Churches Planting Ministries
Churches Planting Ministries (CPM) is an initiative that affirms our mission as Covenanters. CPM is designed to continue to build on the rich heritage of our churches, our conference and the denomination in ministries of compassion and justice. Within the broad call to love and be a witness to our neighbors, Churches Planting Ministries' focus is on God's particular concern expressed throughout scripture for the church to show mercy and tend to the rights of persons on the margin of society.
The vision of CPM is to see every congregation plant ministries of compassion and justice that seek God's transformation for poor and at risk persons and in reaching out with the love of Christ experience renewal.
We affirm that the local church is God's chosen instrument for worship, witness and God's Kingdom work in society. In a survey of our conference churches we discovered and celebrate the many efforts already being made in areas like: food and clothing services, housing/shelter programs, disaster relief, refugee assistance, English as Second Language instruction, support care for seniors, tutoring/mentoring for children and youth, prison ministries, ministry with physically handicapped persons, rehab services for addicts, ministry for abuse victims, etc.
CPM is positioned to come alongside our congregations to encourage and assist them in developing new or expanded ministries with marginalized people. CPM can offer assistance in three ways: ministry grants, consultant services and educational resources. Seed grants are available through the conference to support new or expanded ministries consistent with the initiative's vision. A consultant can be requested to assist a church in strategic planning, community and congregational assessment for ministry development and ministry troubleshooting. Check out the Churches Planting Ministries page on our denominational website (www.covchurch.org/cpm) for educational, informational and networking purposes.
