About SPE

SPE Projects

Across the nation, 63 grantees, including seminaries, denominational offices, retreat centers and educational institutions, have received funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. to develop and administer research and programs aimed at sustaining clergy for effective ministry. Click on the following for project descriptions.

1. Akron Area Association of Churches: Pastor Parish Peer Study Groups of Northeast Ohio
2. American Baptist Assembly, Green Lake Conference Center: Center for Excellence in Congregational Leadership
3. American Baptist Churches USA Ministers Council: Together in Ministry – Collegial Covenant Groups
4. American Baptist College: Vibrant Ministries – Tools for Sustaining Excellence in Pastoral Ministry
5. Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church: Connected in Christ
6. Asbury Theological Seminary: Pastoral Seasons As Life and Ministry (PSALM)
7. Ashland Theological Seminary: Sustaining Pastoral Excellence
8. Asociacion para la Educacion Teologica Hispana: Tertulias Pastorales
9. Auburn Theological Seminary: New York Sabbatical Institute
10. Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary: The College of Pastoral Leaders
11. Baptist State Convention of NC: Learning Communities Project
12. Benedict Inn Retreat and Conference Center: Women Touched by Grace
13. Bethany Theological Seminary: Brethren Academy for Ministerial Leadership
14. Board of Church Extension Disciples of Christ: New Church Ministry
15. Boston University School of Theology: Sustaining Urban Pastoral Excellence
16. Center for New Community: Rural Pastors Institute
17. Christian Reformed Church in North America: Creating a Culture of Pastoral Excellence
18. Church of God Ministries: Sustaining Health and Pastoral Excellence (SHAPE)
19. Church of God Theological Seminary: Walking in the Spirit – A Program of Spiritual Formation and Pastoral Renewal
20. Church of the Apostles: Pastor in Community – Practices and Pastoral Excellence
21. Columbia Theological Seminary: Sabbath, Study and Service (S3)
22. Cooperative Baptist Fellowship: Initiative for Ministerial Excellence
23. Covenant Theological Seminary: The Pastoral Leadership Center
24. Dominican House of Studies: Sustaining Excellent Pastors – Promoting Pastoral Excellence
25. Ecumenical Theological Seminary: Sustaining Pastoral Excellence – Ecumenical Theological Seminar
26. Emmanuel Gospel Center and the Fellowship of Hispanic Pastors of New England: Institute for Pastoral Excellence (Instituto para la Excelencia Pastoral)
27. Episcopal Divinity School: Pastoral Enrichment Project
28. Evangelical Covenant Church: Sustaining Pastoral Excellence in the Evangelical Covenant Church
29. Foundation for the Mid South
30. Lott Carey Baptist Foreign Mission Convention: Building Networks, Broadening Visions – Enhancing Pastoral Ministry
31. Louisiana Annual Conference of the UMC: Sustaining Pastoral Excellence
32. Loyola University: INSPIRE
33. Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ: Developing and Sustaining Pastoral Excellence
34. Memphis Theological Seminary: Sustaining Pastoral Excellence through Scholarship, Piety and Justice
35. Millsaps College Center for Ministry: Center for Ministry Pastoral Excellence Project
36. Minnesota Annual Conference of the UMC: Sustaining Pastoral Excellence
37. NALM: Developing & Sustaining the Emerging Models of Pastoral Leadership in the Catholic Church in the United States
38. Nebraska Conference United Church of Christ: Transforming Covenants – Claiming a Model for Sustaining Excellence in Ministry
39. North Alabama Conference of the UMC: The Institute for Clergy Excellence – Peer Learning as a Pathway to Excellence
40. Oblate School of Theology: International Priest Internship
41. Presbyterian Church (USA): Re-Forming Ministry – Recovering the Shared Teaching Office of the Church
42. Presbytery of San Francisco
43. Princeton Theological Seminary's Center of Continuing Education: Sabbath Renewal Project in Pastoral Theological Education
44. Reformed Church in America: A Revitalized Leadership for a Renewed Church
45. Roman Catholic Diocese of Tulsa: Program of Pastoral Renewal
46. Samaritan Counseling Center of Albuquerque Inc.: Called Back to the Well
47. Samford University: Resource Center for Pastoral Excellence
48. Seattle University and The School of Theology and Ministry: Pastoral Leadership Program
49. St. Francis Retreat Center: Program for Ongoing Pastoral Formation
50. St. John's School of Theology Seminary: Cultivating a Pastoral Conversatio – A Sustainable Ecology of Ministerial Renewal
51. St. Mary's Seminary and University: Mantle of Elijah Project – Continuing Education for Priests Who Mentor Priests
52. St. Paul's Monastery: iLLUMINARE – The Lay Ecclesial Ministry Project of St. Paul's Monastery at the Benedictine Center
53. Texas Methodist Foundation: Clergy Leadership Initiative
54. Triangle Pastoral Counseling: Sustaining Pastoral Excellence Project
55. Union Theological Seminary and Presyterian School of Christian Education: Rehoboth Project – Wide, Free Space and Refreshing Waters with No Hassle
56. United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: Strengthening Lay Ecclesial Ministry in the Catholic Church
57. University of Notre Dame Institute for Church Life: Sustaining Pastoral Excellence in Episcopal Ministry
58. Upper Room Ministries: Companions in Ministry
59. Upstate NY Synod ELCA: Capital Region Theological Center
60. Wesley Theological Seminary: Church Executive Leadership Program to Sustain Leadership Excellence
61. Western Theological Seminary of the Reformed Church in America: Journey Groups – Peer Groups for Focused Pastoral Learning
62. Westminster Theological Seminary: Center for Pastoral Refreshment – CPR for Korean Pastors
63. Yale University Center for Faith and Culture: Faith as a Way of Life

SPE Coordination Office, Duke Divinity School
312 Blackwell St., Suite 101, Durham, NC 27701
919-613-5323 • spe@div.duke.edu
The Sustaining Pastoral Excellence program is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.