Services for Churches - Grants Ministry

First United Methodist Church Round Rock

stained-glass window As a fast-growing church community in Central Texas, First United Methodist Church of Round Rock never runs short of ways to use the yearly gift from the Bowers Fund. Often challenge funds are raised to make the Bowers gift go even further.

“Over the years the Administrative Board has applied the annual gift to a variety of programs and missions. One year ten children’s classrooms were transformed to reflect first century Jerusalem through volunteer labor, our Bowers Fund gift and money raised by a challenge to the gift,” said the Rev. David Adkins, senior pastor.

Adkins notes that Bowers Fund gifts have also re-roofed parsonages, landscaped parking areas, and purchased phone and video production equipment. A portion of the gift was used one year to support the church’s partnership with a mission project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The gift was even used to underwrite the cost of altar furnishings for the congregation’s newly constructed sanctuary a few years ago.

“Unrestricted gifts like these provide congregations with much more flexibility in ministry and financial planning. Without them, this congregation would not be able to continue its fast-paced growth and responsive ministry in the community,” Adkins added.