On Sunday, First United Church of Christ celebrated with this year’s First UCC Foundation’s recipients. The First UCC Foundation was started in 1996 and has grown exponentially from a base of $100,000 to now over $2 million in assets. Since its founding, the First UCC foundation has distributed over $1 million in grants.

As Rev. Carol Hallman explained, these grants are one way that the church reaches out into the community to share the gospel. “We may be a small church,” she said, “but we care deeply about our community.” The foundation grants are designated for various ministries within the church as well as ministries in Rowan County.

This year’s recipients included Families First, The Community Care Clinic, Rowan Helping Ministries, Meals on Wheels, the Center for Faith and the Arts and many others. Projects that will be enabled by these gifts are varied. From funds to help at risk youth in Rowan County to participate in Scouting, to provide music for the Salisbury-Rowan Choral Society, to provide large-print Bibles to a UCC-related senior care center and to help with the Urban Farm Project through Livingstone College. And again, many other needs in our community.

Members of the First UCC Foundation board include Greg Alcorn, Lynn Barnhart, Carolyn Cline, Leslie Dent, Phyllis Little and Robert Propst. First United Church of Christ is located at 207 W. Horah St.