The First Congregational United Church of Christ of Bridgton has received a $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to create new opportunities for children throughout western Maine.

First Church will use these funds to form groups of local churches who will collaborate, experiment, and innovate together to rekindle and reimagine their children’s and intergenerational ministries.

First Church has already become well known in the area as a congregation that loves children and enjoys a thriving children’s ministry in a time when such programs are rare.

The new endeavor is funded through Lilly Endowment’s Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative, a national effort designed to help Christian congregations more fully and intentionally engage children in intergenerational worship and prayer practices.

The grant will enable the congregation to further invest in its own children’s ministries, and to share its learnings and culture of experimentation with congregations throughout western Maine and eastern New Hampshire. Through retreats, workshops, expert speakers, inspired consultants, and plenty of hope and dreams, First Church will welcome groups of six to 12 area churches annually in a program focused on innovation and collaboration as, together, churches turn their hearts and minds to the question of how best to care for children in their communities. Participating congregations will receive staff support, expert consultations, micro-grants to fund their innovations, and spiritual care and coaching to empower leaders to lead with courage and conviction. 

“Welcoming little people to worship week after week is the joy of my career,” says Sandy Wissmann, First Church’s Christian Education Director, “and I can’t wait for other churches to get to experience that joy.”

The vision for this program came directly from Wissmann’s mind and heart, and her decades of service, experimentation, and love of children are written into the program. 

“I am wildly grateful for this opportunity,” says First Church’s Pastor, the Rev. Emily C. Goodnow, “and for all the good work it will fund. I am proud of our church family and the creativity, compassion, and heart that are central to who we are. How amazing to receive this support to invest in our own children’s ministries, and then to share the gift with sister congregations. I am excited about all the dreaming, possibility, experimentation, collaboration and transformation that lie ahead. Alleluia!”

First Church is one of 91 organizations who will receive funding through the latest round of the Initiative. Grant recipients come from a broad spectrum of Christian traditions including Catholic, mainline Protestant, evangelical, Orthodox, Anabaptist and Pentecostal faith communities.

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 Lilly 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.

Lilly 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.

The First Congregational Church of Bridgton, Maine - United Church of Christ is a thriving, joyful, Open and Affirming church, and all people are welcome. It is located at 33 South High Street in Bridgton. The Pastor is the Rev. Emily C. Goodnow. Sunday services are at 10 a.m. Childcare is available. For more information, please call the church office at (207) 647-3936 or visit www.bridgtonucc.com.