FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 3, 2024
GLEN ALLEN, VA— The Virginia Conference of The United Methodist Church is pleased to announce that Lilly Endowment Inc. awarded a $1.25 million grant to the conference through its Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative. The aim of the initiative is to help Christian congregations more fully and intentionally engage children in intergenerational corporate worship and prayer practices.
The Virginia Conference proposal, known as “Hatching Faith Cohorts” (HFC), focuses on the creation of an environment throughout the Annual Conference where churches learn the joyful art of integrating and promoting children in worship, in all of their chaos, their questions, and their joy. These cohorts, made up of 10 local ministries per cohort, will launch seasonally with the anticipation of having 10 cohorts engage the HFC process over the next five years. Cohorts will be made up of congregational teams that include and prioritize the voices of children and families as they journey through three phases: nesting, hatching, and nurturing.
Dwayne Stinson, Director of Connectional Ministries for Discipleship and Congregational Vitality, and Rev. Hannah Bryn, Assistant Director for Discipleship and Congregational Vitality, led the effort in writing and applying for the grant.
“Dwayne Stinson and I are excited to receive this generous funding from the Lilly Endowment Inc. to support the work of seeking new ways to engage children and families in corporate worship and prayer in the lives of VAUMC churches,” Bryn said. “As we developed the “Hatching Faith Cohorts” proposal, I was encouraged by the liturgical rhythm of preparing for the birth of Jesus Christ during the season of Advent. Just as we spend time in our churches preparing for the birth of Christ, the Hatching Faith Cohorts will help churches to prepare for the arrival, nurturing, and growth of children in every season of ministry.”
Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson, episcopal leader of the Virginia Conference, shared that the grant provides the conference a forward-facing opportunity.
“I am very appreciative that Lilly Endowment Inc. awarded the conference this grant,” Haupert-Johnson said. “Our team submitted a thoughtful proposal that encompasses the forward-facing direction the VAUMC is navigating and where the Church needs to be – in listening to, raising up, and supporting the next generation.”
The first cohort will receive invitations to participate this fall and will launch in February of 2025.
“The Virginia Conference of The United Methodist Church is one of 91 organizations funded through the latest round of Lilly Endowment’s Nurturing Children initiative.”
About Virginia Conference:
The Virginia Conference of The United Methodist Church represents 861 churches, over 2,000 clergy and over 250,000 members within the commonwealth of Virginia, all focused on the mission to make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world. The Virginia Conference, under the leadership of Bishop Sue Haupert-Johnson, equips its local churches for ministry and provides a connection for ministry beyond the local church; all to the glory of God.
About Lilly Endowment:
Lilly Endowment Inc. is an Indianapolis-based, private foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly and his sons, Eli and J.K. Jr., through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. Although gifts of stock remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, the Endowment is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board, staff and location. The Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion. Grantmaking in religion seeks to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, primarily by 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 endeavors that provide fair and accurate portrayals of the role religion plays in the United States and across the globe.