The Christian Church in Indiana is pleased to announce the receipt of a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. in their Christian Parenting and Caregiving Initiative. The Region’s application for this competitive grant was approved this summer and will support the launch of quest: A Journey of Faith.
This new initiative of our Commission on Faith Formation is designed to collaborate with congregations to equip, support, and empower parents and caregivers as they model and share their faith with their children. quest will provide parents and caregivers guidance as they navigate the challenges of raising children in the Christian faith today.
quest is intended to address the current challenges of faith formation, recognizing that much of children’s spiritual development is happening at home. The program was developed through conversations with parents and pastors around the region. quest will address the primary concerns of parents, that they lack sufficient time and feel ill-equipped to teach their children about their faith. The program will also address the needs of the congregation, providing monetary and liturgical resources to help them connect with the families in their churches. quest will provide engaging age-appropriate materials for each child in the program mailed directly to their home.
Planning for the launch of quest will begin this fall with the first unit being offered to Indiana Disciples families in the spring of 2024. The five-year program will be built around the fruit of the Spirit found in Galatians 5:22-23. Galatians says, “By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things” (NRSVUE). Each of the nine attributes of the fruit of the Spirit will be explored in the context of the Bible, culture, and family life.
We celebrate this new opportunity for our families and congregations made possible by the generous grant of Lilly Endowment Inc. and look forward to inviting Indiana Disciples on this quest.