Episcopal Press and News

PB Fund Authorizes Release of over $1.2 Million in Grants

Episcopal News Service. December 5, 1996 [96-1640]

Jack Donovan

(ENS) Members of the board of directors of the Presiding Bishop's Fund for World Relief authorized the release of more than $1.2 million during their recent meeting in New York.

The main focus of the meeting was on how to spend the more than $750,000 raised by Episcopal churches and dioceses through the fund this summer and fall for burned churches in America. At a June meeting, the board passed a resolution to raise an initial $100,000 for purpose of restoring congregational life to the communities affected by the burning of churches. The response reached more than seven times that goal.

In June, the fund sent $33,000 in emergency grants for burned churches and committed $100,000 through the National Council of Churches to aid in launching the national ecumenical and interfaith response. In the November meeting, the board authorized an additional $100,000 for reconstruction, and $250,000 for the increased operational costs of the rebuilt churches and community development. This $350,000 will be funneled through Church World Service gaining a dollar for dollar match by foundations. The money for operations and community development will flow back through the fund and be granted to projects endorsed by Episcopal bishops and churches in the region.

The board authorized the payment of $150,000 over three years through the dioceses of South Carolina and Upper South Carolina to the South Carolina Christian Action Council (SCCAC) for its Sabbath of Support Project. Initially a one-day observance of prayer for the burned churches, the Sabbath of Support developed into a project to make the "large number of programs in South Carolina working on race relations, on conflict management, on building respect, and on reducing violence. . . grow, covering the entire state with a carpet of tolerance in which no weeds of racism and hate can grow," said SCCAC executive minister Rev. Wayne Bryan.

The board authorized the release of $50,000 for the initial phase of a major initiative in the Diocese of Haiti to develop a series of projects focused on health care and education at the local church level.

In other business, the board received a report on the release of $300,000 in grants made since May 12 for emergency relief from hurricanes, tornados, fires, famine and civil unrest. Grants totaling $375,000 were also made in response to requests in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, Central America, Europe, Mexico, the Middle East, South American and the United States for projects involving such issues as health care, job training and aid to the homeless.

The recent uprising of rebels in Zaire has prompted the fund to prepare for the possibility of further disaster in the Great Lakes Region of Africa, which encompasses Rwanda, Zaire, Burundi and Tanzania. A recent full-page ad in USA Today, sponsored by the Presiding Bishop's Fund, Church World Service, Lutheran World Relief, United Methodist Committee On Relief, and the Presbyterian Disaster Assistance appealed for $7.9 million emergency funds for needy Rwandans. All five church groups are members of ACT (Action by Churches Together), a Christian aid coalition. To participate in the relief of the enormous suffering of the people of Rwanda and the Great Lakes region, please make your checks payable to The Presiding Bishop's Fund, mark for Rwanda and mail to The Presiding Bishop's Fund, c/o Banker's Trust, P.O. Box 12043, Newark, NJ 07101.