Mission
The primary mission of the Bowen Charitable Trust is to provide scholarship assistance to those pursuing vocational ministry. This assistance is limited to those qualified individuals who are active members in West Virginia Baptist Convention and American Baptist churches who want to dedicate their lives to Christian service in vocational ministry with a priority to those called to serve in West Virginia. This would include the following:
- Pastors
- Associate/Assistant Pastors
- Ministers of Christian Education
- Music & Worship Ministers
- Youth Ministers
- Pastoral Care Ministers
- Family Life Ministers
- Christian Counselors
- Chaplains
Others may qualify as determined by the Committee on Distributions. Persons in bi-vocational ministry also qualify.
Frank Bowen lived a life of generosity and service to the Lord. Throughout their lives, Frank and his wife Helen blessed their friends, family, and church as God blessed them. When Frank passed in 2001, the Bowen family gave a trust to the West Virginia Baptist Convention to aid ministers in pursuing education that will help them in their ministry.
In the 20 years since Frank’s passing, the Bowen Charitable Trust has financially supported hundreds of ministers from all walks of life, granting as much as $250,000 each year.