The International Pentecostal Holiness Church has received a $1 million grant to help establish “Thriving Throughout the Seasons of Pastoral Ministry.” It is part of Lilly Endowment Inc.’s Thriving in Ministry, an initiative that supports a variety of religious organizations across the nation as they create or strengthen programs that help pastors build relationships with experienced clergy who can serve as mentors and guide them through key leadership challenges in congregational ministry.
Lilly Endowment is making nearly $70 million in grants through the Thriving in Ministry initiative.
This program, led by Dr. Lou Shirey, will build and sustain groups to foster peer support and learning among IPHC pastors. These learning groups will consist of 10-12 pastors and two to three mentors. The first groups will begin in summer 2019 with additional groups launching in subsequent years. The goal is to have a total of 15-16 groups over a five-year period. Further details will be released in December 2018.
“We are very thankful to Lilly Endowment for supporting the IPHC’s Thriving Throughout the Seasons of Pastoral Ministry program,” says IPHC General Superintendent Doug Beacham. “Bishop James Leggett was familiar with Lilly Endowment and in 2004 remarked that he looked forward to the day that the IPHC could be blessed to receive such a grant. We thank the Lord that Bishop Leggett’s vision has now come to pass. The IPHC will be a healthier movement as we help our pastoral leaders—and through them, our churches—thrive.”
The International Pentecostal Holiness Church is one of 78 organizations located in 29 states that are taking part in the initiative. The organizations reflect diverse Christian traditions: mainline and evangelical Protestant, Roman Catholic and Orthodox.
Thriving in Ministry is part of Lilly Endowment’s grantmaking to strengthen pastoral leadership in Christian congregations in the United States. This has been a grantmaking priority at Lilly Endowment for nearly 25 years.
“Leading a congregation today is multi-faceted and exceptionally demanding,” said Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “When pastors have opportunities to build meaningful relationships with experienced colleagues, they are able to negotiate the challenges of ministry and their leadership thrives. These promising programs, including Thriving Throughout the Seasons of Pastoral Ministry, will help pastors develop these kinds of relationships, especially when they are in the midst of significant professional transitions.”
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by three members of the Lilly family – J.K. Lilly Sr. and sons Eli and J.K. Jr. – through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly & Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment 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. The Endowment maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and its home state Indiana. Its grantmaking in religion focuses on supporting efforts to strengthen the leadership and vitality of Christian congregations throughout the country and to increase the public’s understanding of the role of religion in public life.
