Author

Audrey Warren

Senior pastor, First United Methodist Church of Miami

The Rev. Dr. Audrey Warren is senior pastor of First United Methodist Church of Miami. Prior to that, she served as pastor at Branches United Methodist Mission in Florida City and has served as well in Central Florida, North Carolina and South Africa. She earned an M.Div. from Duke Divinity School and a doctorate of ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C.

Warren is a leader in the Fresh Expressions movement in the Florida Annual Conference and is co-author with Ken Carter of “Fresh Expressions: A New Kind of Methodist Church for People Not in Church” (2017) and “Fresh Expressions of People Over Property” (2020).

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Lilly Endowment Inc. announces Exploring Christian Practices Initiative

The Exploring Christian Practices Initiative aims to multiply opportunities and increase access to settings that help individuals from a wide variety of backgrounds explore and engage in Christian practices to address their spiritual interests and questions, find and build community with others, nourish their religious lives and grow in faith. 

In this open and competitive initiative, the Endowment invites charitable organizations to submit proposals for grants of up to $2.5 million each that may be used for up to a five-year period to develop new and/or enhance existing programs that present promising strategies for advancing the aim of the initiative and provide compelling and thoughtful responses to its guiding questions. The Endowment anticipates awarding approximately 60 grants and announcing grant awards in December 2026.

The Endowment will host four virtual information sessions (February 17, 19, 24, and 25) to discuss the Exploring Christian Practices guidelines for submitting a proposal. An Interest Form and Letter of Interest are due March 25, 2026. Complete proposals are due May 18, 2026.

Learn More and register for information sessions