by Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) has received a $1.1 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish the CCDA Flourishing Congregations Initiative.
The project is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Thriving Congregations Initiative. The aim of the initiative is to encourage the flourishing of congregations by helping them deepen their relationships with God, enhance their connections with each other, and contribute to the vitality of their communities and the world.
Over a 4-year period, 39 churches and 11 coaches participating in the CCDA’s Flourishing Congregation Initiative will move from community isolation to active community partnership and learn to assess and adapt their ministries to address the complex needs of their members and neighbors alike. Through a combination of coaching, curated learning plans, immersive experiences, and collaborative networking, participating congregations will gain valuable insights and resources to move from community isolation to active community partnership.
The Flourishing Congregations Initiative (FCI) was a program developed over the last few years through intentional prayer, listening in community, and bringing some of the best things CCDA already does into one initiative. We wholly recognize that this program is just building on a strong legacy of practitioners who believe in the power of the Church as the cornerstone of Christian Community Development. The coaches and congregations participating in FCI deeply inspire us – we are excited to learn from them, to help them walk alongside their neighbors, and to connect them to like-minded leaders across the nation. We consider it an honor to walk alongside them, and cannot wait to deeply love God and love our neighbors to see our communities flourish!
– Christina Foor, FCI Program Director
CCDA is one of 105 organizations that has received grants through a competitive round of the Thriving Congregations Initiative. Reflecting a wide variety of Christian traditions, the organizations represent mainline Protestant, evangelical, Catholic, Orthodox, peace church and Pentecostal faith communities.
“Congregations play an essential role in deepening the faith of individuals and contributing to the vitality of communities,” said Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “We hope that these programs will nurture the vibrancy and spark the creativity of congregations, helping them imagine new ways to share God’s love in their communities and across the globe.”
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff, and location. In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education, and religion and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana.
A principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by seeking out and supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen the pastoral and lay leadership of Christian communities. The Endowment also seeks to improve public understanding of diverse religious traditions by supporting fair and accurate portrayals of the role religion plays in the United States and across the globe.
