Sharing Christ’s love and joining in the work of the Spirit in our communities and beyond.
Diocesan Convention Video
Liturgical Space Renewal
Enriching Worship Space at Trinity Cush, Des Moines
$6,885.93
Trinity Cush is the newest congregation in the diocese, and the first South Sudanese congregation. Trinity currently shares space with St. Andrew’s Des Moines, and would like to enrich their worship and liturgical space, and make it their own by acquiring music equipment and items needed to better hear and see the service, both in-person and online. Being able to have services, and deliver the word of God, during COVID has been very difficult because of the lack of music and equipment needed. Songs are a very important part of the worship, to encourage everyone to keep the word of the life and have great faith in daily life. Grant funds will be used to purchase items that will enrich their worship space, including a keyboard, sound system, and laptop.
Parish Hall Upgrade at St. Paul’s, Durant
$15,000
The Parish Hall has been utilized by the church members and the community for much of its existence for such needs as clothes closet, reading room, Sunday school, youth group, church office, vestry meeting space, among many other things, but limitations of non-accessibility and no bathroom have prevented many groups from using the building on a long-term basis. St. Paul’s is currently listed as an emergency shelter with the City of Durant, and being handicap accessible would better equip St. Paul’s to serve this need The Parish Hall space renewal could also be used by community members for such things as AA meetings, youth group meetings, social groups such as card playing, card making, wedding/baby showers, family holiday gatherings. Many of these groups may have individuals with accessibility issues, so the question of accessibility becomes paramount to welcoming those who would have been denied access previously. Making the Parish Hall accessible is part of a larger project vision, which will include using additional funding sources to make the space more welcoming and usable through other repairs and additions. Grant funds will be used to put a handicap accessible ramp from the sidewalk to the landing at the back door on the West side of the Parish Hall and to put in a handicap accessible restroom with appropriate stool, sink, fixtures, and water heater.
Kiln Project at The Way Station, Spencer
$6,679.01
The Way Station (TWS), a diocesan ministry, is a worshipping community and mission outreach that seeks to share God's extravagant love with the community through radical hospitality in a variety of ways, including serving coffee and food, and through the use of a book room, a play room, and an art room. Art is very therapeutic, allows people to express themselves, and ministers to them at a very deep level, helping them to relate to our Creator God. The art offered at The Way Station, for a freewill donation, allows art to be accessible to everyone, and is a powerful community builder. TWS has begun hosting public art classes and workshops, and seeks to expand their offerings by purchasing a kiln. Grant funds will be used to purchase a kiln, pay for the necessary electrical work, and some initial art supplies. Ceramics is a very popular and fun art activity, and it could add substantially to the social enterprise of art classes and also draw more people into community. Youth and adults will enjoy this activity, which will help them to express themselves, explore their God-given creativity, and improve their self-esteem by making something beautiful.
Mobility Stairlifts at St. John’s, Shenandoah
$12,981.05
St. John’s has two existing chairlifts: one connecting the sanctuary to the undercroft and the other connecting an exterior entrance to the undercroft; but one has not worked in over six years, and the other has recently stopped working. A long-time parishioner is dependent on the lift to the sanctuary due to the effects of polio, and therefore has been unable to attend services since the lift stopped working. An Alcoholics Anonymous group regularly uses St. John’s for their meeting space, and they’ve also asked about handicap accessibility for some of their members. Broken equipment and lack of accessibility shouldn’t be a reason someone can’t access the church to find comfort, healing, or spiritual food. Research was done into the possibility of repairing the existing units, but replacement was recommended as the existing units are 20+ years old and parts are scarce. Grant funds will be used to replace both units bringing the building back to being handicap accessible.
Beginning a New or Strengthening an Existing Ministry
Behavioral Health Ministries Team, in partnership with Rev. Kris Leaman, Amy Mellies, & Rev. John Greve
$3,000
The Behavioral Health Ministries Team will identify, and support, and lend assistance to clergy, parishes, and families with mental health needs. The intended impact is to build a support system, referral sources, and information, to clergy and parish leadership who in turn are able to guide parishioners to get help. The team will be comprised of clergy, lay and community advisors in the fields of mental health. This is a multi-phase project, and the focus of Year 1, Phase 1 will be: putting together a team to help discern what this kind of ministry team will look like; identifying BHMT community and ecumenical partners (ex. DMPCC, AMOS); putting resources together for clergy and congregations (ex. mental health checklist, suicide checklist, hotline numbers, website resources, professionals in local communities). Grant funds will be used to create the team, including paying for mileage, facilitators, consultations with experts; to create resources, ie. webpage, flyers, handouts; and possibly a grant writer to assist in finding more funds for the team to use with the various ministry projects we see coming from this team.
