In 2010, the Foundation received an unrestricted bequest from Mina Adamson of Riverside, NJ. After thoughtful and prayerful consideration, the Board of Trustees decided to use the earnings from the permanent fund to support innovative and effective programs and services that will aid local congregations to expand their ministries.  One such effort is the sponsorship of the triennial Adamson Innovation Forum. The first Forum was held the weekend of April 29 - May 1, 2011 in Chaska, MN.

The resources from the Adamson Innovation Fund brought together 82 pastors and lay leaders from forty congregations from the Northern and Southern Provinces, plus members of the Provincial Elders' Conferences from both Provinces, and Moravian Ministries Foundation staff members. The focus of the weekend's work was to help attendees design and implement a new form of budgeting and stewardship education that centered around creating a "Mission and Ministry Budget." To accomplish the work of the Forum there were also plenary sessions and small work groups.

To set the stage and define the framework for the work of the Forum, Rev. Dr. William Enright from the Lake Institute on Faith and Giving at Indiana University Center on Philanthropy was the keynote speaker.  With the help and support of Rev. Dr. Enright and Mike Reiss, the Director of the Moravian Church's Interprovincial Board of Communication, the Adamson Innovation Fund and the Moravian Ministries Foundation are delighted to make complete videos of three plenary sessions available to congregations, pastors and lay leaders. Please feel free to circulate these videos and us them as resources.

Finally, watch for more programs and services that will be sponsored by the Adamson innovation Fund and the Moravian Ministries Foundation.

Adamson Innovation Forum April 2011 Session 1 from IBOC • Mike Riess on Vimeo.

Adamson Innovation Forum April 2011 Session 2 from IBOC • Mike Riess on Vimeo.

Adamson Innovation Forum April 2011 Session 3 from IBOC • Mike Riess on Vimeo.