(L to R) Pr. Joan Conroy, Pr. Esther Sianipar, Dr. Dorothy Bass, Pr. Hierald Osorto, Pr. Martha Schwehn Bardwell, &
Dr. Kelly Sherman-Conroy
"Praying in the Spirit: Nurturing Children in Three Communities, One Neighborhood"
Press release for Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, All Nations Indian Church UCC and St. Paul’s San Pablo Lutheran Church: Lilly Endowment Inc. Nurturing Children Initiative
Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church (OSLC), has been awarded a $1,244,440 grant by Lilly Endowment Inc. to support a new program “Praying in the Spirit: Nurturing Children in Three Communities, One Neighborhood,” which will work to be a model of collaboration and creativity in faith formation to benefit the wider church.
The program is funded through Lilly Endowment’s Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative, a national initiative designed to help Christian congregations more fully and intentionally engage children in intergenerational corporate worship and prayer practices.
This five-year program aims to establish a grassroots collaboration between three culturally distinct congregations -- nurturing our children in worship and prayer, strengthening our churches as spaces where families come to know God, and bearing witness to God’s love for children in our diverse, urban neighborhood in South Minneapolis and beyond. OSLC will work with partner congregations All Nations Indian Church (ANIC) United Church of Christ and San Pablo Lutheran Church in St. Paul.
The project will create a model of shared leadership across cultures, structured both programmatically and financially to respect each congregation’s autonomy while also reflecting God’s vision of equity. Each congregation — representing Native, immigrant Latine, and European heritage — will develop and staff its own program for nurturing children through worship and prayer, tailored to the needs of its community. Additionally, the congregations will come together for prayer, celebration, and shared learning through arts-infused, child-focused programs. The faith formation resources we develop will be available to other congregations online.
Pastor Esther K. Sianipar, ThM, OSLC’s Associate Pastor and a lead for this program, says, “We are excited for this grant to offer multiple faith formation practices for our children, families, and community, grounded in God’s love and grace! This grant will not only enhance worship and prayer practices for our children and families, but also our collaboration with ANIC and SPLC extends the Good News of God in diverse cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic contexts. It brings hope and joy to the wider Phillips community and beyond.”
Speaking for ANIC, Pastors Joann Conroy and Dr. Kelly Sherman Conroy state, “This grant feels like a true affirmation of the work we’ve been doing — staying rooted in our own culture and understanding what best serves our community. It’s a reminder that God calls us to walk paths that sometimes don’t fit the molds set by others, and this grant will empower us to continue honoring our own sacred ways of worship, prayer, and faith formation. We feel God’s presence guiding us toward deeper connections with one another and the wider church through this initiative we will create together. And we know the Spirit will continue to move through this partnership and to co-create God’s Beloved Community.”
Pastor Hierald Osorto of St. Paul-San Pablo’s Lutheran Church shares, “What a gift to dream boldly with our ministry partners! This collaboration is more than an investment in our children; it will have a long-term impact on our congregation and the broader Phillips neighborhood. Through this grant, I hope we can learn new ways to embody God’s beloved community.”
Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church is one of 91 organizations funded through the latest round of the initiative. These organizations represent and serve congregations in a broad spectrum of Christian traditions, including Catholic, mainline Protestant, evangelical, Orthodox, Anabaptist, and Pentecostal faith communities. Several organizations are rooted in Black Church and Hispanic, Native American, and Asian-American Christian traditions.
“Congregational worship and prayer play a critical role in the spiritual growth of children and offer settings for children to acquire the language of faith, learn their faith traditions, and experience the love of God as part of a supportive community,” says Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “These programs will help congregations give greater attention to children and how they can more intentionally nurture the faith of children, as well as adults, through worship and prayer.”
About Lilly Endowment Inc
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the 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 and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. The principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, 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 United States and across the globe.