Labyrinth Ministry at Grace, Cedar Rapids
$5,000
Grace Episcopal Church wishes to install a portable labyrinth in the church to use with its members and community partners for meditative reflection and healing. Specific benefits individuals have experienced as a result of labyrinth walking include: answers to, or insights to personal problems or circumstances; a general sense of inner peace or calm; emotional healing from past abuse or other traumas. The labyrinth will be in the same general space as Grace’s Medical Lending Closet, so repair of the flooring in this area is step 1, and funding for the floor repair is being secured from other sources. The labyrinth will be made available to: community partners, including Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, who meet regularly at the church; clients of the Medical Lending Closet; and members of Grace and other faith communities. Grant funds will be used to purchase the portable labyrinth and the supplies needed to develop the labyrinth ministry.
Formation for Youth or Young Adults
Simpson Youth Academy Scholarships, in partnership with Rev. Eric Rucker
$5,000
The Simpson College Youth Academy (SYA) is a year-long, ecumenical program for Iowan high school youth grounded in the conviction that young people have gifts and power that are essential for the healing of the world now. Through college-level intellectual engagement, training in worship and prayer leadership, and reflective service around community issues, SYA helps youth step into mature young adult Christian faith as they discern their particular callings as agents of justice in their churches and the world. Grant funds will be used to provide 4 tuition scholarships for Episcopal youth, and/or LGBTQ youth, to attend the program’s 2022 summer residency. Scholarships for these two populations address critical needs in our communities. First, the Episcopal Church in America is rapidly aging and shrinking. Thus urgent, intentional investment in forming young Episcopalians is needed to sustain our church institution. And second, American LGBTQ youth are faced with consistent marginalization at higher rates than non-LGBTQ youth by the general public and by religious communities. Therefore, the Diocese and Academy’s decision to offer financial assistance to such youth is a prophetic statement of radical welcome for queer youth in the name of Christ.
Youth & Family Mental Health Services, in partnership with Rev. Kris Leaman, Amy Mellies, & Rev. John Greve
$3,000
This grant will provide funds for children, youth and families to seek assistance with Behavioral/Mental Health resources. Out-of-pocket costs for mental health services vary between $25 - $120 on average in Iowa. Depending on individual cases, some therapists could request weekly meetings while others may only need appointments once a month, and many are unable to fully afford the cost. Also, some families have insurance to cover the costs of their children’s appointments, but parents are often not covered and cannot afford to pay out of pocket when family appointments are suggested. We hope to defray costs for children, youth and family units to receive the help they need. A supplement of $50 toward the out-of-pocket cost for families would allow for assisting with 50 appointments within the next year. Grant funds will be issued to children, youth and families seeking mental health appointments and who may not be able to afford the cost. Applications will need to be filled and pre-approved by the Behavioral Health Ministry Team (BHMT), and packets of information (depression, suicide, other mental health services available and ways to get help) will also be given out to applicants.
Teachers for Youth at Trinity Cush, Des Moines
$5,000
Trinity Cush is the newest congregation in the diocese, the first South Sudanese congregation, and currently shares space with St. Andrew’s Des Moines. They would like to offer a class to their youth and young adults, to teach them about the Bible, common prayer, and culture and language (Dinka & English). This program aims to teach youth about the Bible and to keep the word of the Lord to their heart, to offer support to not fall into peer pressure with substance use, drinking, fighting, and to encourage youth to turn to God and the church for support in how to live everyday life. Grant funds will be used to pay 2 teachers who speak and write both Dinka and English, for 4 hours per week for 1 year, and they have 2 teachers in-mind/available.
Support for Newly Ordained Clergy
Evangelism
Clergy Support at St. Andrew’s, Des Moines
$23,000
Saint Andrew’s embraces the concept of shared ministry - lay people serving alongside clergy to accomplish the work of the church - and has a “can-do” spirit that fuels us to take action to be a blessing to our community. These qualities are precious and essential to our identity, but in order to be sustainable will require innovation. In early 2021, the Vestry discerned that this should take the form of partnerships between the parish and other groups with the same goals, and determined that a “point person” was needed to act as a bridge. We knew that we had an individual among us already who truly embodies the purpose of GILEAD: to engage and empower disciples to participate in the mission of God in local communities and the world. That person is the newly ordained Reverend Elizabeth Gillman, whose creative and collaborative leadership is an integral part of what we are seeking to build: a team-based leadership structure that is tied into our local community. Saint Andrew’s is at a financial and leadership crossroads, and grant funding will give us the ability to commit to continuing this staff position during a time of transition. Grant funds will be used for Rev. Gillman’s salary, housing, pension, and any benefits.
