Indianapolis, July 2013 – At the recent General Assembly of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in Orlando, Disciples Church Extension Fund announced two new capital loan provisions offered to eligible Disciples congregations.
In support of a General Assembly resolution encouraging congregations to improve accessibility to those with hearing disabilities, Erick (Rick) D. Reisinger, president of Disciples Church Extension Fund, announced a change to loan policies that now enables qualified congregations to access Disciples Church Extension Fund’s Accessibility Loan Fund more than once. The Accessibility Loan Fund was established by the ministry several years ago and is funded by generous donors to make loan resources available to congregations who are renovating their facilities to remove barriers to those with physical limitations.
According to Reisinger,
“By expanding the availability of Accessibility Loan resources, Disciples Church Extension Fund reinforces the spirit of the General Assembly resolution that seeks to encourage congregations to become more welcoming to those with hearing and other disabilities.”
Disciples Church Extension Fund also introduced a loan limited-time special offer at General Assembly that enables qualified congregations to pay prime rate for the first year of a loan to repair or upgrade their buildings. (Disciples Church Extension Fund’s lowest interest rate is currently 1% above prime.) Loans must be for five years or less.
In addition, Disciples Church Extension Fund’s board of directors met during General Assembly to elect two directors to the board. William (Willie) Garcia, a retired credit analyst from Yonkers, N.Y., and former Church Extension board member, was elected to a first term. He has been a past leader of the Northeast Hispanic Convention, the Northeast Region, Week of Compassion and La Segunda Iglesia Cristiana in Bronx, N.Y., where he is an active member.
Rev. Dr. Tamara Nichols Rodenberg, vice president for Advancement for Brite Divinity School in Fort Worth, Texas, was also elected to a first term. She recently completed a two-year intentional interim presidency of the Disciples Seminary Foundation in Claremont, Calif. She has also served as a missionary in the Kingdom of Swaziland, as a congregational and campus minister in Kentucky and an adjunct member of the faculties of Claremont School of Theology and San Francisco Theological Seminary. She recently completed her term as a member of the General Board of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), having served on the Administrative and Finance committees.
Disciples Church Extension Fund is a 130-year-old financial ministry of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) that helps congregations focus on the use of capital resources for ministry and mission by offering building funding and planning solutions that include loans for property purchase, renovation or new construction; investment opportunities; architectural and design consultation; capital fundraising; relocation services and other capital planning services.