RESOURCES | Western NC Association

WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA ASSOCIATION

The Western NC Association offers a range of resources to its churches and members — from scholarship information and applications to ministry and association documents. Looking for something that’s not here? Let us know with a note to webmaster@wnca-soc.org.

DR. JAMES H. LIGHTBOURNE, JR. SCHOLARSHIP

Established to assist deserving high school graduates and college students who need financial assistance to achieve their educational goals, The James H. Lightbourne, Jr. Scholarship is open to members of the United Church of Christ in the Southern Conference. The Scholarship is administered by Church Women of the Southern Conference, who first consider applications from graduating high school seniors, followed by college freshmen, then by upperclass students.

Details —

Application deadline: March 1
Applicant must be a member of a UCC church in the Southern Conference
Applicant must be enrolled for the upcoming fall semester in a college, community college or technical school
In addition to the Scholarship Application, applicant must submit the most recent copy of their high school or college transcript. Please allow plenty of time when you request a copy of your transcript, to be sure the transcript arrives by the Scholarship application deadline.Questions? Contact the individuals named in the Scholarship Application document.

WNCA MINISTRY PREPARATION SCHOLARSHIPS

The Western North Carolina Association supports members who are considering a call to authorized ministry by offering prayers, providing pastoral mentors, and sharing scholarship funds. Based on the availability of funds and the number of eligible applicants, awards may be made annually. Students must reapply each year, but will not be eligible beyond an equivalent of three consecutive academic years or the duration of their program of study. In the event that the annual applicant pool includes more qualified applicants than scholarship funds available, preference will be given to those who have not received a prior award, and then to those applicants with the highest cumulative GPA. Anyone applying for a ministerial preparation scholarship should indicate their interest to the Church and Ministry Commission.

To be eligible for scholarship consideration, applicants must —

maintain current membership in and attendance at a WNCA church or Institutional Partner (ie, Catawba College, Elon University)
demonstrate need based upon the cost of their program relative to income and other scholarship assistance available

SEMINARY SCHOLARSHIPS

Members in Discernment may apply for scholarship funds that may be applied to tuition, books and educational materials. To receive consideration, Seminary Scholarship applicants must —

be accepted to an accredited seminary or divinity school
maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA while in school
Click here to download the Seminary Scholarship application

FORMATION SCHOLARSHIPS

Members of WNCA churches who are pursuing authorized ministry in the WNCA through alternative avenues may apply for scholarship funds to cover tuition and other educational expenses. To receive consideration, Formation Scholarship applicants must —

be accepted to the Pastoral Leadership Development (PLD) program or an accredited Bible college or program
be at least 30 years of age at the time of application
Click here to download the Formation Scholarship application

— APPLICATION REQUIREMENTS —

To be considered, a complete application package must be submitted (preferably in PDF format) no later than 5:00pm ET on the deadline date. Incomplete or late applications will not be considered. A complete application package includes —

Completed application form
Unofficial transcript
Letter of acceptance from seminary or alternative program (a copy will be sufficient)
Letter of recommendation from local pastor or mentor
Deadline: February 28

— SELECTION & FUNDING —

The current Scholarship Committee will all applications and related materials during the month of March, and will notify selected recipients by April 1. WNCA reserves the right to rescind any scholarship award should the recipient’s circumstances change, and reserves the right to withhold awards in the event no applicants meet the qualifications. Scholarship award checks will be issued in mid-April for the fall term, and made payable jointly to the recipient and their college or program. Checks will be mailed to the recipient’s home address, but the recipient must deliver the check to their school or program’s financial aid office or program director.

OTHER UCC SCHOLARSHIPS

The national setting of the United Church of Christ administers a number of scholarships and grant programs. To explore available options, visit the Scholarships & Grants page on the UCC website.

WNCA Constitution & Bylaws (rev. Oct 3, 2015)

IRS Determination Letter for the UCC
Along with a copy of your church’s listing in the UCC Yearbook, this document will demonstrate your 501c3 tax-exempt status under the UCC’s umbrella.