Since its founding in 2008, Leadership Education at Duke Divinity has aimed to strengthen Christian institutions that enable U.S. congregations and pastors to flourish. Through listening to program participants, we have continued to learn more about how to support this flourishing, and our commitment to congregational vitality has only deepened. This week, Leadership Education at Duke Divinity publicly launched a new identity for this work under our new name: Forum for Congregational Life.
The Forum for Congregational Life continues Leadership Education’s longstanding commitment and work to support and resource Christian institutions that nurture congregations. We will significantly expand this work, specifically in the area of grantmaking, with the goal of cultivating networks of denominations, schools, faith-based nonprofits and consultants who care about congregations. We want a name that clearly reflects the work we are called to do and to build upon.
The Latin etymology of the word “forum” suggests an outside place where people gather for deliberation, discernment and decision-making. In this way, the Forum will not be a “center” or “institute” that is itself a producer of knowledge; instead, it will serve as a connection point that nurtures conversations and shared work across the broad range of Christian traditions. Through grants and working groups of practitioners and scholars, the Forum will be a kind of “balcony” that provides leaders with a fresh vantage point to see congregational life.
In addition to our grantmaking, we are also expanding our storytelling efforts. We are committed to telling stories of the church and how it impacts the lives of members and communities, which is work that will continue through our public-facing newsletters Faith & Leadership, News & Ideas and Alban Weekly.
The Forum for Congregational Life will also add a new offering called The Congregations Project, a monthly newsletter roundup sharing true stories of faith, resilience and innovation in congregational life. You can sign up for the newsletter here.
Each issue of The Congregations Project will include a mix of stories produced by congregations or about congregations, offered in a variety of narrative formats including short films, reflective essays and case studies tailored for busy faith leaders and curious Christians alike.
This new newsletter will keep before all of us the ways God is at work across the wide diversity of congregational contexts in the United States.
The transition to the Forum and the expansion of services is made possible by a generous grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to Duke University. We’re thankful for their generosity and for your continued readership as we begin this next chapter!