Five Missions Awarded OCA Church Planting Grants in 2005
—Five Orthodox Church in America mission parishes have been selected to receive Church Planting Grants in 2005.
Receiving a grant for the first time is Holy Ascension Mission, Mount Pleasant, SC. Four other missions—All Saints of Alaska, Victoria, BC, Canada; Saint Athanasius, Nicholasville, KY; Saint Herman of Alaska, Port Townsend, WA; and Saint John of Kronstadt, Lincoln, NE—will receive grants for the second year.
Established several years ago and funded through contributions to the OCA’s annual February Mission Appeal, the Planting Grant program provides $15,000 in grant monies to selected missions willing to match this amount from their own resources. Missions may receive grants for a maximum of three years, at which time they are expected to become fully self sufficient.
In 2004, Holy Trinity Church, Stroudsburg, PA and Saint Gabriel Mission, Ashland, OR, successfully completed their three-year grants.
“There were a number of missions who applied for 2005 grants,” according to the Rev. Eric Tosi, chairman of the OCA Department of Evangelization, which oversees the Planting Grant program. “Planting grants are used exclusively to support full-time resident priests by enabling them to devote their full energies and talents to the building up of the community.”
Since the Planting Grant program was initiated, nearly 20 missions have received assistance in supporting resident priests, Father Tosi added.
Further information on the Planting Grant program and applications for missions interested in receiving grants in 2006 are available on-line at wwww.oca.org or by contacting Father Tosi at 702-898-4800 or at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Deadline for 2006 applications is August 31, 2005.