Grants give go-ahead to ministry projects

Eight LCA congregations are among 11 groups awarded grants to support local mission or ministry projects through the church’s ‘Have a Go’ Fund.

Congregations from Rockhampton, Middle Park, Everton Hills, Noosa, Caboolture and Mount Gravatt in Queensland, joined those from Albury in NSW, and Katanning in WA, along with the Adelaide Deaf Community, the Victoria district’s youth ministry and Lutheran Media Ministry in receiving funding under the new scheme.

Thanks to the Lutheran Laypeople’s League, the ‘Have a Go’ Fund has provided financial support of up to $25,000 towards projects starting during this synodical term (2015–2018).

The fund was part of the LCA’s 50.500 faith.freedom.future initiative approved by the church’s General Convention of Synod in 2015. Its aim was to encourage and equip grassroots communities of the church to ‘have a go’ at local mission and ministry.

Awarded projects needed to align with the LCA’s strategic priorities (outlined in LCA Strategic Direction 2013–2018) and the group’s own mission and ministry goals. There was also a focus on ‘going and growing’ as God’s people. The 50.500 panel looked favourably on projects that were innovative, future-focused and sustainable in the mid to long-term.

Successful submissions included the six-month missional learning community at St Luke’s Albury, known as Frontier; an Auslan lectionary project by the Adelaide Deaf Community; an outreach video competition by Lutheran Media; family, youth or young-adult ministry at Middle Park, Everton Hills and Noosa; and Freestyle Dance Ministry backed by Victoria’s youth ministry.