Collegeville Institute Receives $1.5 Million Grant February 26, 2016 By Collegeville Institute 4 Comments Writing workshop leader, Jonathan Wilson-Hartgrove, reads to the Writing to Change the World workshop participants. The Collegeville Institute received a four-year, $1.5 million grant from Lilly Endowment, Inc. to continue and expand the comprehensive program Words Making Worlds: The Ecclesial Literature Project. The Ecclesial Literature Project, which began in 2006, is designed to stimulate and nourish vital cultures of religious and theological literacy within mainstream congregations around the country. It will provide at the Collegeville Institute and at select regional locations around the United States a unique ecumenical community for writers who want to incorporate religious matters in their writing, support pastors and others who intend to reach a broad reading audience through writing, and further the place of the written word in the Christian life. The following three quotes from summer 2015 workshop participants highlight the impact of the program’s work. This has been a transformative program for me. I loved having time to unite with colleagues; I loved being around fellow writers. Honestly, this week has been inspiring, spiritual, and exciting. I am very grateful for this week, as it has helped me regain a sense of enthusiasm about my work and ministry, and a clarity of purpose. I am grateful for this opportunity and know that it will continue to nourish my own writing—and my skills for sharing that writing in the world—for a long time to come. This was an incredible resource for learning. The diversity of faith backgrounds of participants was a real advantage. The community of writers here was amazing. I have come away with such inspiration and friendship for the journey forward. This workshop helped me grow and stretch in my use of words, phrasing, and sound; grow in the art and craft of preaching and writing. How I say something helps the hearer, or the reader, better understand what I am trying to convey, and may affect them in ways that only the Spirit can. This can only strengthen the people I serve. This can only strengthen the whole church. Like this post? Subscribe to have new posts sent to you by email the same day they are posted.
Dolores Schuh, CHM says March 1, 2016 at 9:12 am Congratulations on the generous Lilly grant. I remember how very difficult it was to raise the first $1 million for the CIECR’s endowment. At that time Board chair Bob Piper was determinted to have a healthy endowment for the Institute. Raising that amount from numerous donors reminds me today of Bernie Sanders and the $27 average gift to his presidential bid. And it was James P. Shannon that was just as determined to raise the second million. We did have some Lilly grants for specific summer programs but appealed to our former scholars and good friends of the Institute to give to the Endowment. I was employed as executive associate (working with Patrick Henry, executive director) dur all those years of raising money for trhe endowment. Reply
The Rev. M. Dion Thompson says March 1, 2016 at 10:39 am Congratulations! I know this will work wonders in many lives. Reply
Katherine Willis Pershey says March 4, 2016 at 12:07 pm This is such wonderful news. Very grateful to the Lilly Foundation for their support of this transformative, important project! Congratulations to all of the folks at the Collegeville Institute. Your hospitality, vision, and stewardship has been such a blessing to so many people. Reply
