This is a sample proposal to assist congregations in completing the application form. We hope it will help you work through the proposal writing process. If you have any questions, please contact the SCE office at 877-279-9994 X2805 or email us at

Sustaining Congregational Excellence in the Christian Reformed Church in North America

A program for smaller churches

Health & Renewal Grant Application Form

(Submit by June 1 or December 1) ***

A completed sample applicationisavailable on the SCE website –

**Churches may receive a maximum of 3 HR grants in a 5-year period. The 5-year period begins on the date when the first grant is awarded. For example: If the first grant is awarded in January 2011, the church may apply for another “1st time grant” any time after January 2016. **

  1. General Information
  1. Name of project

(Your choice of descriptive word or phrase.)

Nurturing Faith

  1. Information on congregation(s) involved

Note:

1) Congregations with 150 or less active,adult professing members are eligible for this grant

2) For emerging and church plants the following apply:

  • Church plants must have a church planter leading its ministry.
  • Ordinarily, the church has been holding public worship services for at least one year.
  • Ordinarily, the church has a least 25 active, adult professing members—based on the data in the current Yearbook.

3) Included in the grant may be expenses of larger congregations who are partnering with a

smaller congregation in a project

If 2 or more congregations are partnering in this project, please answer parts 1b, c or d

for each congregation.

Church name: First Christian Reformed Church

Mailing Address:534 Lindsay St

Crosby, MS 12345

Classis:Southeast US

Number of active, adultprofessing members (as stated in the current Yearbook): 125

(Current Yearbook information is required to receive a grant)

Number of worshipers on an average Sunday morning: 156

Ordinarily are representatives of your congregation present at classis meetings? yes

(Required to receive a grant)

Does your congregation participate in the Minister’s Pension Fund? yes

(For our information only)

What percentage of Denominational Ministry Shares did your congregation contribute in the last fiscal year? (a minimum of 10% is required to receive a grant) 30 %

Dates of church’s fiscal year: July 1 – June 30

  1. If your church has a mission and vision statement complete the following:

i)Church’s mission statement

Proclaim and Practice New Life in Christ

ii)Church’s vision statement

We see First CRC as a Transformational Missionary Community.

d.If your church doesn’t have a mission and vision statement, please briefly explain your understanding of the mission of your church and what you believe your church’s direction is for the next five years.

e.What does a “healthy congregation” mean to you?

A healthy congregation is one that is seeking God’s direction through his word and prayer, and is reaching people with the great news of the love of Jesus Christ.

f. In one sentence tell us: What is the focus of your project?

Nurturing faith in members of all ages.

  1. Indicate the name and position of those individuals who were involved in the process of preparing the proposal.

Becky Carrie – church member

Jonathan Im – small group leader

Bryan Jones – church treasurer

Jose Mendez – council member

Sharon Stevens – chair of education committee

Robert Van Dalen – pastor

  1. Project Description
  1. Please describe your project.

(This should include all items noted in #2g and the budget [#3]. Typically this answer should be several paragraphs in length. Our team should be able to read this answer and have a very clear picture of your project and all that’s involved with it.)

We propose to fully accept the challenge of the CRCNA to engage in the year of faith nurture. We are raising the bar as to expectations of small group attendance, adults modeling learning through attendance in Sunday school and evening learning times, an emphasis on prayer and worship. We will also work to develop more intentionality in making FCRC a safe place for people to find healing and to encounter the love of Christ. To make this happen, and to make this effort sustainable, we will invest significant time in the training of new leaders for these focus areas.

We’ll start our project by assembling a year’s worth of curriculum. The education team will order and organize the materials noted in #3, and insure that teachers are in place.In August we’ll have a kick-off event for entire congregation and the families of the preschool that meets in our church building. This will be an opportunity to let everyone know the details of our SCE project, the options that are available for the different age groups, and to welcome some community folks to our church. The event willinclude a picnic and games.

The fall session of learning will focus on Sunday School for all ages and small groups. We want to increase the number of people participating as well as train some new leaders. Part of the small group discussions will be around being a safe church—which is also what we want to explore with the SCE coach. As the groups gather every other week, they will share life, learning, and the nurturing of their faith.

During the Christmas season the worship services will focus on “Faith Nurture in Christmas”. Part of this will be the launching of The Gathering—evening “free-form worship” services which will allow more, and deeper, participation by all. The Gathering will take place once a month

The winter/spring session of learning will include continued training of new leaders, Sunday School for all ages, small groups, and at least two Dunamis evening classes that will help people better understand the role of the Spirit. These classes will tie inwell withThe Gathering worship services.

We’ll have a summer session for adults focusing on the spiritual disciplines. In mid-August we’ll have a celebration event and will introduce the opportunities for nurturing faith in the year to come. The event will include a bbq, face painting, some sports games, and sharing of experiences.