Contact: Pastor Esther K Sianipar, ThM
Phone/Email: 612-871-2967 /[email protected]
Date: October 8, 2024
Press release for Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church, All Nations Indian Church UCC and St. Paul’s San Pablo Lutheran Church: Lilly Endowment Inc. Nurturing Children Initiative
Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church (OSLC), has been awarded a $1,244,440 grant by Lilly Endowment Inc. to support a new program “Praying in the Spirit: Nurturing Children in Three Communities, One Neighborhood,” which will work to be a model of collaboration and creativity in faith formation to benefit the wider church.
The program is funded through Lilly Endowment’s Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative, a national initiative designed to help Christian congregations more fully and intentionally engage children in intergenerational corporate worship and prayer practices.
This five-year program aims to establish a grassroots collaboration between three culturally distinct congregations -- nurturing our children in worship and prayer, strengthening our churches as spaces where families come to know God, and bearing witness to God’s love for children in our diverse, urban neighborhood in South Minneapolis and beyond. OSLC will work with partner congregations All Nations Indian Church (ANIC) United Church of Christ and San Pablo Lutheran Church in St. Paul.
The project will create a model of shared leadership across cultures, structured both programmatically and financially to respect each congregation’s autonomy while also reflecting God’s vision of equity. Each congregation — representing Native, immigrant Latine, and European heritage — will develop and staff its own program for nurturing children through worship and prayer, tailored to the needs of its community. Additionally, the congregations will come together for prayer, celebration, and shared learning through arts-infused, child-focused programs. The faith formation resources we develop will be available to other congregations online.
Pastor Esther K. Sianipar, ThM, OSLC’s Associate Pastor and a lead for this program, says, “We are excited for this grant to offer multiple faith formation practices for our children, families, and community, grounded in God’s love and grace! This grant will not only enhance worship and prayer practices for our children and families, but also our collaboration with ANIC and SPLC extends the Good News of God in diverse cultural, linguistic, and socio-economic contexts. It brings hope and joy to the wider Phillips community and beyond.”
Speaking for ANIC, Pastors Joann Conroy and Dr. Kelly Sherman Conroy state, “This grant feels like a true affirmation of the work we’ve been doing — staying rooted in our own culture and understanding what best serves our community. It’s a reminder that God calls us to walk paths that sometimes don’t fit the molds set by others, and this grant will empower us to continue honoring our own sacred ways of worship, prayer, and faith formation. We feel God’s presence guiding us toward deeper connections with one another and the wider church through this initiative we will create together. And we know the Spirit will continue to move through this partnership and to co-create God’s Beloved Community.”
Pastor Hierald Osorto of St. Paul-San Pablo’s Lutheran Church shares, “What a gift to dream boldly with our ministry partners! This collaboration is more than an investment in our children; it will have a long-term impact on our congregation and the broader Phillips neighborhood. Through this grant, I hope we can learn new ways to embody God’s beloved community.”
Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church is one of 91 organizations funded through the latest round of the initiative. These organizations represent and serve congregations in a broad spectrum of Christian traditions, including Catholic, mainline Protestant, evangelical, Orthodox, Anabaptist, and Pentecostal faith communities. Several organizations are rooted in Black Church and Hispanic, Native American, and Asian-American Christian traditions.
“Congregational worship and prayer play a critical role in the spiritual growth of children and offer settings for children to acquire the language of faith, learn their faith traditions, and experience the love of God as part of a supportive community,” says Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “These programs will help congregations give greater attention to children and how they can more intentionally nurture the faith of children, as well as adults, through worship and prayer.”
About Lilly Endowment Inc
Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private philanthropic foundation created in 1937 by J.K. Lilly Sr. and his sons Eli and J.K. Jr. through gifts of stock in their pharmaceutical business, Eli Lilly and Company. While those gifts remain the financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the 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 and maintains a special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. The principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States, 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 United States and across the globe.
Contact: Pastor Esther K Sianipar, ThM
Phone/Email: 612-871-2967 /[email protected]
Date: October 8, 2024
