For members of the Endowment Committee, we have always agreed that the Endowment Fund will be “for real” when we have made grants impacting the lives of members of SOTV and the community of believers in our neighborhood and abroad. Now that time has actually come.

Over the past several months the Committee has determined that the Endowment Fund has earned sufficient income to fund grants in the amount of $6,200. Then the Committee worked with SOTV Staff and Pastors to identify projects needing funding that fit the three mission sectors of the Fund: Christian Education (supports education of Youth and adults, including summer camper scholarships); General Mission (supports worship, music, facilities); and Outreach Ministries (supports local, regional and international missions).

After evaluating a number of requests and ideas, the Committee has now approved grants for each of the mission sectors of the total fund:

Christian Education: $2,000 will be allocated for direct support of summer camp scholarships for our youth. This will ensure the funding that SOTV has provided to make sure our youth can experience growth in their faith that summer camping experience provides. Often times this type of experience can lead our youth to grow into the Christian leadership of tomorrow!

Christian Education: $1,800 is allocated to support purchases of equipment, such as a new computer for the youth ministry team, a portable PA system for youth ministry and also to fund attendance at a Youth leadership conference by a number of our youth.

General Mission: $1,200 from the Endowment will assist with the purchase of banners to hang from the light posts throughout the parking lot that will identify our building as a welcoming house of worship.

Outreach: $1,200 to support our partnership in Usolanga Parish, Tanzania to purchase solar power generating equipment for the Chapel and the parsonage. The equipment will power a sound system for our partners’ worship and evangelism efforts.

This is very exciting news! The Endowment Fund is touching the lives of people all around us: welcoming worshipers, building faith in our youth and our future leaders, and extending our hand in the work of our God to help our brothers and sisters in Tanzania build a new life in Christ.

And do you know what the best part is? We get to do it again next year! Yes, that is the beauty of the Endowment Fund: the funds you set aside for the future in the Fund will keep on growing faith and helping our brothers and sisters for generations to come.

Will you consider supporting the Endowment Fund by designating the SOTV Endowment Fund as a beneficiary in your will or estate plan? You can also support the Fund by gifts today. You can pick up a brochure with more information at the Welcome Desk or at the Welcome (informational) Wall.