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The Presbyterian Foundation
All parishes and presbyteries/UDCs received information kits and application forms for grants from The Presbyterian Foundation earlier this year with a closing date of 15 September 2002.
This is an exciting way of seeking funding for innovative, collaborative, mission oriented plans. More information is available on the MRT noticeboard on the website
The following are two stories about groups who received funding for this year to encourage you as you look at your proposals.
<typohead type=3>Nan Watson writes about their Food and Fellowship programme in Te Puke.</typohead>
"I believed there was a need in Te Puke for a place for people to go and have a good hot meal at least once a week. I knew of various people who slept out in the parks, plus others who were finding it hard to make ends meet. Then again, there were others who were lonely and needed the fellowship. I really felt the Lord was urging me to set this in place, but I didn't know where to start. I played around with the idea for some time and in the meantime heard about at least two other churches who were providing a weekly meal.
A few months passed as our church was experiencing a vacancy and I became too busy to give the dinner much thought. Then we welcomed a new minister and in the course of conversation I expressed my desire to set up a weekly dinner, hoping to get a few clues from him. He just said to me "If that is what you want to do Nan, then just do it."
It started me really thinking seriously, and taking one step at a time I got into gear. I advertised in all the strategic places like the Budget Advisory Service, doctors surgeries etc., a date was set and we were away. I say "we" because it immediately caught the imagination of others who were willing to help and provide food, but weren't keen on organising. It started small but grew quickly to twenty regular people all in the various categories I have already mentioned, with an emphasis on the lonely. We don't preach, just provide warmth and friendship with a two course hot meal regularly each Friday in the lounge of St Andrew's Church.
In the course of planning we realised that if we were handling food on this scale we would have to comply with OSH and consequently applied for the funds to install a sterilizer. It also lightens the load of work and we are very grateful for the grant of $3,500. A few adjustments were needed for the kitchen layout, otherwise it all fell smoothly into place."
<typohead type=3>Rosa Waddington, B.A., Dip. Tchg. writes:</typohead>
"Since the beginning of 2001 I have been helping run a Homework Centre at Balmoral Presbyterian Church, Auckland. I am a retired secondary school teacher and an elder at Iona Church, Blockhouse Bay. We mainly have four Ethiopian girls, now aged 7 to 12 years, come to the centre; two at Owairaka Primary School and two in Form II at Wesley Intermediate School. The aim of the centre is to encourage and assist the children to complete all homework tasks, to improve their reading ability, and to reinforce the idea that education is important for girls too.
At the beginning of 2002, we purchased 82 graded level reading books from Claire Bunt, a reading specialist. These are from the Scooters, Momentum, and National Geographic "Windows on Literacy" series.
The books range in reading age from 6-10+, while catering for an interest level 7-13+ years, and are linked to the New Zealand curriculum. She also provided material to assist me to test the children to assess their reading age. One of the children was found to have a reading age of 4 years below her chronological age, though the other three were reading at approximately their chronological age. The books are both fiction and non-fiction, with colourful illustrations, and are very popular with the children. They can read them aloud to me or each other, or read silently. We also purchased a good dictionary, and a one-volume encyclopaedia.
The children have really appreciated the help they are getting, are keen to come each week, and work hard during the session."