Harrisburg (Pa.) First Church of the Brethren has found that we can bring peace and justice ministries into our neighborhood by providing space in our building for organizations that will provide such services.
The latest round of grants from the Brethren Faith in Action Fund (BFIA), which provides grants to outreach ministries of Church of the Brethren camps and congregations, are going to eight Church of the Brethren congregations and one camp.
The Brethren Faith in Action Fund (BFIA) in its latest round of grants, approved in late 2024 through early 2025, has given grants to eight Church of the Brethren congregations. The fund provides grants using money generated by the sale of the upper campus of the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.
A little over two years ago, I brought a food bank project to the church board at Fairview Church of the Brethren in Unionville, Iowa. I had no idea how long God would help fulfill the need here. I also felt that when the money was out and I had no funding, that would be God saying that we have served our purpose.
In mid-summer, due to distressing weather conditions, the prospect for the 30 acres of corn that make up the 2023 Polo Growing Project appeared bleak. But at harvest in mid-October, the results were no less than astonishing, the crop yielding an average of 247.5 bushels per acre. Net proceeds for the project stand at $45,500, a notch above last year’s near-record earnings of $45,000.
The Brethren Faith in Action Fund (BFIA) has aided six congregations with its latest round of grants. The fund provides grants using money generated by the sale of the upper campus of the Brethren Service Center in New Windsor, Md.
Grants from the Church of the Brethren’s Global Food Initiative (GFI) are supporting food distribution to the Hispanic community in Lancaster, Pa., agriculture micro-projects by the Church of the Brethren in Venezuela, a community garden project of the Church of the Brethren in Spain, and sustainable agriculture education in Burundi.
The $7,241 raised by Highland Avenue Church of the Brethren in Elgin, Ill., in last fall’s CROP Hunger Walk, warranted the congregation a Certificate of Appreciation from Church World Service.
