Invested Faith and St. Peter’s United Church of Christ Announce Million Dollar Gift

Washington, DC: St. Peter’s United Church of Christ in Ferguson, Missouri has pledged a $1,000,000 gift to the Invested Faith Fund, anchoring the fund and continuing the church’s ongoing partnership with Invested Faith.

Invested Faith is a 501(c)3 organization founded to help individuals and religious institutions use their assets to fund the work of faith-rooted social entrepreneurs building businesses that are changing unjust systems. Last year, St. Peter’s UCC voted to give $200,000 to Invested Faith and has now committed to another $800,000 over the next three years. 

This generous contribution to Invested Faith reflects St. Peter’s mission and vision and their history as a justice seeking community. St. Peter’s long-time presence and impact in the Ferguson community through their resource center and local partnerships now expands to include justice issues across the country, as well as offering support for the 5 Invested Fellows working in the St. Louis area. 

Invested Faith founder Rev. Dr. Amy Butler welcomes the shared vision. “Since the beginning of Invested Faith, I have believed that congregations deeply care about the future of our shared work in the world. St. Peter’s has stepped up to live that truth out loud–to lead the way for other faith communities to be real and powerful partners in welcoming the future of faith community that can transform the world. I am so deeply grateful for this ongoing partnership and all the possibilities it presents!”

Rev. Patrick Chandler, senior pastor at St. Peter’s UCC, sees the gift as a natural extension of the continuing witness of this congregation. “For 180 years, St Peter's has sought to be a justice seeking community. Back in December of 2023, we committed a gift of $200,000 to the work and mission of Invested Faith. And we were so excited about this partnership and what that money can do that we decided to do something bigger and even more exciting.”

The gift, made through the Invested Faith Thriving Churches program, will provide a solid foundation for the Invested Faith Fund which provides financial support through Invested Faith Fellowship grants along with a supportive network and program for social innovators creating businesses that impact systems of injustice across the U.S.

About St. Peter’s United Church of Christ, Ferguson, Missouri:  Established in 1843 in downtown St. Louis as a German Evangelical Church, St. Peter’s UCC is grounded in Jesus’ example of caring for and connecting with those often overlooked, oppressed, or marginalized. A presence in Ferguson since 1957, the church has continued to support justice efforts in the community and, in 2016, opened a resource center on their property, offering space for non-profit work and much needed services and programs for the community. 

About Invested Faith: Invested Faith is a fund for faith-rooted social innovators founded by Rev. Dr. Amy Butler in 2019 in response to declining church attendance and the need for new models of philanthropy in faith circles. Invested Faith works to become a bridge between traditional churches and social innovators who are creating new expressions of faith and community. 

For more information, contact Anita Flowers or visit the Invested Faith Press Center.