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Celtic Cross Society grants $12K in mission funds

A previous NCCC Americorps team working on fuel hazard reduction in Camp Meeker. Photo courtesy of St. Dorothy's Rest.
A previous NCCC Americorps team working on fuel hazard reduction in Camp Meeker. Photo courtesy of St. Dorothy’s Rest.

The student-led Celtic Cross Mission Society has announced $12,242 in project funding to seven 2020 grant applicants, representing initiatives based in six different U.S. states.

The society raises these funds primarily by parking cars on UC-Berkeley football game days. Leaders met on September 15 to approve the award allocations.

“This year we were impressed by the diversity of projects requesting grant funding,” said Celtic Cross Missioner Jen Crompton.

“The work being done by all of our grant recipients is truly remarkable and the entire committee expressed their gratitude at being able to support these ministries. We hope that through sharing these projects others will be inspired to apply and to donate to our grant fund.”

Crompton announced that the society expects to open another grant cycle in October to fund wildfire relief projects.

The seven projects to receive funding are listed below, along with brief descriptions of the work.

All Saints Episcopal Church of the North Shore

Danvers, MA (Applicant: Fran Weil)

This worship, communication, and evangelism funding will be used to purchase a carefully chosen collection of sight-and-sound digital equipment. The church’s objective is to seamlessly combine in-person worship with Zoom in an exciting, blended approach that will allow full, bi-directional participation from the sanctuary and from home.

Discerning Sobriety

Houston, TX (Applicant: The Rev. Erin Jean Warde)

This online course will help participants explore their personal and communal relationships with alcohol through incarnation-based theology. The grant will support the creation and promotion of the course, led by the Rev. Erin Jean Warde.

Greenfield Community Science Workshop

Greenfield, CA (Applicant: Jose S. Sanchez)

This grant award will help build an outdoor classroom structure to allow a safe reopening of GCSW’s Drop-In Program, which offers the community a safe and family-friendly workspace to engage in authentic and fun science learning experiences. The program serves everyone, regardless of age, specific interests, or preferred learning style.

The New Creation Project

Columbus, OH (Applicant: Father Robert Anthony Rhodes, CMMR)

This grant award will assist the Community of Mary, Mother of the Redeemer in purchasing a new computer to help expand its ministry in the area of formation, one of its three primary charisms. CMMR’s New Creation Project will fulfill its charism by developing formation materials for congregations of the Episcopal Church and beyond.

Prathibha Foundation Charitable Trust

Frederick, MD & Hyderabad, India (Applicants: Angela Furlong & Thomas Turbyville)

The goal of this grant is to assist All Saints’ in Frederick, MD in its ministry to the community of Hyderabad, India and the Prathibha Foundation. They will use this money in conjunction with other funds raised for the purchase of a church building at risk of being lost to a small, rural congregation there. This building and church community are the lifeblood of their community and continue to bring great hope to a community devastated by COVID-19.

St. Dorthy’s Rest

Camp Meeker, CA (Applicant: Katie Evenbeck)

This grant award will supporting the ongoing efforts associated with facility upkeep, fuels reduction, fire prevention management, and efforts to support the local community during a pandemic. St. Dorothy’s Rest will provide housing and utilities to a guest NCCC AmeriCorps team working in the area, and one day per week the team will be assigned work projects at the camp.

Tiospaye Wakan (Holy Family)

Souix Falls, SD (Applicant: The Rev. Isaiah “Shaneequa” Brokenleg ’18)

This project, called “Woksape (wisdom), Wowacintanka (fortitude), and Wacantognaka (generosity)” or “WWW,” is intended to (1) build stronger community relationships, (2) provide a source for financial income to our Indigenous siblings, especially during COVID times, (3) increase Indigenous cultural preservation, and (4) provide space for cultural healing as well as racial reconciliation. The community intends to accomplish these goals by providing beading and other cultural classes to the community.