Compassion Fund
Compassion Fund is for helping our own active CMC members, or regular attenders. Financial hardships in our congregation arise for a variety of reasons: medical bills, job loss, unexpected major expenses, counseling/therapy. CMCers generously support the Compassion Fund for mutual aid among members, so that we can ease these hardships among our households. Financial needs are presented to the Grants Committee for consideration from small groups, pastors, or Sunday School classes. Each request will be kept confidential and reviewed on an individual basis.
There is a limit of $2,000 per family, per calendar year. Compassion Funds are not loans. Compassion Funds are given as gifts, but if a person would like to replenish the Compassion Fund, they are free to do so at any time.
Process:
- The request process may be initiated by the Pastoral Team, small groups or Sunday School classes.
- An application form must be completed; phone call messages, emails, or typed papers will not be accepted. Application forms are available online or from the church office.
- The completed application form will be submitted to the Chair of the Grants Committee for consideration by the committee.
- An individual or family may make multiple requests throughout the year. If the total of the requests exceeds $2,000 per calendar year, see point number 5.
- The Grants Committee will discuss the request, and make a decision on it. If the request is for more than $2,000 per calendar year limit, it will be taken to Church Council for approval.
- Upon approval, the application form will be given to the Church Administrator with the payment request for funds. The Church Administrator will issue the check, make two copies and disburse the check.
- Payment will be made either to an individual or directly to a collecting agency.
- If a compassion fund request was submitted to Everence, the Everence matching will be applied back to the compassion fund. If local agency support donation was used, then Everence matching will be applied back to the general budget Everence Matching income support.
Generosity With Neighbors
Generosity with Neighbors Guidelines: Any CMC member or regular attender may request up to $500 for a needy person or family in the community. In this way, we will be able to share with people who are typically excluded from financial assistance (compassion funds are reserved for church members) yet are still part of our home community.
Each person (or household) may submit up to two Generosity with Neighbors forms per calendar year. Assuming adequate funds are available, the person requesting the funds will then be mailed a check made out to the "recipient" along with a letter from the church, and will be expected to deliver the funds directly. If adequate funds are not available, the Grants Committee will ask the Pastoral Team to conduct a special offering.
Requests should be submitted through the Generosity with Neighbors Request Form.
Process:
1. The request process may be initiated by any CMC member or regular attender
2. An application form must be completed; phone call messages, emails, or typed papers will not be accepted. Application forms are available online or from the church office.
3. The completed application form will be submitted to the Chair of the Grants Committee for consideration by the committee.
4. Each person (or household) may submit up to two Generosity with Neighbors forms per year. There is a $500 limit on each request.
5. The Grants Committee will discuss the request, and make a decision on it.
6. Upon approval, the Grants Committee chairperson or member will fill out a payment request for funds and submit it to the Church Administrator
7. The check can be made either to an individual or directly to a collecting agency.
8. The person requesting the funds will then be mailed a check made out to the "recipient" (or collecting agency) along with a letter from the church, and will be expected to deliver the funds.
GWN Program to be evaluated in 90 days and may be discontinued.
Educational Grants – Mennonite Undergraduate Institutions
Beginning in the 2019-2020 school year, CMC will provide $2000 each year to students who attend a Mennonite Church college or university. Prior to that school year, the amount was $1000 for many years. Guidelines to receive the money are that the student and/or parent(s) have been full or associate members at CMC for ten months prior to the school year for which they are requesting grant money. The student and/or the parent(s) must also be currently attending CMC. If a family leaves the area or changes churches, the student will be grandfathered in for one year only. College/university students are eligible to receive grant money for four years while getting their first degree. This grant money is matched by each school. Application forms are available in late winter from the Grants Committee and must be completed, signed, and submitted to the Committee by the requested date. All requests for grant money must be submitted each year to the Grants Committee.
Educational Grants – Eastern Mennonite School (8600-150)
Children and youth of CMC whose guardian/parent(s) are members of CMC are eligible for educational need-based grants to attend Eastern Mennonite Schools. Students enrolled at Eastern Mennonite School (Kindergarten to Grade 12), will complete a CMC application form. The amount of each grant is determined by the household’s demonstrated financial need through a third party financial aid agency and the FAST eligibility form. The full financial need for each student will be met by CMC (50%) and EMS (50%).
Educational Grants – Anabaptist Institutional Scholarships (3245-109)
Tax exempt contributions may be given to a special fund for scholarships for students attending other peace colleges/universities and seminaries (see list below). Persons may contribute to this fund at any time. All money that is collected will be distributed evenly among those who request this money. Each scholarship will not exceed the amount that the Mennonite college students receive for the year. Applications will be accepted through the Grants Committee for the upcoming school year. The guidelines for receiving this grant are identical to the above criteria.
Everence Matching Funds
Various matching Grants are available through Everence to persons attending CMC. Requests are processed through the Grants Committee to the Everence representative. Receipts of bills are often needed to accompany the application for this matching grant.
Anabaptist Institutions
Undergraduate Level | ||
| Bethany Bible Institute | MB | Hepburn SK |
| Bethel College | MC USA | North Newton KS |
| Bluffton University | MC USA | Bluffton OH |
| Bridgewater College | COB | Bridgewater VA |
| Canadian Mennonite University | MC CAN | Winnipeg MB |
| Columbia Bible College | MB | Abbotsford BC |
| Conrad Grebel Univ. College | MC CAN | Waterloo ON |
| Eastern Mennonite University | MC USA | Harrisonburg VA |
| Elizabethtown College | COB | Elizabethtown PA |
| Fresno Pacific University | MB | Fresno CA |
| Goshen College | MC USA | Goshen IN |
| Hesston College | MC USA | Hesston KS |
| Juniata College | COB | Huntingdon PA |
| McPherson College | COB | McPherson KS |
| Manchester College | COB | North Manchester IN |
| Messiah College | BIC | Grantham PA |
| Rosedale Bible College | Conservative Mennonite | Irwin OH |
| Steinbach Bible College | MB and EMB | Steinbach MB |
| Tabor College | MB | Hillsboro KS |
| University of LaVerne | COB | LaVerne CA |
| Menn. Brethren Bible College | MB | Winnipeg MB |
Seminary Level | ||
| Anabaptist Mennonite Biblical Seminary | Elkhart IN | |
| Eastern Mennonite Seminary | Harrisonburg VA | |
| Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary | Fresno CA | |
| Toronto Mennonite Theological Center | Toronto ON | |
Peace Studies | ||
| Center for Peacemaking & Conflict Studies | Fresno CA | |
| Conflict Transformation Program | Harrisonburg VA | |
| Institute for Peace and Conflict Studies | Waterloo ON |