The Center for Congregational Resources has received a $1 million grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc. as part of their Thriving Congregations initiative. The aim of Thriving Congregations is to “help congregations strengthen their ministries and thrive so they can better help people deepen their relationships with God, enhance their connections with each other and contribute to the flourishing of their communities and the world.”

The goal of the Center’s initiative, which started in 2021, is to help churches reach renewed vitality as they navigate the unfolding social and cultural changes in their contexts. The Center will facilitate a cohort of Birmingham-area congregations that will engage in a multi-year learning process with the goal of calibrating or recalibrating the ministries of their churches as they respond to new challenges. We will use a learning plan that invites calibrating the church’s mission, vision and values, examining the needs of the local community, discerning corporate and individual calling, and grounding these efforts in the practices of worship and spiritual disciplines. This learning plan will encompass seminars, workshops, lectures, clergy peer learning groups, shared worship and other opportunities for mutual learning.

In May of 2023, the first cohort of 11 congregations concluded their programming and a total of $212,311 was awarded to support new or recalibrated ministries.  The second cohort began in August of 2023.