The Center for Congregational Resources 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 concluded in 2025, was to help churches reach renewed vitality as they navigate the unfolding social and cultural changes in their contexts. The Center facilitated two cohorts of Birmingham-area congregations that  engaged in multi-year learning processes with the goal of calibrating or recalibrating the ministries of their churches as they respond to new challenges. We used a learning plan that invited calibrating the church’s mission, vision and values, examining the needs of the local community, discerning corporate and individual calling, and grounding those efforts in the practices of worship and spiritual disciplines. The learning plan encompassed seminars, workshops, lectures, clergy peer learning groups, shared worship and other opportunities for mutual learning.

Through the Thriving Congregations initiative, the Center worked alongside over 30  congregations awarding just over $500,000 in congregational ministry programming.