What a remarkable thing that preachers look out each Sunday and see a congregation of people who are bent over by sin, illness, and burdens too heavy for them to bear.
Author
Joe Mann
Senior director, United Methodist services
jmann@div.duke.edu
The Rev. W. Joseph Mann coordinates ministry with United Methodists in North Carolina and directs a number of programs, including Course of Study and Convocation and Pastors’ School. For many years, he also has served as a Divinity School faculty member, teaching a course on leadership in small-membership churches. Before coming to Leadership Education in February 2010, the Rev. Mann was director of the Rural Church Division of The Duke Endowment. The Rural Church Division assists rural United Methodist churches in North Carolina through grants for programs and building projects. Prior to his work at The Duke Endowment, he spent five years as the director of continuing education for Duke Divinity School. Mr. Mann has served on several denominational boards and agencies of the North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church. He is a member of the Board of Institutions of the North Carolina Conference. He earned his Master of Divinity and Master of Sacred Theology degrees at Yale University Divinity School.
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