William Decker

Background

About William Decker

Musician, Grant Writer, Editor, and Journalist Having played the piano since Fourth Grade and having sung in choirs over the decades of my life, I am currently working on the staff of Messiah Lutheran Church in Park Ridge, IL as its Music Coordinator. It serves those who worship in this Christian setting with the music of faith. I am a trained pianist with substantial experience in playing for worship services (both traditional and contemporary) and accompanying soloists, instrumentalists, and choirs. I am familiar with Christian hymnody and Lutheran liturgies and have experience in playing the piano with contemporary worship music bands. Prior to this, I was employed for nearly eight years as a grant writer for JOURNEYS | The Road Home, of Palatine, IL, a non-profit agency providing clinical services for homeless and near-homeless residents in 37 communities of northwest and north suburban Cook County, metro Chicago. From October 2010 through June 2018, the focus of my work was applying for grants from private foundations, working with corporate matching gift programs, and researching funders who support homelessness, poverty, hunger, shelter, mental health, and affordable housing. I also wrote donor appeal letters. The key skills needed for this position were developed as a trained and experienced journalist and newspaper and magazine editor. I worked for 21 years on the editorial staff for a leadership magazine for pastors and lay ministers for a faith-based organization that is part of the Lutheran Christian tradition. For eight years I was its editor. I established a weekly newspaper in Illinois and worked internationally with a translation, linguistic, and literacy organization as a editor, writer, and PR specialist in the Republic of the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. Specialties: I am a member of the Grants Professional Association, a national assocation, and a member of its Chicago chapter.