At a time when a broad range of challenges are confronting houses of worship, the Metropolitan New York Synod (MNYS) of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) recently announced that Floral Park’s Christ Lutheran Church on Plainfield Avenue has been awarded with a capital improvement grant that will assist the church in making key renovations, enabling it to better serve the community.
The award announcement marks a milestone for the Synod’s strategic plan, which seeks to reinvest in member churches by developing creative solutions for recommitting to ministry in places where its presence may be enhanced to more fully serve the community.
“In an environment where church closings are becoming more and more commonplace, the Lutheran Church is making a deliberate effort to re-invest in our communities’ viable ministries,” said Synod Bishop Robert Rimbo. “With these grants, churches like Christ can now take the focus off of an aging physical plant that impedes our ministry and put the focus back on doing God’s work.”
Last month the Synod Council approved $200,000 of funding for its first Capital Improvement Challenge Grants, which matches funds raised by the applying churches. With nearly 40 congregations throughout the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn, Staten Island, Long Island, and Westchester and Dutchess Counties submitting applications, 21 were selected by the capital improvement grant review committee to receive funds. Christ will use the funds to finance improvements to its bell tower.
