Christian Theological Seminary, which administers the Lilly Endowment Clergy Renewal Grants, has informed us that First Church and our Pastor Dave Denoon will be awarded a grant for use in 2017. Congratulations all around, but especially to Pastor Dave and to the Grant team led by grant writer Bob Moody!

The grant, worth almost $50,000, describes a program of renewal for both our minister and ourselves. Rev. Denoon and his family will travel to West Africa, with plans to visit Nigeria, Benin, Ghana, and Senegal. The areas that these countries represent include not only natural wonders, archaeological sites, and religious centers, but also places significant to the slave trade of the 18th and 19th Centuries. In fact, practically all of the sabbatical travels are designed to introduce and reintroduce the Denoons to the African side of American and world history.Some time for reflection and reunion with old friends is also scheduled into their itinerary for the summer of 2017.

First Church, meanwhile as well as before and after, will spend the coming year exploring the roots of racism while also engaging preventive discussions and practices with trained leaders and agencies.

This truly will be a sabbatical year, since the purpose of a sabbatical like this is refreshment and renewal.

Your prayers are encouraged, your involvement affirmed, and our growth expected!

The narrative (non-statistics) of the proposal offered and approved is readable here.