The ELCA has been awarded a $1.25 million grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc. to launch Curious Christian Children: Reimagining Kids in Worship. This new initiative will equip congregations with resources to foster inclusive worship spaces for all children, focusing especially on those with disabilities, families of color, and LGBTQIA+ families. Through resource sharing and leader support, the program aims to help our youngest members grow in faith and belonging.
Read MoreJoin Lilly Endowment’s mission to inspire the spiritual growth of children through the Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative. Eligible organizations can apply for substantial grants to create enriching worship experiences that resonate with young hearts and minds. Dive into this transformative journey to shape the faith of tomorrow. Interest Form and a Letter of Interest due by March 4, 2024.
Read MoreUPDATE: We have 20 spots remaining for pastors, deacons, and lay leaders, especially congregational council members.
Best Skills, Best Churches, offered online, is a graduate/executive level certificate program designed to advance rostered ministers' and lay leaders’ knowledge and skills for effective management of congregations and ministries. Enroll here for Best Skills, Best Churches, which begins July 11, 2023. The cost is only $150 per participant, a $775 value made possible by the 3E Lilly Grant. View a PDF flyer here.
Questions? Contact Rev. Miguel Gomez-Acosta, Director for Evangelical Mission and Bishop’s Associate for Congregational Vitality.
Read MoreLilly Endowment is pleased to announce its Compelling Preaching Initiative. The primary aim of this initiative is to cultivate practices among aspiring and active preachers that can help them to proclaim the gospel to a variety of audiences in more engaging and effective ways.
In this open and competitive national initiative, eligible charitable organizations may submit proposals for grants of up to $1.25 million that may be used for up to a five-year period to develop new and/or enhance existing programs that present promising strategies to further the aim of the initiative. Learn more in this PDF from the Lilly Endowment.
Read MoreThere are two spots left for this year’s cohort of Stewardship for All Seasons. Please let Pr. Miguel know if you are interested in taking one of those spots by May 4, 2023. First come first served.
This will be the last year that a $2,900 scholarship will be provided, making the costs to our congregations only $250 for a quality yearlong stewardship program. View a PDF flyer here.
Read MoreThe Grand Canyon Synod has the opportunity to provide 10 scholarships for Stewardship for All Seasons. This will be the last year that a $2,900 scholarship will be provided, making the costs to our congregations only $250 for a quality yearlong stewardship program. View a PDF flyer here.
The cohort begins May 27, 2023, so please notify Pr. Miguel Gomez-Acosta if you are interested in participating by May 4, 2023.
These scholarships are made possible because of our partnership with Rocky Mountain Synod and the Lilly Endowment, as well as your generous donations to the Growing Generosity Appeal.
Read MoreLilly Endowment is pleased to announce its Compelling Preaching Initiative. The primary aim of this initiative is to cultivate practices among aspiring and active preachers that can help them to proclaim the gospel to a variety of audiences in more engaging and effective ways.
In this open and competitive national initiative, eligible charitable organizations may submit proposals for grants of up to $1.25 million that may be used for up to a five-year period to develop new and/or enhance existing programs that present promising strategies to further the aim of the initiative. Learn more in this PDF from the Lilly Endowment.
Read MoreImagine measuring congregational vitality by how alive people and faith communities feel in their gathering and in their interactions with their neighbors, instead of determining success by counting the number of people attending worship or the number of dollars collected.
That’s what congregations are doing, or learning to do, throughout the ELCA in programs funded through grants awarded by Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Thriving Congregations Initiative. Congregations can apply for the Nourishing Vocation Project.
Read MoreThe Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has received a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish the Formation Lab Project.
The goal of the project is to help congregations move past prescriptive, outdated models of youth ministry that often separate youth from the vital faith practices they need if they are to embrace God as the center of their life in today's world.
Read MoreThe Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) has received a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish the ELCA Compelling Preaching: Transformed Listeners Initiative.
The goal of the initiative is to cultivate persuasive preaching by inviting ELCA ministry leaders to review research findings about current preaching settings; propose innovative ways to apply those learnings in their individual ministry contexts; participate in funded cohort learning initiatives; and produce successful preaching foundations for all lay leaders and rostered ministers seeking to transform lives through the gospel.
Read MoreResourceful Servants is launching the Grants for COVID Emergencies program. Through a generous grant from the Lilly Endowment Inc., this program provides up to 200 ELCA leaders with one-time grants of $1,000 and membership in the ELCA Federal Credit Union. The due date to complete the application is Oct. 23, 2022.
Read MoreOur final series of Beginning a Culture of Generosity sessions begins 8/20/2022. If you have thought about joining this innovative stewardship education course in previous years, but it was not the right time, this is your final opportunity to grow the generosity in your community. Rates are subsidized by the synod, click here to register today!
Read MoreOn June 16, 2022, four congregations and ministries in the Grand Canyon Synod were awarded a total of $16,000 in 2022 VRSM Vitality and Innovation grants: Vida Nueva, Lutheran Campus Ministry (ASU, UA, NAU), Central Lutheran’s ACE Program (Adult Community Education), and Trinity Lutheran’s Food Bank.
Parts of the grant were funded by the Lilly 3E initiative with Rocky Mountain Synod, as well as our synod’s Growing Generosity Appeal, which thanks to the generosity of individuals and congregations now exceeds $600,000.
Read MoreThe first and only program of its kind, the National Fund for Sacred Places is a matching grant program that offers technical assistance and financial support to actively worshiping faith communities who are working to preserve their historic houses of worship. Letters of Intent are due March 15, 2021. Apply here.
Read MoreThrough the ELCA’s Resourceful Servants initiative, eligible rostered ministers can build up their retirement savings . A process of qualification and application must be completed by October 15, 2020. Learn more.
Recipients’ increased individual contributions of $600 to their ELCA retirement plan accounts with Portico are matched dollar for dollar, for a period of one-year.
Read MoreTwo Savings Matching programs through the ELCA’s Resourceful Servants initiative address financial challenges being experienced by rostered ministers, namely a lack of emergency savings and a lack of retirement savings.
These programs partner with rostered ministers to encourage a habit of saving by providing matching funding to more rapidly grow savings and retirement accounts. The due date to complete the process is October 15, 2020.
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