghan Leadership Circle.

The Episcopal Diocese of Nevada for the Christian Formation and Lay Ministry Development Project to develop lay ministry developers to empower the ministry of the laity in the diocese.

The Episcopal Diocese of North Dakota for the development of a Summer Intern Program for seminarians to learn the breadth of rural ministry.

The Episcopal Church Building Fund and The Episcopal Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania for their joint work in the “Buildings as Tools for Ministry Pilot Project” which is designing a training model for congregations in small and rural communities that addresses the problem of having more building than the congregation can afford.

Christ Episcopal Church, Zillah, WA (Episcopal Diocese of Spokane) for the Anti-Racism and Multi-Cultural Training Program for its community bordering the Yakima Indian Reservation.

The Episcopal Diocese of Vermont for the New Vestry Orientation program, to develop a quality training tool for leadership in small and rural congregations.

Roanridge Grants

The Roanridge Trust was established by the Cochel family, who originally gave a working farm in Missouri called Roan ridge to The Episcopal Church. The interest from the sale of the farm generates the grant funds.

For more info on Roanridge Trust: http://episcopalchurch.org/109389_121108_ENG_HTM.htm

Next awardings

The next round of grant awardings will be in 2011. The application deadline for 2012 will be September 1, 2011. Application forms will be available at http://episcopalchurch.org/109389_121108_ENG_HTM.htm

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