Karis Worship Press Release
Sam Rogers, Grants Director, Laura Bratton, Grants Co-Director, October 14, 2024
First Baptist Church of Asheville has received a generous $1.25 million grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to establish Karis Worship, a digital Lectionary-based hub of intergenerational resources for collaborating congregations. The resources will be marked by accessible, inclusive, and theologically rich language, beautifully approachable music, and reflectively engaging artwork for the liturgical year. These resources will empower faith leaders who lead and plan worship to move their corporate worship toward greater accessibility and inclusion for children, creating an intergenerational environment that nurtures faith development for all involved.
The program is funded through Lilly Endowment Inc.ʼs Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer Initiative, a national initiative designed to help Christian congregations more fully and intentionally engage children in intergenerational corporate worship and prayer practices.
Karis Worship aims to offer First Baptist Church of Asheville and other participating congregations inclusive and accessible language to all ages and abilities with a focus on children up to 12 years old, emphasizing the narrative of faith in tangible and experiential ways by engaging the senses of sight, sound, and touch. Families will be introduced to the language and songs of the upcoming Sunday service during the midweek service or through online communication before Sundayʼs service, enabling families to interact with these elements in advance. This pre-exposure aims to heighten childrenʼs awareness and connection to the content, reinforcing their involvement and fostering a sense of belonging during the Sunday gathering.
Dr. Sam Rogers, Grants Director at First Baptist Church of Asheville, explains how this may look in practice. “For instance, families can access and display the upcoming Sundayʼs bulletin artwork in their homes to see and discuss the art itself. Music and prayers will also be available for singing or reading before Sunday. This pre-learning opportunity sets children up for greater engagement during the service itself. Our hope is that this digital access will allow families with young children, who may not always attend church consistently, to integrate prayer and worship practices into their daily routines, fostering a connection between church and home even when physically attending church is impossible.”
First Baptist Church of Asheville is one of 91 organizations funded through the latest round of the initiative. These organizations represent and serve congregations in a broad spectrum of Christian traditions, including Catholic, mainline Protestant, evangelical, Orthodox, Anabaptist and Pentecostal faith communities. Several organizations are rooted in Black Church and Hispanic and Asian American Christian traditions. “Congregational worship and prayer play a critical role in the spiritual growth of children and offer settings for children to acquire the language of faith, learn their faith traditions and experience the love of God as part of a supportive community,” said Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowmentʼs vice president for religion. “These programs will help congregations give greater attention to children and how they can more intentionally nurture the faith of children, as well as adults, through worship and prayer.”
About Lilly Endowment Inc.
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 foundersʼ 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 the Endowmentʼs 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. The 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.