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Lilly Endowment
awards $1.67 million to Church Extension INDIANAPOLIS, Oct. 2, 2002 -- Church Extension of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) has been selected to receive a $1.67 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., to sustain the ministry of new-church pastors. The grant was one of 47 awarded by the Indianapolis-based foundation for its nationwide "Sustaining Pastoral Excellence" program. A total of $57.9 million was awarded in three-to five-year awards that ranged from $252,355 to $2 million. Recipient programs were selected because they "focus attention and energy on maintaining excellence among the country's pastoral leaders." The Disciples program, "Sustaining New Church Pastoral Excellence," pairs pastors of new churches with those who are experienced in starting new churches. During the first two years of leading a new church, the relationship includes setting and fulfilling ministry goals, providing spiritual support, and developing small discussion groups for sharing pastoral concerns. In the third through the fifth years, new-church pastors shape an individual program to continue to develop their skills, sharpen their Biblical/theological understanding, and deepen their spiritual life. They also develop a support system with other pastors in which they can continue to share pastoral and personal concerns. The new pastoral excellence program also is designed to identify and encourage potential new-church leaders and supporters. It also will engage other denominations to "share success stories." Funding proves critical to supporting pastors associated with Church Extension's New Church Ministry program, the grant proposal indicates. Current financial support for the new-church movement comes from the New Church Ministry Annual Fund, a modest, but growing endowment; through Church Extension's backing; and from a small portion of the Disciples church-wide offering. With Disciples naming new-church ministry and leadership development as two of the three major foci of the church's 2020 Vision, Disciples have made further commitment to underwrite the new-church movement. The Disciples General Board recently voted to designate half of the denomination's annual Pentecost offering (about $550,000) to New Church Ministry, beginning next year. Regional efforts toward new- church ministry will receive the other half of the offering. But funds are not available until mid-2003 from that offering. "This couldn't come at a better time," said Rick Morse, director of Church Extension's New Church Ministry program, and an experienced new-church pastor. "New churches are growing at a pace that exceeds our expectations. Many of those congregations are being initiated through the vision of individuals who might quickly experience isolation in their ministry. Those first critical years are exciting, but they can be brutal. Disciples want to offer so much more than simple cheerleading to these leaders. We want to provide sustaining hands-on care and nurture. Disciples have the experienced leadership and the commitment to offer that kind of support. Thanks to the vision of the Endowment, now we have the start-up funding." Disciples have experienced record new-church growth since a church-wide effort emphasizing new-church establishment began two years ago. In 2001, 40 congregations were launched, followed by 48 congregations by mid-September of this year, well ahead of projections. The last time Disciples approximated this kind of growth was in the 1950s. The process that developed the grant proposal itself demonstrates the "whole church" effort of Disciples toward New Church Ministry, according to James Powell, Church Extension president. "No fewer than four units of the church had a hand in helping us shape this proposal," Powell said. "With commitment to the same ends that we see from regions well, that kind of collegiality speaks volumes about the church-wide commitment to answer God's call by supporting these new churches and their enthusiastic leaders. "It's also important to note that Disciples were committed to the coaching process, regardless of funding possibilities," Powell said. "The first six coaches had made a commitment to this work on a volunteer basis if necessary, to be sure these pastors got the support they needed." According to Craig Dykstra, Endowment vice president for religion, the Endowment's current religion grant making revolves around two major and interlocking considerations: Identifying, nurturing and educating a talented new generation of pastors, and, Recognizing and supporting the excellent pastors currently serving the church. "Not surprisingly, we know that healthy, engaged, thoughtful, dedicated ministers usually go hand in hand with healthy, vibrant and effective congregations," he said. But maintaining health in the arenas of spirituality, scholarship, writing, fellowship with colleagues and strong relationships with loved ones and with God is challenging to many pastors, he said. "Frankly, as busy and as "people-oriented" as pastors' lives are, many feel a sense of isolation," Dykstra said. "Over time, this results in diminished opportunities to engage in some of the crucial activities that led them to ministry in the first place. Most of these renewal programs address the need to reconnect and engage in an ongoing way in the kinds of experiences and practices that keep ministry alive." This season's grant making, which follows a variety of previous programs aimed at encouraging clergy in their ministries, invited "any nonprofit organization committed to supporting pastoral work and prepared to create or enhance a high-quality pastoral leadership program" to submit a proposal. More than 700 institutions submitted proposals to the program, Dykstra reported. Due to the "enthusiastic and well-thought-out responses" to the invitation, the Endowment elected to increase the number of awards to 47 from the original plan of 25 grants. --End -- 02-84 Contact |