Welcome
This Lilly Endowment funded program is engaging with 40 congregations (ten per year for four years) who will work through an extensive self-assessment, facilitated by Yale Divinity School students in their final year of study, identifying areas of congregational life ready for new direction, for reimagining.
Each congregation will launch new initiatives supported by the cohort, by the divinity school resources, and by visionary leaders. The evolving process is being shared via this Reimagining Church website, so that congregations far and near will be able to follow each church’s efforts, and perhaps model their own reimagining process at the same time.
Featured Video
First Visionary Meeting
Second Visionary Meeting
Thriving Congregations Lecture - 4-11-2021 Sponsored by Virginia Union University
Visionary Leaders
One of the remarkable parts of this year-long experience will be the chance to work closely with nationally known visionary ministry leaders. These guests will join us, ready to tell their own story of visionary ministry, and then to focus on the work of each of ten churches, helping them to imagine the kinds of transformation that can be possible.
Rev. Becca Stevens is an Episcopal priest and the founder of Thistle Farms, in Nashville. Thistle Farms is a widely recognized model for Christian outreach, a housing first network for women survivors of addiction and sexual violence. Thistle Farms uses economic development as a tool for personal empowerment and relies on faith for changing lives.
The Reimagining Church: New Models for the 21st Century Project
will utilize YDS students, faculty and staff with expertise in a range of ministerial skills, providing an array of opportunities to empower and strengthen congregations as they engage in this transformation.