The New Ministries Team (NMT) seeks to participate in a new movement of the Spirit by encouraging existing ministries to grow and inspiring individual leaders and congregations to imagine new kinds of ministries for a new era of church. We exist to steward efforts in the Presbytery to begin new churches and ministries, and to encourage existing congregations to revitalize their mission through developing new ministries. New ministries are expected to articulate their mission and vision in terms of their faith.
Applications are accepted year-round and
reviewed on an ongoing basis. Grant recipients are announced at the end
of April, July, and November.
The New Ministries Team of the Presbytery of the Cascades is gathered in order to:
- Steward efforts in the Presbytery to begin new churches and ministries.
- Work with 1001 New Worshiping Communities of the PC(USA), connecting local efforts to national support.
- Encourage existing congregations to revitalize their mission through developing new ministries. The mission of the Presbytery of the Cascades reads: “Because God is at work in our world, the Presbytery of the Cascades commits to:
- encourage and support congregations to grow in their particular ministries.
- support and care for those in leadership.
- develop supportive relationships within the presbytery and with other sisters and brothers in Christ.
- inspire, equip and connect churches for mission and ministry.”
The work of the New Ministries Team can play a central role in helping our Presbytery fulfill this mission in the world both by encouraging existing ministries to grow and by inspiring individual leaders and congregations to imagine new kinds of ministries for a new era of church. We want to be part of a new movement of Spirit in these times.
In doing this work we are guided by some basic principles:
- We will listen to each other in the circle gathering of the team.
- We want to be at the table of change. We believe that the church is in a whole new era when practices which used to be meaningful to people are losing interest, and where people are asking different questions of their inner life.
- Our focus is on doing things differently, in response to the changing yearnings of our times.
- We are willing to take risks, even to fail and learn from our failures.
- We will work to use resources of people and money wisely.
- Our focus will be on ministries and people, and less on buildings.
- We are a learning community, sharing stories and resources.
- We will partner with other denominations, religious faiths or community groups, as opportunities arise.
- We choose not to burn-out, so we will add members to the team as needed.