Holy Synod of Bishops approves 2015 Planting Grant recipients
With the blessing of the members of the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Orthodox Church in America, whose fall 2014 session draws to a close on Thursday, October 23, the Department of Evangelization recently announced Planting Grant recipients for 2015.
Two missions—Holy Archangels, Annapolis, MD [Priest Robert Miclean, Pastor] and Holy Apostles, Lansing, NY [Priest James Worthington, Pastor]—will receive $16,000.00 grants for a third and final year, while Saint Katherine Mission, Cardiff, CA [Priest Andrew Cuneo, Pastor], will receive a second-year grant of $22,000.00. Missions receiving grants for the first time are Saint John the Evangelist, Tempe, AZ [Priest Andre Paez, Priest-in-Charge] and Saint James, Beaufort, SC [Priest James Bozeman, Priest-in-Charge]. Both first-year missions will receive $24,000.00 grants.
“The Church Planting Grant is an up-to-three year program which serves to allow the ministry of a full-time parish priest in a young mission church, where the financial burden would otherwise be too difficult,” explained Priest John Parker, who chairs the Department of Evangelization. “Each year the mission is responsible to match the grant amount, typically $24,000.00, then $20,000.00, then $16,000.00. The goal for the fourth year is a viable mission with a full-time priest.”