Mission Ministries

Program and Budget

Episcopal Community Services, Commission on Global and Domestic Mission, Commission to End Racism, Diocesan Advocacy Committee, Jubilee Ministries, United Thank Offering, Companion Relationships, and Deaconate Ministry, all fall under the banner of Mission Ministry. This has now become a new office in the Diocese of Ohio because we recognize the importance in serving Christ as we give of ourselves in service ministry to the people of God. Healthy and growing Christians come to know the power of what it means to serve by giving of oneself in the service of others. Equally so, vibrant Christian ministers, lay and ordained, create fertile ground for spiritual health, and vital growth for congregations, vocations, and the Diocese at large. The Canon for Mission, working together with committees, parishes, rectors, and the people of this Diocese, works to be the best resource in the Diocese as we discover how to give in new ways.

This new office was created after the budget process for 2010 was finalized. So you will see that much of the same work is proposed in the same way as it has been in years past. We do anticipate that the 2011 budget will be organized in a new manner. Below, listed in the same order as the full diocesan budget, is a brief explanation of each line item in our office’s 2010 budget.

Commission on Global and Domestic Mission

• MDGs—Commission formed by 2006 Diocesan Convention to lead the diocese in addressing the MDG and local poverty through education, organization, and empowerment of parishes. The Commission makes recommendations to the Diocesan Council and Bishop regarding how the 0.7% allocation of Diocesan Operating Budget for MDG is used. $21,000
• Companion Relationships—This year at Diocesan Convention, the Diocese will receive recommendations from the CGDM to explore further a Companion relationship with two Provinces, one in Africa, and the other in South America, as we discover how best to learn more from each other as the Body of Christ.
• Domestic and International Mission and Service Projects—The Diocesan Council has authorized the Bishop and CGDM to jointly make decisions regarding the allocation of this budget line. Council has mandated that one-half of the funds be allocated toward domestic projects and one-half toward international projects. $20,000

Hunger and Homelessness Task Force

The Hunger and Homelessness task force has met over the last three years to address the issues and concern of homelessness and hunger in our Diocese. At the final meeting came forth recommendations for the Diocese to consider.

Commission to End Racism

The Commission to End Racism seeks an end to racism in the diocese by facilitating dialogue on the issue of racism and by promoting greater awareness of racism and diversity through programming and education. $3,000

Ohio Council of Churches

The Ohio Council of Churches seeks to challenge our members to learn from our diversity, to witness our faith, and celebrate our oneness with the Body of Christ.

• Share theological understanding in dialogue and worship;
• Identify common concerns, while understanding and respecting the theological and structural differences;
• Advocate for social policies, seeking justice for and with those with no voice;
• Nurture dialogue and common efforts among judicatory executives/bishops
• Communicate with and among regional ecumenical bodies in Ohio, creating opportunities for dialogue and partnering.

$15,000

Diocesan Advocacy Committee

This committee assists in identifying a focus for advocacy in the diocese and is a resource to parishes participating in diocesan advocacy. The Bishop and Diocesan Council, acting on a recommendation from the Advocacy Committee, name a fundamental societal need that parishes are invited and encouraged to address individually and collectively to effect transformation and healing.

Jubilee Ministries

This program was founded in 1982 for the purpose of affirming churches doing the work Christ commissions us to do among poor and oppressed people such as, providing food to the hungry, shelter to the homeless and welcome to the stranger… (Matt. 25). The program issues grants as a concrete expression of the church’s commitment to this ministry. The Jubilee Ministry Mandate: To be a “ministry of joint discipleship in Christ with poor and oppressed people, wherever they are found, to meet basic human needs and to build a just society.” $1,000

Episcopal Community Services

The Episcopal Community Services (ECS) mission is to promote a reconciling Episcopal witness that encourages justice through service, compassion, and liberation, empowering both those being served and those who serve. ECS lives out its mission through the collection and organization of programmatic and financial resources, in particular conducting an annual campaign; through grant distributions to parish and community initiatives that serve the needs of communities in the diocese; and through support to Episcopal parishes and collaborative initiatives that educate and advocate for systemic change, justice, and liberation. ECS continues to be central to our common Christian witness in the Diocese of Ohio, integrating and encouraging service as formation, and biblically modeled advocacy on behalf of those most needy and without voice. The major work of ECS, to address issues of human need in our midst, is accomplished by providing grant support to parish and community service agencies that work hard to provide compassionate care to the marginalized in our society.

Episcopal Community Services manages the distribution of grant monies received from the Trustees of the Diocese and from the annual appeal, and provides strategic planning and policy guidelines for consistent fund allocation to Episcopal, ecumenical, and community services that address human need. ECS grant criteria strongly encourage Episcopal participation and collaboration.

The ECS Development Council is in the process of reviewing 48 applications for program support. The 2009 requests for funding total over $389,000 and represent youth, education, prison ministry, legal services, housing, homelessness, health, and hunger programs. More than 50% of the applications are from programs administered by Episcopal congregations inviting ECS to partner with them in local mission. ECS also continues, under the direction of the Diocesan Trustees, to administer grant requests for services to the elderly on behalf of the Church Home Endowment. By year’s end, nearly $197,000 will be distributed from the Church Home Endowment to programs providing services to the elderly.

United Thank Offering

The United Thank Offering is a program of The Episcopal Church for the mission of the whole Church, founded by and administered by women since 1889. The United Thank Offering Committee is a spiritual and financial partner in the mission work of The Episcopal Church, through every person in every pew. UTO is entrusted to promote thank offerings, to receive the offerings, and to distribute the United Thank Offering monies through grants. The Committee awards and administers these grants within the framework of the policies and procedures of the Domestic and Foreign Missionary Society (DFMS) of The Episcopal Church. The mission of the United Thank Offering is to expand the circle of thankful people. To achieve this mission we encourage daily prayers, offerings, and awareness of the abundance of God’s blessings.