Lay Theological Education
Half of the funds collected from the 2008 Association Sunday will support lay theological education programs. Congregations, districts, and seminaries are invited to apply for grants to create programs which focus on spiritual and theological deepening for lay leaders.
What do we mean by "lay theological education"?
We are looking for programs and activities that fill the gap between the classes you might take on a weeknight at a typical Unitarian Universalist (UU) church, and the courses that divinity schools offer their full-time students. The prospective students/participants are lay leaders in UU churches who want to go deeper into the spiritual/religious/theological potential of Unitarian Universalism, but do not want to become ministers or enter a degree program.
Admittedly, that is a wide gap and many things might fit there. Many UUs express a desire for "more" without a clear image of what might fulfill that desire. Help us understand the needs you see by participating in the discussion on our blog.
What kinds of projects will be considered for funding?
- Preference will be given to programs which have a strong lay theological education component, that have built on an idea that has a proven track record of success, and that involve more than one UU congregation or entity.
- Programs should be designed such that they can be replicated in other congregations; recipients of the grants will be asked to create resources and a case study that could be shared with others. The purpose of the grants is to support the creation of materials, rather than to provide for new staff positions.
Who decides which programs will be funded?
The Lay Theological Education Task Force is chaired by Harlan Limpert and includes Hillary Goodridge, Jon Luopa, and Doug Muder.
- How to apply (Word)
- How to apply (PDF)
Last updated on Friday, July 17, 2009.