Clergy Support at Trinity, Iowa City
$20,000
The upcoming year will be a critical time for Trinity as it emerges from major pandemic constrictions and re-engages its parishioners in person worship, service, fellowship, and outreach. Trinity will also be able to reach out to a rapidly growing Iowa City – particularly its large young adult population – and enhance its ongoing involvement in racial justice issues. Trinity’s leadership believes that adding a recently ordained clergy person will help it address these challenges and opportunities in multiple ways. Previously, Trinity’s lay Parish Life Coordinator has ably assisted Trinity’s faith formation, fellowship, and outreach ministries. Trinity will use this grant to cover most of the additional costs involved in hiring a recently ordained clergy person, as opposed to continuing with a Parish Life Coordinator. The proposed recently ordained clergy person will support these ongoing ministries, while helping Trinity grow in, at a minimum, these four areas: pastoral care and online worship; young adult ministry; beloved community initiative; and outreach. Grant funds will largely cover the gap in funding between what is needed for the planned new curacy and what is now spent for the Parish Life Coordinator position. As such, GILEAD’s support will be vital to establishing the new curacy.
The Middle Way Podcast, in partnership with Hannah Landgraf & Rev. Eric Rucker
$4,773.08
The Middle Way is a podcast that explores the intersection between the church calendar and the lives of God's people with an Episcopal lens. Hailing from the Anglican history of via media or the middle way, each episode explores scripture, the liturgical season, and what it means to integrate our faith and our lives in the context of today's world. The Middle Way is truth between the weakness of two extremes. It’s a disciplined holding together. Since its start, in May of 2020, the Middle Way has brought over one hundred monthly listeners from diverse backgrounds, together to share, explore, and learn on topics ranging from mental health, spiritual disciplines, queer theology, and grief. At its core, this is the work of evangelism—of sharing the Good News of Jesus, telling our own stories, and inviting others to know God's love and liberation. By investing in the equipment and technology we need, and providing compensation for our time and the time of our guests, we believe we can produce a professional-level podcast that will grow listenership and provide a platform to welcome the curious, the seekers, the cradle Episcopalians, and those who have been hurt by the church into Jesus' loving presence. The majority of the grant funds requested will be used on one-time, initial costs associated with technology and equipment. While the Middle Way has built a solid foundation of listeners using a basic computer, after extensive research and speaking with other podcast producers, we have learned that using professional-level sound and recording equipment will allow us to create and distribute a quality episode that can be shared with individual listeners and congregations. The remaining funds will be used to compensate staff for their time spent planning, designing, recording, and editing each episode and offering an honorarium to guests invited to speak on various episodes. Having designated honoraria funds will allow us to invite high-caliber guests who are experts in their fields to provide valuable insight on topics and themes that the Middle Way will highlight in each episode.
Expanding Tools and Technology
Garden Tractor at St. Timothy’s, West Des Moines
$5,000
The Faith & Grace Garden is a ministry that addresses food insecurity in our local communities by donating fresh, organic fruits and vegetables to local organizations, and has been doing so for over 20 years. Last year, the garden donated 16,320 pounds of organic fruits and vegetables to food pantries and food distribution partners in central Iowa; one pound of produce equals 4 meals, so that’s over 65,000 meals! The garden started on St. Timothy’s land, and has expanded to include neighboring land from Covenant Presbyterian; and the garden relies on volunteers from the churches and a variety of partner organizations. The garden coordinator notes that to keep the one-acre Faith & Grace Garden so productive after 20 years of cultivation is increasingly hard work: we must constantly feed and build up our soil to keep to it healthy; add manure, decayed leaf material, vegetable matter, and organic fertilizers to our soil throughout the year, and especially in the spring and fall. A garden tractor will allow them to mechanize the heaviest work, which is becoming increasingly difficult as the lead gardeners age. Grant funds will be applied to the purchase of a used 25-35hp diesel garden tractor for the Faith and Grace Garden; the tractor will have both a bucket for moving soil, rock, mulch, and other heavy loads as well as a tiller for turning over soil when planting crops.
