WASHINGTON, D.C.--The General Commission on Religion and Race (GCORR) will award $463,025 to projects developed by local churches, district annual conferences, and seminaries in all 5 jurisdictions of The United Methodist Church through the CORR Action Fund (CAF) United States 2018-2020 grant cycle.
Rev. Stephen Handy, chair of CAF committee states, "We are grateful for all of the responses to GCORR's CORR Action Fund grant cycle theme of 'Disrupting Racism.' It is profoundly clear that racism continues to divide our country and even our church, but the investment of hope in these grantees offer an opportunity for incarnational ministries to not only disrupt, but to transcend the atrocities and evil of racism in our nation. Courageous and bold steps are being taken by local congregations, conference offices, and seminaries by starting to build bridges of intercultural communities in a hurting world. To be aligned with and able to help fund this incarnational movement is extremely humbling and a key aspect of the ongoing work of GCORR's ministry model."
GCORR funds projects through the CAF that impact all segments of local community including after-school reading programs for children, mentorship for youth, as well as intentional church and community organizing to create stronger infrastructural support for those on the margins.General Secretary Erin Hawkins states, "The fact that the majority of the grant funds will be going to local congregations is a testament to GCORR's commitment to supporting ministry 'on the ground.' These projects are examples of disciples who are seeking to transform the world starting in their very own communities."The CAF committee criteria for the U.S. 2018-2020 proposals was as follows:
- Identify and change at least one racist and/or xenophobic system, policy or practice in the wider community
- Engage people of The United Methodist Church with diverse community partners in frequent vital conversations about racism and xenophobia
- Build understanding and trusting relationships among diverse people in the wider community
The CAF grants support community initiatives that disrupt racism and xenophobia, and are more important than ever in this time of polarization and racial strife.
The following U.S.-based projects or programs, which are listed in parentheses, will receive funding in the 2018-2020 grant cycle. For a detailed list of the projects, click here.
- Arch Street UMC, Eastern Pennsylvania Conference (“Sabbath Solidarity”): Arch Street UMC in partnership with Juntos, New Sanctuary Movement Philadelphia and POWER (Philadelphians Organized to Witness, Empower and Rebuild) seek to put forth this initiative. New Sanctuary Movement of Philadelphia (NSM) builds community across faith, ethnicity, and class in the work to end injustices against immigrants regardless of immigration status, express radical welcome for all, and ensure that values of dignity, justice, and hospitality are lived out in practice and upheld in policy. ($35,000)
- Emory Grove United Methodist Church, Baltimore-Washington Conference (“African, African American & Latino Youth Engaged For Change”): Epworth United Methodist Church and Emory Grove UMC will partner with Redland Middle School and Forest Oak Middle School to address the immigration system, mis-education on part of school system, lack of afterschool possibilities, lack of leadership development for black, brown youth, lack of safe venues to build relationships across race/culture, lack of knowledge of connecting points, fear among new immigrant parents. ($25,000)
- United Methodist Church of Greater New Jersey, New England Annual Conference (“Joshua Generation: Learning from the Past to Equip The Next Generation of Justice Leaders”): The United Methodist Church of Greater New Jersey seeks to equip and grow leaders who make disciples for the transformation of the world. ($35,000)
- Windsor Village United Methodist Church, Texas Annual Conference (“A Seat at the Table”): Windsor Village United Methodist Church will partner with Interfaith Ministries of Greater Houston, Somali Bantu Community of Greater Houston, Dr. Sobhi Zakian Community within the Greater Houston area to address and disrupt the misguided and deliberate destructive interactions that mainstream society and law enforcement have with communities of color.($35,000)
- Urban Village Church, Northern Illinois Conference (“Building Beloved Community: Institutional + Congregational Transformation Toward Anti-Racist”): In partnership with Crossroads Anti-Racism Organizing and Training, the focus of this initiative is anti-racism, training lay leaders across ministry areas and institutionalizing practices of reflection, feedback, and change on race-related practices in our church. ($30,830)
- First United Methodist Church, Great Plains Annual Conference (“Strengthening North Omaha Neighborhoods: Desegregation through Relationships”): First UMC in partnership with North Omaha Neighborhood Alliance, Omaha Together One Community, and Claire United Methodist Church Organizations. Forming partnerships and building trusting relationships will help create change to empower the residents of North Omaha to improve their quality of life. ($34,575)
- The Village UMC, Oklahoma Annual Conference (“Serving Single-Parent Families”): The initiative to start a Single-Parent Family Support Ministry is a result of their assessment of the needs in the surrounding community. With nearly half of the surrounding population categorized as single parents, this ministry would offer both relief and transformation for those participating ($28,000)
- Grace United Methodist Church, Dallas, Northern Texas Annual Conference (“The Ubuntu Initiative”): Grace United Methodist will partner with the Ubuntu Music Project to address the gap between white students and people of color in the public school system. Grace UMC church members will provide ongoing afterschool tutoring and reading to help students, as well as providing volunteers at concerts and events. ($35,000)
