VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 02/03/2024)—American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) is pleased to announce the receipt of a $1.5 million, five-year grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its National Initiative to Strengthen Hispanic Pastoral Leaders and Congregations.
The funding will help ABHMS establish Creciendo Juntos, a direct response to the findings of an ABHMS research initiative funded by Lilly Endowment in an earlier grant. That research examined how ABHMS’ Latino Ministries team could enhance support for Latino clergy, lay leaders, and congregations in the United States and Puerto Rico.
Spanning five years, the Creciendo Juntos program will consist of two major elements. The first element focuses on expanding and enhancing the internal capacity of ABHMS’ Latino Ministries through investment in staff development and bilingual infrastructure. The second element is establishing the Latino Leadership Program within Creciendo Juntos to create a pipeline of American Baptist Latino clergy and lay leaders who are well-equipped to serve culturally diverse congregations. The leadership program will include an innovation lab, skills courses, and participation in ABHMS’ Intercultural Leadership Institute and Conferencia de Liderazgo Intergeneracional.
“ABHMS wants to deepen trusting relationships with our Latino constituency by showing that we have truly heard and internalized the expressed needs and priorities of our community members,” said ABHMS Executive Director Dr. Jeffrey Haggray. “Our intent is that Creciendo Juntos will reduce ministry burdens experienced by Latino leaders and congregations and edify the entire American Baptist denomination about interculturally responsive ministry with Latino communities.”
ABHMS is one of 23 organizations across the U.S. receiving grants through Lilly Endowment’s National Initiative to Strengthen Hispanic Pastoral Leaders and Congregations. Recipients include congregations, denominational agencies, church networks, theological schools, colleges and universities, and parachurch organizations.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc., based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. It is separate from the pharmaceutical enterprise Eli Lilly and 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 principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the U.S., 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 U.S. and across the globe.
To learn more about the missional work of ABHMS, visit our website.
American Baptist Home Mission Societies partners with American Baptists to promote Christian faith, cultivate Christ-centered leaders and disciples, and bring healing and transformation to communities across the United States and Puerto Rico.
American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 02/03/2024)—American Baptist Home Mission Societies (ABHMS) is pleased to announce the receipt of a $1.5 million, five-year grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. through its National Initiative to Strengthen Hispanic Pastoral Leaders and Congregations.
The funding will help ABHMS establish Creciendo Juntos, a direct response to the findings of an ABHMS research initiative funded by Lilly Endowment in an earlier grant. That research examined how ABHMS’ Latino Ministries team could enhance support for Latino clergy, lay leaders, and congregations in the United States and Puerto Rico.
Spanning five years, the Creciendo Juntos program will consist of two major elements. The first element focuses on expanding and enhancing the internal capacity of ABHMS’ Latino Ministries through investment in staff development and bilingual infrastructure. The second element is establishing the Latino Leadership Program within Creciendo Juntos to create a pipeline of American Baptist Latino clergy and lay leaders who are well-equipped to serve culturally diverse congregations. The leadership program will include an innovation lab, skills courses, and participation in ABHMS’ Intercultural Leadership Institute and Conferencia de Liderazgo Intergeneracional.
“ABHMS wants to deepen trusting relationships with our Latino constituency by showing that we have truly heard and internalized the expressed needs and priorities of our community members,” said ABHMS Executive Director Dr. Jeffrey Haggray. “Our intent is that Creciendo Juntos will reduce ministry burdens experienced by Latino leaders and congregations and edify the entire American Baptist denomination about interculturally responsive ministry with Latino communities.”
ABHMS is one of 23 organizations across the U.S. receiving grants through Lilly Endowment’s National Initiative to Strengthen Hispanic Pastoral Leaders and Congregations. Recipients include congregations, denominational agencies, church networks, theological schools, colleges and universities, and parachurch organizations.
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
Lilly Endowment Inc., based in Indianapolis, Indiana, is a private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly, Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. It is separate from the pharmaceutical enterprise Eli Lilly and 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 principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the U.S., 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 U.S. and across the globe.
To learn more about the missional work of ABHMS, visit our website.
American Baptist Home Mission Societies partners with American Baptists to promote Christian faith, cultivate Christ-centered leaders and disciples, and bring healing and transformation to communities across the United States and Puerto Rico.
American Baptist Churches USA is one of the most diverse Christian denominations today, with approximately 5,000 congregations comprised of 1.3 million members, across the United States and Puerto Rico, all engaged in God’s mission around the world.