Earlier this week, we received good news from the Advance & Development Fund of the Diocese of Delaware. This fund was established for the sole purpose of helping churches of the diocese receive financial assistance though grants and loans tohelp pay for structural repairs to church buildings in need of that repair. We applied for a combination of grant and loan money, knowing that our plea was different than those of many churches with small congregations, little or no endowment and a leaky roof or crumbling walls. Still we pressed on, as we believed that our kitchen and organ, both structural in nature, are vital to the mission and outreach of SsAM.
On May 3, representatives of SsAM, including the Rector, Senior Warden, Kitty Esterly, Tina Betz, Dana Robertson, and our consultants from Bloom Metz made a presentation to the Advance and Development Fund committee in support of our application for funding. The news was positive. The A&D Committee awarded us a grant of $75,000 dollars, and approved a loan/line of credit of $125,000, at low interest, to be paid back over the course of five years. This is not the full amount that we had requested, but it means that the diocese believes that our campaign is important because it supports the mission of our church, which is the heart of who we are. They, too, have limited funds. Many requests for funding are received and the committee must be responsible in seeing that the money they disperse is done so judiciously.
This is one more step in our effort to achieve our campaign goal. With the help of our Lord Jesus Christ and the faith of everyone who believes in the mission of The Episcopal Church of Sts Andrew and Matthew, we will achieve our goal, so that we can continue to be a beacon of hope and of spiritual hospitality for the people in downtown Wilmington.
