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Church Council of Greater Seattle 

Description

The Church Council of Greater Seattle brings people together to live out Christ’s teaching of unity, compassion and justice. Representing 340 area congregations, the Council convenes the influence and passion of the faith community to work together toward a just society. We also host direct service programs and ministries offering services to marginalized people. During 2012, we served 11,000 people directly 150,000 people indirectly through advocacy, and 170,000 people in our network. 

Mission Statement
The Church Council's mission is to create a diverse community of churches and individuals who respond to the Gospel of Jesus by building relationships and unity while working collaboratively for the common good.
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Church Council of Greater Seattle
2701 1st Ave Ste 240 
Seattle 
WA
98121 
(206) 525-1213 

Michael Ramos 
Executive Director 

Programs

Church Council of Greater Seattle Programs

UNITY
We sustain a crossroad for unity and understanding within Christianity and with other faiths. We connect these groups through a web of communications and services including: email newsletters and action alerts, publications and events. The population served represents 170,000 people of all races, incomes, and ages who belong to our member congregations.

JUSTICE
We engage, educate, and activate congregations to advocate on behalf of justice for marginalized people.  The Church Council stands on a venerable history of leading the way to resolve critical issues. During 2013, we continue to focus on economic justice, discovering how faith communities enter into the issues unearthed by the economic crisis. We will also work with our 40 advocacy partners to address public policies regarding homelessness, gun violence, poverty and living wages, immigrant rights, and a just legal system. 2012’s justice work served 150,000 people.  

COMPASSION
The Church Council hosts 14 service and ministry programs that served 11,000 people during 2012. Our direct service program are: The Sharehouse (see separate profile) provides free furniture to people transitioning out of homelessness. Sound Youth VISTA (see separate profile) provides capacity-building support to programs serving low income youth. Friend to Friend (see separate profile) brings companionship to elderly and disabled residents of nursing homes and assisted living centers.

Recent Successes and Current Challenges

SUCCESSES
Responding to demand from our member churches, during 2012, we created an economic justice curriculum, “God and Money”. This toolkit engages and educates congregations in the systemic problems revealed by the economic crisis. It was well received, with 12 sessions offered in 2012 and many more scheduled for 2013. It has indeed sparked the desire for churches to act together around these issues. We also served as principal partner in the Faith and Family Homelessness Project. We coach 6 congregations to not only offer caring to homeless families but to go a step further, advocating for policies to solve this problem. We’re the King County partner for this program of Seattle University’s School of Theology and Ministry. 

CHALLENGE
In King County, 31% of residents identify as Christian, a significant decrease from the past. There is still an important role for churches, as places of connection, service, and inspiration. But they do not have the membership and resources to operate as they used to. The Church Council must re-tool how we do our work to meet the changing needs of our prime constituency. We are in the process of vetting new strategic priorities. During 2012 we held 19 stakeholder meetings across the region involving 94 people from diverse faith communities to give feedback on these priorities. 

Evaluation

The Church Council of Greater Seattle has a long history of advocating for social change on many fronts as well as providing social services for homeless individuals and other underserved populations in our community.

Leadership
The Church Council recently transitioned from a human service delivery model to focus more on its social justice education and advocacy efforts. In addition to its 340 member congregations, the Church Council actively partners with 40 agencies that advocate for justice and that help bridge faith communities. It co-founded the Washington New Sanctuary Movement that joins interfaith communities together to advocate for immigrant rights and comprehensive immigration reform.

It works to move member congregations from being focused solely on service in the community to also advocacy and social justice efforts – one example is launching and distributing the Economic Justice Curriculum which is a toolkit for increasing congregational involvement in issues of economic disparities.

Financial Health
As it moves away from being a human service delivery organization, its budget and staff levels have decreased. This shift requires a significant focus on individual donors and as a result, it hired a development manager and developed a fundraising and planned giving program.

Grant History with The Seattle Foundation:

Grants Awarded through The Seattle Foundation Grantmaking Program:

DateAmountPurpose
3/10/2013 $10,000.00support general operating expenses.
6/10/2012 $15,000.00support general operating expenses.
6/10/2010 $25,000.00support general operating expenses.
3/10/2008 $30,000.00support general operating expenses.
9/22/2005 $50,000.00support general operating expenses of social service programs managed by the Church Council.
9/18/2003 $50,000.00support general operating expenses of programs managed by the Church Council.

Financials

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