By MC USA staff
(Mennonite Church USA) — Mennonite Church USA (MC USA) is seeking applications for its new Justice Fund. Launched in June, this mutual aid fund provides a way for individuals and congregations to support MC USA churches that are seeking greater engagement in peace and justice work. The fund, which was seeded with $2,000 from MC USA, has grown to more than $20,000 in just nine weeks.
MC USA will award grants to congregations that are actively engaged in their community and partnering with another church or organization on issues addressing racial justice, poverty, police brutality/reimagining policing and immigration or are seeking start-up money to engage in these areas. The denomination will give priority to those congregations with memberships of 150 or less.
“We know there is much work we can do as a church to bring the peace of God to our communities, especially with these needed resources,” said Iris de León-Hartshorn, MC USA associate executive director. “As peace churches, it is our responsibility to get actively involved in justice where we are.”
To apply for a Justice Fund grant, congregations must complete a brief online application.
To donate to the MC USA Justice Fund, click here and designate your donation for the Justice Fund.
The MC USA Justice Fund is part of the denomination’s #BringThePeace initiative. #BringThePeace is a call to action for individuals and congregations to extend peace in their communities. It is also a prayer inviting God to bring the peace that expands our capacity for empathy, compassion and love that actively seeks to dismantle oppression and violence. Learn more at mennoniteusa.org/bringthepeace.
For more information on MC USA’s peacebuilding efforts, visit http://mennoniteusa.org/what-we-do/peacebuilding/.
Mennonite Church USA is the largest Mennonite denomination in the United States with 16 conferences, approximately 530 congregations and 62,000 members. An Anabaptist Christian denomination, MC USA is part of Mennonite World Conference, a global faith family that includes churches in 86 countries. It has offices in Elkhart, Indiana and Newton, Kansas. mennoniteUSA.org