August 06, 2009
Transition into Ministry: A Program Perspective
Lilly Endowment’s Transition into Ministry (TiM) initiative is an effort to help new pastors get off to excellent starts in the early years of their ministries.Since 1999, the Endowment has awarded grants to 35 congregations, denominational offices, seminaries and religious organizations to develop and test new approaches to assist new pastors in making the critical transition from seminary student to competent pastoral leader. This includes 20 congregations that provide intensive two-year residencies for recent seminary graduates and 15 religious organizations that bring young pastors together in peer groups. All of these programs provide opportunities for new pastors to be mentored by seasoned clergy, encourage relationships with colleagues, emphasize ongoing study, and assist in the development and fine-tuning of leadership skills. In all, more than 700 new pastors have participated in the TiM initiative.