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NEW PALESTINE — The dollars are still used for building, but what they’re helping build has shifted.
Cross of Grace Lutheran Church paid off the mortgage on all its capital projects in 2022. Over the years the church had built its original facility at 3519 S. CR 600W and two expansion projects.
Yet when that financial obligation was complete, people who’d given to the building fund kept on giving, and “We transformed the building fund into a building and outreach fund,” said the Rev. Mark Havel, lead pastor.
Some of the funds continue to be set aside for building maintenance and future projects. But now, 50 percent are given away.
The church accepted applications in late 2023 and, this spring, awarded its first round of grants to six organizations:
–Exodus Refugee Immigration Inc. helps refugees get settled and establish their new lives.
–Isaiah 117 House serves children entering foster care by offering a child-friendly place to have a meal, play and be cared for while a caseworker arranges placement, rather than perhaps just sitting in the caseworker’s office.
–The Milk Bank is “on a mission to save infant lives and improve health outcomes by providing access to safe human milk,” according to its website. It dispenses safe human milk to hospitals in 18 states, including Indiana.
–School on Wheels DBA Brightlane Learning works to meet the education needs of children whose families are experiencing housing insecurity or homelessness.
–Safe Families for Children seeks to support families and prevent children from unnecessarily entering foster care.
–Talitha Koum Women’s Recovery House, in Greenfield, serves women transitioning from substance abuse to a healthy, sober lifestyle.
Organizations are grateful for the boost the grant offers. Logan Clark, location leader for the Isaiah 117 House in Marion County, said its $4,000 grant has been put toward identifying and securing a plot of land or a house on the east side of Marion County.
He said the Isaiah 117 House in west Marion County has served an average of 24 children per month who have been removed from their homes, with many months seeing in excess of 35.
“While at our house, the guests receive several days’ worth of brand-new clothing, their favorite meals and snacks, and are cared for by loving volunteers,” Clark wrote in an email. “All of this is done in an effort to reduce trauma for them on removal day, lighten the load for the social workers, and provide the foster families a better start to the placement.”
Havel said the congregation knew well in advance that the building fund would transition toward outreach. He said people have been enthusiastic. At the mortgage-burning party, “The celebration was as much of the fact … we were going to be able to do all these other cool things with our money,” he said.
“We’ve always tried to be a generous congregation,” he said. “I think people are inspired to know we’re using the money the way God tells us to, to serve others. …
“People love that. I think they give as much or more because of that than anything else.”
Organizations receiving grants are asked for a post-grant update. Perhaps it’s a piece in the church newsletter or stopping by to talk with Havel and Associate Pastor Cogan Blackmon. Or it could mean visiting a service to share an update.
Representatives from Exodus Refugee Immigration will visit Cross of Grace at 9:45 p.m. Oct. 20 for the church’s Adult Forum time. They’ll lead a discussion called Refugee 101 and talk about the assimilation and naturalization process and ways people can help refugees.
“We are so grateful for the church’s support of our work,” Cassandra Sanborn, Exodus’ director of development, wrote in an email. “Cross of Grace’s funding is helping to support our Youth Program, which helps ensure that young refugees will have the support they need to start successful new lives here in Central Indiana.
“When we receive grants like this from the community, it helps show that Central Indiana is a place where everyone can be safe and welcome.”
A team from Cross of Grace visited Exodus on Sept. 8, delivering donated household items. The volunteers also helped out at the facility in Indianapolis, as part of an Evangelical Lutheran Church in America day of service, “God’s work. Our hands.”
“We’re trying to get connected with some of these organizations,” Havel said, “over and above the grant money that we give away.”
