Joining Associated Churches

Congregations or Christian agencies wanting to belong to Associated Churches should submit a letter indicating that the church desires to covenant together with other member churches through this Statement of Purpose and requests membership. The application should state a beginning financial commitment. The Board of Directors acts on membership requests.

Top Ten Reasons:
To Support the Mission and Ministry of The Associated Churches of Fort Wayne and Allen County, Inc.

1. The Associated Churches continued to meet their financial obligations in 2005.  For the 18^th year in a row, Associated Churches has met it’s financial obligations and has had a positive year-end balance.  The revenues collected for the Associated Churches mission and ministry was $636,078 and the Samaritan Counseling Center was $175,858.  This brings the gifts for the total ministry to $811,936.
2. Associated Churches continues to grow its membership from 70 churches in 1988 to 112 member churches/faith based organizations in 2003.  President Thomas Szymczak served as our first Roman Catholic President in the 60+ years of Associated Churches.  His goal was to bring in many of the Roman Catholic Churches into membership in 2004-2005.  There was an increase of 17 new member churches in 2004-2005.  This includes the increase of the Roman Catholic Church involvement to 10 congregations.  Special thanks to Tom Szymczak for his Christ like leadership and commitment to spreading the Good News of Jesus Christ.  Today there are 126 member congregations/faith based agencies.
3. The Associated Churches Foundation ended 2005 with a market value of $763,949.  A total of $595,215 is invested at Wells Fargo Bank and $168,734 is invested at the Greater Fort Wayne Foundation.  The interest each year is utilized to support our mission and ministries of Associated Churches.  In 2005, a total of  $38,158 was utilized to help meet the budget.  An additional total of $40,000 was designated for the new building project.
4. The Associated Churches Food Bank System and our 28 neighborhood food pantry sites fed a total of 80,000 Fort Wayne and Allen County residents a total of 1,200,000 balanced meals or 2,280,600 pounds of food at NO CHARGE to those with hunger needs.  The in-kind food donated to the food bank system from the churches and the community totaled $1,700,000+.
5. The Weekday Religious Education Ministry just finished it’s 61^st year of teaching Christian morals and values to the third, fourth, and fifth grade students in the Fort Wayne Community and the East Allen School system during the day.  A total of 7,000 boys and girls learned of God’s love for them and their need to experience the teaching of Jesus Christ for their lives.
6. A Baby’s Closet ministry has completed its 11^th year of helping babies to be born and mothers to be the best parents that they can be.  A total of 1,450 low-income mothers and their babies were served by this incentive program at two A Baby Closet sites ¾ First Christian Church and Trinity United Methodist Church .  Associated Churches works with 32 different doctors and agencies that work with low income pregnant mothers to make their lives and that of their babies more productive and healthier.  Three of the goals for this ministry is to help lower infant mortality, increase the birth weight of babies, and to lower the childhood disease rate.  Special thanks to all of the churches and other community organizations that are our partners in this special ministry.
7. Hunger Walk III was once again in 2005 at Lawton Park in downtown Fort Wayne .  The partnership between four faith-based groups is a role model for the community to follow.  The Salvation Army, The Franciscan Center, Miss Virginia ’s Mission House, and the Associated Churches Food Bank System sponsored the two-mile walk to raise funds to fight community hunger problems.  There were 475 walkers that raised a total of $36,000.  The Lutheran Foundation with a gift of $35,000 matched this amount.  The total amount raised was $71,000.  With your help, Associated Churches raised $35,000+ of the amount raised by the walk.
8. Associated Churches merged with the Samaritan Counseling Center in 2004.  The year of 2005 found the two agencies becoming closer and closer in the one ministry serving Jesus Christ.  Pastor Terry Anderson serves as the Director of the Samaritan Counseling Center as well as the part time Associate Director of Associated Churches.
9. The Associated Churches building, located at 602 East Wayne Street , was demolished this past year.  The land is now being prepared for the construction process.  The project will cost $1,600,000.  Thus far a total of $945,500 has been pledged for this new Associated Churches Office Building and Food Bank Warehouse.  The fund raising campaign for the new building will take place in 2006.  It is the hope of the Building Committee and the Board of Director’s to begin the building in May of 2006 and complete it by October of 2006.  Thanks be to God.
10. Overcoming Racism continues to be a major concern of Associated Churches Board of Directors.  To help our churches and community to overcome racism, a number of activities are provided throughout the year.  The are:  The Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Service for Forgiveness and Reconciliation, the Reaching Out in Love ministry, the Study Circles, the Timothy L. Johnson Charter School, and participation in the Interdenominational Ministerial Alliance.  Through our Peace and Justice Commission we continue to bring people together to overcome racism, hate crimes, and cruelty to others.  Our Heal the Land Services, or times of prayer at the site of each murder in Allen County , are special opportunities to share our concern with each other and the community concerning violence in our midst.

I pray that you will continue to pray for the ministries, the Board, staff, member churches, and volunteers that make all of this possible.  Please make a financial gift to Associated Churches in 2006, as you are able.  Also, remember to make an extra gift in 2006 to help with the new building fund.