Church and Society awards over $55,000 in ethnic local church grants

Seminars on Social Principles in Ukraine and the far east
Eurasia Area of the Northern Europe and Eurasia Central Conference

This is an effort to get leaders and pastors in the Ukraine and Far East familiar with the United Methodist Social Principles and the Wesleyan understanding of social justice and social engagement. This follows similar trainings in the Caucasus region, Crimea, Moscow, Volga and Central Asia.
Approved: $10,000

Virginia Focus 2020
Virginia Conference

This joint project of 9 African-American congregations in the Virginia Annual Conference seeks to host four conversation around critical contemporary issues. The issues include voter rights advocacy, “The Way Forward” and embracing mutuality, immigration and the impact it has on communities, and social justice and the church as a catalyst for change.
Approved $10,000

Community Day Care – Hispanic
Casa de Dios United Methodist Church, Syracuse, New York

This ministry seeks to provide care, security and health to the community’s children. It began as a pilot program in cooperation with the annual conference’s Office of New Faith Communities. The project offers a safe, neat and health space for the children.
Approved: $ 4,050

Responding To Trauma In Refugee/Immigrant Communities From The Middle East (Including Sudan And South Sudan)
Middle Eastern United Methodist Caucus

This project will provide training, resources and support to help respond to trauma in refugee communities. Many refugees experience trauma and this grant will help train volunteers to minister with and to people who have experienced trauma. The trainings will happen in the North America, Europe, and the Middle East.
Approved: $ 5,000

Transformative and Leadership Training on Social Principles Of The United Methodist Church
United Methodist Ministry with Women Children and Youth, Zimbabwe Episcopal Area

This grant supports seminars on the United Methodist Social Principles for United Methodists in the Zimbabwe Episcopal Area. The aim is to help connect our faith as Christians to the world around us, through loving acts of devotion and service, and to be engage in social justice ministries.
Approved: $4,000

Choose Life Ministries
Simpson United Methodist Church, Peninsula-Delaware Annual Conference

With crime rates 8 percent, higher than the national average, Simpson UMC seeks to respond to the gun violence affecting the lives of their community. This project brings together clergy, community leaders and mental health professionals to help prevent gun violence and curb crime among youth.
Approved: $10,000

Conflict Resolution Training
Tanganyika Annual Conference

Tanganyika has been plagued by violence for many years, although recently a new issue has erupted: deadly violence between Pygmies and Bantus. This project is a response to this specific interethnic conflict as well as the overall cycle of violence in the region. Many issues mentioned in the United Methodist Social Principles will be covered in this training, including racism, sexual violence, human rights, restorative justice, and war and peace.
Approved: $5,000

Leadership Training and Development for Christian Witness on Social, Economic, and Public Policy Issues Within and Beyond the Church
Kenya-Ethiopia Annual Conference

The project seeks to train conference leaders on the Social Principles of the United Methodist Church. It is expected that the leaders will be able to understand the Social Principles and be able to teach the same to their respective districts and local churches.
Approved: $7,450