Hear from Lauren Goldbloom, Director of the Grounded Faith Initiative
Connecting young adults and churches for the good of the neighborhood
With the Grounded Faith Initiative, we aim to connect established neighborhood congregations with young adults who feel a vested interest in the same neighborhoods. As these relationships provide vocational discernment and mentorship to young adults, we hope innovative ministries will emerge to serve communities.
Over the next 5 years, we will focus on 5 distinct city regions in the United States, working with several congregations in each region. While our efforts will be focused on particular cities and neighborhood-focused congregations, we will share our learnings and stories with our broader network of churches and communities.
This is a collaborative project with the Whitworth Office of Church Engagement, made possible by the Lilly Endowment.
Meet the Grounded Faith Team
Year 1 | Listen Deeply: The first year will be focused on carefully attending to the contexts, leaders, congregations, and young adults in each of our five regions.
Year 2 | Imagine Possibilities: In our second year the focus will be on creating meaningful environments and experiences of shared learning at the intersection of Christian faith, neighborhood presence, and vocation.
Year 3 | Launch New Ventures: These years will involve working closely with the coaches and congregations to test and launch new neighborhood ventures or new partnerships with existing neighborhood organizations.
Year 4 | Continue and Deepen Praxis: As ventures continue and young adults reflect on their praxis, they will share their learning with peers and congregations to further expand their reach in the neighborhood.
Year 5 | Proliferate the Network: While continuing to create ongoing opportunities for learning communities and new ventures, the final year will focus on growing the network.
