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ATLANTA, January 4, 2006 – With a $6 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc.,
The Fund for Theological Education (FTE) will expand its work with congregations
nationwide as vital partners in identifying and cultivating gifted young candidates for
vocations in Christian ministry.
The Endowment grant will fund “Calling Congregations,” a regional FTE initiative
involving local churches in grassroots programs to find and support the next generation
of outstanding pastoral leaders for Christian denominations.
“We know that congregations are critical to the faith maturation and vocational
discernment of young men and women,” said Craig Dykstra, Senior Vice President for
Religion at Lilly Endowment Inc. “This grant is an investment in engaging
congregations more deeply in this work. Given FTE’s broad expertise, we are confident
this can make a significant contribution to developing future leaders for the church.”
Concerns about the need for professional clergy in mainline religious
denominations have been growing for some time, as large numbers of “baby boomer”
pastors prepare to retire and local congregations seek qualified young ministerial
candidates. Statistics by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate clergy vacancies
rank among the highest for professions requiring an advanced degree, with many
denominations reporting significantly lower numbers of clergy under age 35.
FTE’s Calling Congregations program will establish a national network of 500
congregations and church-related institutions from four regions across the U.S. by 2009.
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FTE – Page 2
FTE is also a resource for educational and faith communities, offering programs
that encourage high-quality candidates to explore vocations in ministry and teaching.
Since 1954, the Atlanta-based organization has awarded more than 5,600 fellowships in
partnership with others committed to the future of quality leadership for the church.
More information about FTE is available on the Web at www.thefund.org.
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