On Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020, Disciples Church Extension Fund (DCEF) surpassed one billion dollars in the total amount of loan approvals extended to congregations in need. Now in its 138th year, DCEF has provided financial aid in the form of 13,670+ congregational loans with more than half of this dollar amount — $565.7 million – being approved for 1,509 loans just since the year 2000.
“We are so proud to have reached this milestone with our denomination and our partners in ministry by serving churches in every region of the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico,” notes Erick D. ‘Rick’ Reisinger, Disciples Church Extension Fund President. “For six generations, Disciples have been helping Disciples through the services we offer, including investments which fund our low interest loans. In this way, Disciples invest in their future and their faith.”
The Church Extension Fund was founded in 1883 to offer a ’little timely help’ to congregations in need. Today, the Disciples Church Extension Fund (DCEF) offers a variety of services in addition to congregational loans and investments, including building and capital services like capital fundraising, building evaluations and disaster response services; ministry re-envisioning programs through Hope Partnership Services; and, support for the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) new church movement through New Church Ministry. To learn more about these and other DCEF services, or our one billion dollar ministry milestone, visit disciplescef.org.