Improving Streaming & Conferencing Technology at St. Timothy’s, West Des Moines
$3,000
St. Timothy’s seeks to enhance our technology foundation and further improve online streaming and conferencing capabilities. We plan to build on the infrastructure made possible by a GILEAD Grant in 2020. Combined with monies from our parish, this investment enabled us to stream our Sunday services online to those unable or unwilling to attend services in person, to reach new worshipers outside our community and to allow conference meetings with individuals in our facility and others at home. We now plan to build on this initial investment to enhance the online worship experience and improve our conferencing abilities. Grant funds will be used to purchase additional technology to build on our infrastructure, including purchasing cameras for the front of sanctuary views and organ close-ups and new microphones to support the choir and virtual meetings. In addition, funds will be used to purchase cabling, concrete drilling services and a camera controller and to move an existing camera to a better location in the sanctuary. All of this will tie into the infrastructure created last year, and we believe this investment expands and improves our ability to evangelize to our community and outward in a changing world.
Tech Upgrade at St. Mark’s, Fort Dodge
$4,000
St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Fort Dodge has been recording/broadcasting Sunday services via telephone (a parishioner’s cell phone) for over a year, but the quality of video is fair at best. An upgrade of video equipment is needed, and has support from the St. Mark’s Tech Team who endorse getting better equipment along with instruction so multiple people are trained to operate the equipment and the work does not fall solely to one person. Mounted cameras will be able to focus on the priest, readers, and musicians, and a computer will allow for broadcasting to Facebook and YouTube. This equipment upgrade will assist in St. Mark’s outreach to homebound parishioners and to the folks who find church by way of the internet. Grant funds will be used for technology including cameras, camera controllers, a laptop, video switcher, microphone, data converter, and installation.
AV Upgrades at St. John’s by the Campus, Ames
$4,500
During the Covid-19 pandemic the services were recorded and posted to YouTube and a Zoom coffee hour was held for congregate interaction. With the services going back to in-person it was decided that the best course of action would be to offer a hybrid in-person and streamed service for those that are not comfortable with being back in person, and for those that cannot attend whether it is due to illness, bad weather, travel, etc. Our Livestream and audio are being managed from the pulpit, which means no readers can use the pulpit, and the sermon cannot be given from the pulpit. Currently, all we use for our Livestream setup is the (limited) audio system originally installed in 1997, a Canon G7x iii camera, a laptop, and Stream Yard. To allow sound to be connected to the laptop for the Livestreams, we have to disconnect the hearing loop that allows people to tune in better to the service using the T-Coil setting on their hearing aids or using provided headphones, as we don’t have enough input/output on our sound mixer. Our current system is very complicated, not at all user-friendly, unreliable, and limited. Grant funds will be used to install a camera, sound mixer, speakers, microphone, and set up a control center for the equipment. These items will assist our hard of hearing congregants as it will allow us to use the hearing loop concurrently as we livestream. This project will also increase our outreach by allowing for people to sample the church through the live service and also allow for easier streaming of outside musical events.
Technology Upgrades at Grace Church, Boone
$4,865.30
In early 2020 when in-person gatherings were restricted because of COVID-19, Grace Episcopal Church in Boone and Good Shepherd Episcopal Church in Webster City began offering joint online worship services via Zoom. These interactive services (Sunday morning and mid-week compline) created a safe, supportive, and inclusive worship environment for individuals from both church communities and beyond. Since resuming in-person worship, both churches remain committed to maintaining their partnership and offering both in-person and online services. The online option allows individuals who are homebound, traveling, or otherwise unable to attend in person to worship with us. Grace has seen regular online attendance from travelling members, and from individuals who live in a different state. Audio and video quality for Zoom were sufficient for online-only services with everyone joining from personal devices. However, the communication technologies in Grace church cannot provide the necessary audio/video quality to support trouble-free Zoom services. Grant funds will be used to upgrade internet service and purchase audio and video equipment and software to enhance current technologies, including a laptop computer, video camera with zoom capabilities, switcher, wireless headset microphone headset, modem, and supporting hardware and software.
Office Tools & Technology at Trinity Cush, Des Moines
$4,815.63
Trinity Cush is the newest congregation in the diocese and they have been given office space at St. Andrew’s to use, but they need to furnish the space and acquire needed technology. A comfortable and well-organized space will allow for the welcoming of visitors and the administration of the church, including keeping documentation in a safe, organized place, and being able to fulfill congregational reporting requirements. Grant funds will be used to purchase office tools and technology, including a desktop computer, desk, chair, printer, shredder, shelves, and file cabinet.