Vine and Branch is a Free Methodist church that has served Liberty, New York, and the surrounding area, since 1864. Just prior to COVID, the church began growing through the addition of a number of young families with children. The growth continued throughout COVID and they went from 12 children in Vacation Bible School to over 100 students at their Christmas event. It was clear the church needed a larger fellowship room and more children’s space.
Lead Pastors Ed and Robin Sostak got in touch with Erasmo Capellan at FM Financial (FMF). They began to have a conversation about a possible loan. But by the time they were able to connect with FMF’s loan division, God was moving in another direction.
A member at Vine and Branch approached the pastors about giving a gift of appreciated securities. It was an answer to prayer … but the church was unsure how to process such a gift. Instead of having a loan conversation with FMF, Vine and Branch inquired about processing the securities gift. FMF was thrilled to shift the conversation and assist in receiving, processing, receipting, and distributing the gift.
This generous gift will likely allow Vine and Branch to address their need for more space without the need for a loan. Another member is a builder that is able to help with the project at a much lower cost than the original estimate the church received.
Pastors Ed and Robin recently stated, “Our hearts fill with joy, because we think of the people that this space will get to minister to. There are 10,000 people living in our town. How many of them don’t know Jesus? Our prayer is, ‘Use us, Lord, because people need you.’”