  1. How will the project foster health or renewal in your congregation?

Our current faith nurture programming for children is solid, anchored by the Walk with Me curriculum for Sunday School, along with Children’s Worship for ages 3-Kindergarten, Kids of the Kingdom for 3rd through 8th grade, a High School Youth group, and an In Focus college age group. However, our adult offerings are more hit or miss. We have 2 solid small groups for women and one general small group for adults. But our Sunday School for adults is struggling in terms of interest and leadership and many adults do not have the benefits of a small group experience.

Our proposed project will allow us to improve the quality of the “large group” opening time for our Sunday School by providing the song book resources. The greatest renewal will come in “raising the bar” for adults by providing a well-organized and well-resourced, all-church approach to discipleship. By approaching this as a community project that deserves the involvement of everyone (community), we hope to mutually challenge and encourage one another to deeper growth (transformational). We also see potential for increased outreach as our adults take greater responsibility for not only growing as disciples, but also making disciples (missionary).

  1. What are the goals of your project?
  1. We will move from 50% participation in small groups to greater than 80% participation.
  2. We will develop an entire year’s worth of coordinated curriculum for each age group in our church that will address Bible study, spiritual formation, and knowledge development.
  3. We will develop new church leaders through investment in training for these activities.
  4. Our goal is to have at least 7 small groups where each small group has a leader as well as a leader-in-training.
  5. We have a goal of having an evening free-form worship service (The Gathering) for deeper participation in worship.
  6. We will have at least 2 Dunamis classes to help people to better understand the role of the Spirit.
  7. We will create the structure for a safe church and then invest in training for individuals who will take on ministries of Healing prayer.
  8. We will benefit from working with an SCE coach.
  1. What would be evidence that your project accomplished these goals?

(For each goal noted in #2c, there should be a corresponding “evidence point” noted here.)

  1. More than 80% of adults will be participating in small groups.
  2. Ayear’s worth of coordinated curriculum will be developed.
  3. New church leaders will be developed.
  4. Seven small groups will be meeting—each with a leader and a leader-in-training.
  5. The Gathering services will be held once a month.
  6. Two Dunamis classes will be held.
  7. A safe church structure will be in place—with trained individuals taking on ministries of healing prayer.
  8. Working with an SCE coach with bear fruit.

In addition, a successful project will be evidenced by greater participation of the congregation in the life of the church. One easy measure is to see whether a significant number of new leaders have stepped up such that the project leaders are still energized and enthusiastic at the end of the year.

  1. What has your congregation already done that demonstrates a commitment to these

goals?

We formed an education team in May and have been meeting to develop the curriculum for the year for all levels. We have nearly completed the plans for the small groups and children/youth Sunday schools. We are moving to solidify plans for adult Sunday school and then to integrate the additional training and learning opportunities. We have selected a small group coordinator with many years of training experience for small groups. We have the conceptual planning completed for a fall kickoff event that will help to generate a lot of excitement for these plans for both our church and for the families of a secular preschool that has been meeting in our church.

  1. How is your project linked to one or more of the practices SCE has identified as

essential to congregational health(prayer, developing a sense of purpose, and looking outward) or one or more of the ten characteristics of a healthy congregation identified by the Board of Trustees?

(For a list, see the overview document describing the Health & Renewal program which is found on the SCE website .)

We hope that our project will address all 3 of these practices to some degree. The project is primarily centered around “developing a sense of purpose” as we develop each member’s understanding of their role in a Transformational Missionary Community. It is essential that we all have an understanding that church is not a club, but is instead a place that we come to be changed by God. It is a place that we come to worship, learn, and pray corporately. And it is a place that we come to be equipped so that we are able to fulfill God’s command to go into the world proclaiming the Gospel. Our goal is that each person in our church will develop a sense of purpose, and that the purpose will envelope God’s call to be transformed, to be missional, and to do so in a community of believers as the Kingdom of God.

  1. Please give a brief timetable for the project—making sure to list all grant activities.

(Ordinarily grant periods are for one year.Events may not be held prior to the awarding of the grant—either February 1 or August 1.)

Aug 12: Kickoff Event for Year of Faith Formation

Sep 9 – Dec 15: 15wks of Disciple Small Groups

Dec 15 – Jan 5: Faith Nurture in Christmas

Jan 6 – May 18: 20 wks of Small groups with Dunamis for Sunday Evenings

Jan 5 – June 30:Monthly The Gathering evening services

May 25 – Aug 9: Summer class: Spiritual Disciplines of the Believer

Aug 10: Celebration of a Year of Faith Nurture and Introduction of Year 2

Aug– Aug:Work with SCE coach

h.Are you requesting an SCE coach to work with the congregation on this project? yes

(Congregations may request an additional $1,000 to cover the costs of working with an SCE coach. Be sure to add this to your budget [#3] and include it in #2a and #2g.)

