Bethel University has received a grant of $1,245,748 from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish the Nurturing Childhood Faith Through the Arts (NCFTA) program.
The program is funded through Lilly Endowment’s Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative. The aim of the national initiative is to support faith-based organizations as they help children grow in faith and deepen their relationships with God.
Bethel University’s NCFTA program will enable BU to partner with local church congregations in developing creative programming designed to enhance the worship experiences of children through intergenerational corporate worship events. BU will facilitate the collaboration of local ministry leaders from multiple congregations, distribute local grants to support innovative programming and develop workshops and seminars to benefit local ministry leaders.
“This generous gift by Lilly Endowment represents an exciting opportunity for Bethel to support the local church and to help raise up a new generation of leaders,” says Stephen Martin, D.C.M., Chair of Music & Theatre and Associate Professor of Music.
Bethel is one of 170 organizations funded through three rounds of the initiative, which was launched in 2022. The grants are funding efforts to help organizations that serve congregations in a broad spectrum of Christian traditions develop new and/or enhance existing programs as they design worship services and prayer practices that more intentionally and fully engage children.
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.