- Trietsch Memorial United Methodist Church, Northern Texas Annual Conference (“Faith, Race, and Justice”): The congregation is primarily Caucasian, they feel that there are opportunities for relationships (outside of work or school) with African Americans and Latinos are limited. The congregation is not aware of the injustices and prejudices they face regularly. The changing demographics of Texas offer an opportunity for inclusive vision of faith within public service. ($11,450)
- Lenexa United Methodist Church, Great Plains Annual Conference (“Conversations Celebrating Diversity”): Better Together Inc. and its partners Metropolitan Avenue United Methodist Church, and Avenue of Life share common concern on the need to improve people living at poverty level’s access to medical, dental, and mental health help; diminishing generational violence and victimization; supporting successful attainment of higher educational and vocational goals. ($30,000)
- Texas United Methodist Women’s Legislative Event Committee, Rio Texas Annual Conference (“Not Going Quietly”): Texas United Methodist Women’s Legislative Event Committee in partnership with Texas Impact plans to put for this initiative. SB4 generates fear and anxiety in communities of color throughout Texas. Advocates and law enforcement officials expect the law will result in racial profiling of all individuals who don’t “look” like citizens, not just those who might be Hispanic. Additionally, it will result in the underreporting of crimes against people of color and an unwillingness of crime victims to participate in criminal investigations. Congregations need to know what to do now, how to assist fearful community members, and how to work for change going forward. ($10,000)
- Duke Divinity School, North Carolina Annual Conference (“Durham Pilgrimage of Hope and Pain”): The Center for Reconciliation (CFR), exists to form and support leaders, communities, and congregations as ambassadors of reconciliation. By partnering with DurhamCares for the Pilgrimage of Pain and Hope initiative the main issue they have identified is the connection between racism and place. Durham’s history has led to societal division, violence, class inequality, and racism. They hope it will inspire those involved to take action in the immediate community and beyond. ($15,000)
- Alabama West Florida Annual Conference (“At the Table”): The Alabama West Florida Conference in partnership with the Vision Center (A ministry of St. John UMC) seek to bring about change by training church leaders to effectively minister to all people. They will train them in cultural competency and effective community engagement. They will provide them with resources to help begin the work of racial reconciliation. ($15,000)
- FaithJustice Foundation, Virginia Annual Conference (“FaithJustice Initiative”): The FaithJustice Foundation along with the Seventh Episcopal District, and Christian Methodist Episcopal Church share focused efforts in poverty and inequality, racism and racial inequality, immigration, and healthcare justice and disability rights. (Up to $35,000)
- Rising Hope United Methodist Mission Church, Virginia Annual Conference (“Breaking Bread Together”): Rising Hope United Methodist Mission Church and its partners Woodlawn-Faith UMC, Aldersgate UMC United Methodist Youth, and Ventures in Community have sought out to identify and participate in change that disturbs racist and xenophobic thoughts, systems, policies and practices in the diverse communities of Fairfax County. Rising Hope members will update and encourage participants to address the ongoing issues regarding racism and xenophobia. ($22,700)
- Office of Ministerial Relations – NCCUMC, North Carolina Annual Conference (“Pilgrimage of Pain and Hope: Freedom Ride and Peer Learning Immersion”): In 2016, Pilgrimage was held four days after the recent presidential election. There was a racist comment exchange from one youth to another. This exchange turned into a rage of anger and division throughout the gathering. In preparation for Pilgrimage this year there is continued hurt and mistrust between churches and youth leaders. The goal is to bring individuals together who may never cross paths and work together to expose long-held belief systems. ($15,000)
- Board of Ordained Ministry, North Alabama Annual Conference (“Preparing Clergy, Leaders, and Churches For A Diverse World”): This initiative will seek to address explicit and implicit racial bias within our clergy lay leadership, and conference leadership in North Alabama through diversity training and intentional conversations about race with a diverse group of participants. ($15,000)
- Raising Esperanza, Virginia Annual Conference (“Raising Esperanza”): Raising Esperanza a ministry that promotes a holistic approach to the needs and challenges of the immigrant community. The goal of this initiative is to create unique opportunities and events for the Latino community as well as awareness and education to the entire community. ($10,000)
- Pinoy Van-Port Ministries, Pacific Northwest Annual Conference (“Pinoy Filipino American Van-Port Multicultural Ministries”): Pinoy Van-Port Ministries alongside the partnership of National Alliance for Filipino Concerns, International Coalition for Human Rights in the Phils, and Gabriela Portland strive to address racism/xenophobia within the local Filipino and Filipino American community by doing community research and engaging in depth with Filipino community members on their most urgent issues relating to racism/xenophobia. ($15,000)
- La Plaza United Methodist Church , California Pacific Annual Conference (“God is in the Graffiti: The power of race, xenophobia, systemic inequity and their intersection with homelessness”): La Plaza United Methodist Church will be in partnership with West District California Pacific Annual Conference, Los Angeles United Methodist Museum of Social Justice, and El Pueblo de Los Angeles Historical Monument to identify the humanitarian crisis on homelessness in Los Angeles. ($35,000)
- Youth Chaplaincy Coalition, Pacific Northwest Annual Conference (“Young Warrior’s Program”): The focus of the Young Warrior’s Program will be continued diversion from the juvenile justice system along with systemic change of the justice system by personal testimony and influence in Olympia, the state’s capital. Additionally, the Young Warrior’s Program is designed to raise youth and young adult leaders. ($29,000)