{"id":27595,"date":"2026-08-21T18:47:28","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T18:47:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/?p=27595"},"modified":"2026-08-21T18:48:52","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T18:48:52","slug":"bfia-grants-go-to-churches-and-camp","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.brethren.org\/news\/2026\/bfia-grants-go-to-churches-and-camp\/","title":{"rendered":"BFIA grants support congregations\u2019 outreach to neighbors and a memorial to victims of violence, among other projects"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\"\"
The banner on Freeport (Ill.) Church of the Brethren’s Facebook page illustrates the congregation’s commitment to peace. It is receiving a BFIA grant supporting creation of a permanent memorial honoring victims of all forms of violence. Image courtesy of Freeport Church of the Brethren<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Recent grants from the Brethren Faith in Action Fund (BFIA)<\/a> have been given to seven Church of the Brethren congregations and one camp.<\/strong> With funds generated from the sale of the upper campus of the Brethren Service Center<\/a> in New Windsor, Md., grants are made to ministries that honor and continue the center\u2019s legacy of service while also addressing the dynamics of the present age. For more information and how to apply<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

$5,000 to the Way Fresh Expressions Church of the Brethren in Roanoke, Va.,<\/a><\/strong> supports a Back-to-School Project serving a low-income area of the Roanoke Valley, Mountain View Neighborhood. The project draws attention to the congregation\u2019s weekly Sunday Fellowship Dinners and Bible Studies and the availability of the congregation\u2019s pastor, as it serves families and students in need by supplying a light meal and free school supplies. This year\u2019s Back to School Project event was to take place Aug. 1. In 2025, the event served approximately 100 students, and the congregation hoped for 120 students this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

$5,000 to <\/strong>Shepherd\u2019s Heart Fellowship in Osceola, Ind.,<\/strong> <\/a>supports the needs of people in the community who are experiencing physical, spiritual, or financial needs. The funds will be used for the following outreach ministries: Hands of the King focused on projects and purchases for medical expenses, home repairs, and appliance purchases; a pantry that on a monthly basis offers paper and hygiene products; a community meal served monthly to an average attendance of 40 to 50 people; and other outreach opportunities including collection of food for a food pantry, holiday baskets, and collection of winter clothing for an elementary school, among others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

$5,000 to Unify Christian Church of the Brethren in Miami, Fla., <\/strong>supports an ESOL and Digital Literacy Program and a community food distribution known as the Unify Community Outreach Initiative Expansion Project. The ESOL and Digital Literacy Program provides free English classes, computer training, job-search assistance, email setup, and fundamental digital navigation essential to help immigrant families\u2014especially those from Haiti, Latin America, and the Caribbean\u2014gain stability, employment, and confidence. The expansion includes funds towards purchasing laptops, instructional materials, and outreach tools. The food distribution supports families facing food insecurity. This project adds storage containers, portable coolers, tents, tables, supplies, and volunteer resources to improve distribution capacity and enhance the congregation\u2019s welcoming environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

$4,500 to Nuevo Comienzo Church of the Brethren in Kissimmee, Fla.<\/a>,<\/strong> supports outreach ministries for low-income families in the majority Hispanic community. Efforts include organizing events in cooperation with local health groups; distribution of gifts for visitors; purchasing meals for families in need; and distributing a lunch on different days, including information about the congregation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

$4,000 to Harrisburg (Pa.) First Church of the Brethren<\/a><\/strong> supported a Shalom Summit<\/a> held on April 25 as a strategic outreach training and mobilization gathering around the theme \u201cDisciples Pursuing Racially Just Neighborhoods.\u201d The event equipped community members hungering for the world to be set right by introducing them to a Church of the Brethren vision of peacemaking and justice. A particular focus was the urgent challenges facing vulnerable communities, particularly undocumented neighbors This 2026 event built on the foundation established in 2025, as a second annual Shalom Summit. The effort strengthens Harrisburg First Church of the Brethren\u2019s public witness as a peace and justice-oriented congregation among its neighbors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

$3,650 to Bear Creek Church of the Brethren in Accident, Md.<\/a>,<\/strong> supports its outreach ministry with \u201cSleep in Heavenly Peace<\/a>\u201d to provide beds for people in need in the community. Through the Church of the Brethren\u2019s West Marva District<\/a>, the congregation works with a non-profit called \u201cSleep in Heavenly Peace\u201d to build twin size beds. The congregation and district participated in a bed build in 2025, helping to construct 35 beds. The congregation and the district plan to participate in the event again this year on Sept. 26 with the goal of constructing 50 beds. The congregation also invited other congregations in West Marva to participate and help collect unused twin size bedding to gift along with the beds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

$2,500 to <\/strong>Camp Brethren Heights<\/strong> in the Church of the Brethren\u2019s Michigan District<\/a> supports marketing expense to increase outreach ministries and camper registration. To drive further awareness of Camp Brethren Heights, a marketing subcontractor has been hired and the camp invested in paid Google and Facebook advertising. The funds will help expand the geographic reach of the advertising, create a new campaign group to promote camp rentals, and extend the timeline for the campaigns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

$2,416.67 to Freeport (Ill.) Church of the Brethren<\/a><\/strong> supports the creation of a permanent memorial honoring victims of all forms of violence. On the International Day of Peace<\/a> in 2024 and 2025, the church planted peace doves on its lawn with pictures and names of victims of gun violence in the community since 2015. The permanent memorial for victims of all types of violence will include a wall with aluminum plates printed with the names, pictures, and dates for each victim, protected with plexiglass, along with a bench, landscaping, and brochure boxes to hold materials giving information about assistance for domestic abuse victims and other resources to avoid further violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

#MissionAndMinistryBoard #StrategicPlan #RacialJustice #LoveOurNeighbors #Discipleship #NewTestamentGiving<\/p>\n\n\n\n

———-<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Find more Church of the Brethren news:<\/p>\n\n\n