New Hope/Nueva Esperanza UMC

Nuevo Pacto UMF

El Mesias UMC

New & Vital Faith Communities

The purpose of both New & Vital Faith Communities teams is to collaborate with church leaders through prayer, sharing of ideas and identifying resources that help faith communities make disciples of Jesus for the transformation of the world. We believe we make disciples by being a courageous church; loving like Jesus, acting for justice, united in hope.

Quick Links

DSC Way Forward Resources

Growth & Vitality Survey

Discipling

Path 1 Information

Grants & Scholarships

New and Vital Faith Church COVID-19 Loan/Grants

DSC Way Forward Grant

Courageous Church Award

New People New Places Grant

New and Vital Faith Church COVID-19 Loan/Grants

The leadership of the annual Conference is aware of us and with us in this time of need. On Thursday, April 2, 2020, the Covenant Council approved the use of $500,000 in the form of a loan/grant to help churches across our Conference that are distressed because of the COVID-19 pandemic. This money is being made available from the New Faith Communities Endowment and we pray that it will be a help in the season to come.

To apply for the grant visit: https://dscumc.org/new-and-vital-faith/covid-19-church-loan-grant/

If you have any questions about the grant, please contact Dave McPherson, Director of New & Vital Faith Communities at .

Don’t Return to Normal! Re-Launch Instead!

COVID 19 has changed the way we do church. Church leaders have had to learn new ways of being together. For many, this has been a gift. New tools for worship, meetings, and how to make giving easier have been discovered, improved upon, and celebrated. There have been more visitors to many of our online worship services than ever seen in our church buildings. So, what will happen when the day comes, and it will when we can return to our buildings and be together physically? It would be a lost opportunity if we went back to what was “normal” because “normal” has not been working for most of us.

New church starts must plan for the launch of their opening worship service. Often, they find themselves in a situation when they need to relaunch. This is usually the case when they move to a new worshiping location. To relaunch, they create a marketing plan and an impact-event for the community.

What if our churches decide to relaunch when we return to our buildings? What if our churches start planning now for such a relaunch?

Path 1 is the General Church agency that provides resources for congregations who want to create new places for new people. Two new resources are designed to help prepare churches to relaunch.

Click on the following two items to access the resources:

If your church is interested in exploring how to relaunch and you could use some help, contact your District Superintendent or the office of New & Vital Faith Communities at .