If requesting a coach, please briefly describe what you would like the coach to address/work on in this project. (Ordinarily the coach will work with the pastor and one ministry leader. See the overview document for all the details on the coaching component of this grant.)

We would like the coach to work with us on the creation of the safe church structure. We know that this is a key piece to our project and that we’ll benefit from a coach walking along side us as we put something brand new into place in our congregation. Since this is new for us, we’re not sure where to start or what needs to be included. Having someone to assist us will result in a more success end product.

  1. Budget *

Maximum grant amount is $3,000—plus $1,000 if coaching is requested.

  • Please refer to the overview document prior to completing the budget so you are aware of what is, and is not, fundable.
  • Please include a budget, with sufficient detail, that indicates how the requested funds will be used.

For example: Retreat: $700 isn’t enough detail.

Retreat: $400 for retreat center rental; $200 for food; $100 for supplies such as binders,

paper, flip chartis enough detail.

Budget Item / Cost / FCRC / SCE
Copying of Small Group Leader’s Manuals / $100 / X
Disciple-Follow Me – Daily Readings (qty 50 @ $6 ea) / $300 / X
Disciple –Called, Created, Crafted, Commissioned Disc. Guides / $320 / X
(16 of each session, 4 sessions, 16*4*$5ea )
Sing with Me Songbooks (40@$12.95ea) / $518 / X
Small Group Curr. For 10 Final Weeks (10@15ea) / $150 / X
Walk With Me Curriculum – Preschool, K-8 / $1290 / X - $940 / X - $350
Fall kick-off event (food - $150; plates/cups - $25; prizes for games - $47) / $222 / X
Dunamis – Course Videos / $350 / X
Summer bbq (food - $150; plates/cups - $25; face paints - $17; prizes - $30 / $222 / X
Discipleship Materials / $228 / X
SCE coaching / $1,000 / X
Total Cost / $4700 / $940 / $3760
  1. What is the total cost of the project? $4,700 (US)
  1. What is the amount requested from SCE? $2,760 + $1,000 for coaching (US)

Maximum grant amount is $3,000.

  1. What is (are) the church(es) contributing for the project?**$900 (US)

(Please indicate whether the church’s contribution is in dollars--U.S. or Canadian--or in-kind resources. If the latter, please list them. Note:These contributions are not required, but assist in understanding the capacity for sustainability.)

The church’s most substantial financial contribution will be the purchase of the Walk-with-Me curriculum which we have purchased for several previous years and will continue to use.

  1. How do you plan to sustain this project after the SCE grant funds are gone?

In addition to the already budgeted funds for the Walk With Me curriculum, we’ll be including funds($1,300) to cover the cost of the next year’s leader’s manuals and student materials in the church budget. Some of the items (song books/videos) will continued to be used and therefore we don’t need to purchase these again.

* The grant is not to be used to cover personal expenses or to compensate the coordinator or the treasurer for their work related to the project. Funds must be used according to the approved budget. If changes are required, please contact SCE prior to making expenditures.

Ordinarily the grant period is one year. Our hope is that projects can be self-sustaining after this amount of time. However, applications for renewal will be considered. Ordinarily, first year applications will be given priority over second year applications.

  1. Identify the project coordinator

(The project coordinator must be a professing member of the congregation. The coordinator and the treasurer may not be immediate family members.)

  1. Name: Sharon Stevens
  2. Position: Chair of Education Committee
  3. Mailing address: 123 Tree Street, Crosby, MS 12354
  4. Phone: 123-456-7899
  5. Email:
  1. Identify the project treasurer

(The project treasurer must be a professing member of the congregation, but need not be the church treasurer. The treasurer may not be the same person as the project coordinator.)

a.Name: Bryan Jones

  1. Position: Church Treasurer
  2. Mailing address: 987 Sunny Lane, Crosby, MS 12355
  3. Phone: 123-456-9999
  4. Email:
  1. Council Approval

(Please complete for each congregation involved in the project.)

May 10, 2015 Bob Johnson

Date of council approval Name of chair of council

  1. The Health & Renewal overview document (found on the SCE website ) has been read by the project coordinator and project treasurer.

(Please complete for each congregation involved in the project.)

May 15, 2015 Jonathan Im

Date overview document read Name of ministry leader

May 17, 2015 Sharon Stevens

Date overview document read Name of ministry leader

When completed send to:

or

SCE Program Director

1700 28th St SE

Grand Rapids, MI 49508-1407 USA

We prefer to work with electronic forms whenever possible. Thank You.

*** Receipt of proposal will be acknowledged with an email to the coordinator. If you don’t receive

acknowledgement within 24 hours, please call our office. (1-877-279-9994 X2805 – toll free)

The SCE program will notify the applicants by February 1 and August 1 concerning grants awarded.

August 2015