鶹ԭ

Home > 鶹ԭ selected for nationwide Connect Church grant

MU logo
MU logo

Home > 鶹ԭ selected for nationwide Connect Church grant

鶹ԭ selected for nationwide Connect Church grant

Apr 7, 2026

鶹ԭ’s Peace Studies Institutehas received a $375,000 grant from the Faith in Rural Communities initiative of the NC Rural Center to coach 25 rural churches in asset-based community development over the next three years, serving congregationsacrossthe region.Manchester is the only university to receive this competitive grant, which will be directed by Manchester’s peace studies and religious studies programs.

Through the Connect Church program,Manchesterwill help churchesidentifyand mobilize their existing strengths to build stronger relationships, address local challenges, and contribute to the vitality of their communities.Participatingcongregations will meet regularly withConnect Church coachesto inventory assets,learn aboutcommunity needs and design projects that create lasting impact.

A distinctive element of Manchester’s proposal involves training students as coaches,providingpaid experiential education opportunities. Student coaches also gain valuable experience working with religious organizations on issues important to their communities.

“Connect Church is rooted in the belief that rural congregations already possess the gifts and relationships needed to make a lasting difference in their communities,” said Darren Crotts, senior program director of Faith in Rural Communities. “By focusing on the assets within a congregation and the opportunities around them, churches can become catalysts for meaningful and sustainable change.”

“At Manchester,our tradition ofpeacebuilding is not separate from faith– itis deeply rooted in it. This grant recognizes the powerful partnership between ourpeacestudies andreligiousstudies programs, where theological reflection andsocialtransformation come together to serve our region,”said Dr. Katy Gray Brown, professor of philosophy and peace studies and director of the Peace Studies Institute.“This initiative reflects the heart of Manchester’s mission:bringing togethereducation and faith to improve the human condition.”

鶹ԭ is one of four organizations selected nationwide to serve as a regional hub for the expansion of Connect Church, alongside hub partners in Missouri, Montana and South Carolina. As a hub partner, Manchester will provide coaching, training and support to participating churches in Indiana.

The expansion of Connect Church is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc. through its Ministry in Rural Areas and Small Towns Initiative. Faith in Rural Communities staff will support hub partners in adapting theprogram to their regions, helping rural churches across the country foster meaningful, sustainable ministries.

For the media

Contact Katy Gray Brown, professor of peace studies and philosophy, atKLGrayBrown@manchester.edu.

鶹ԭ the NC Rural Center

Since 1987, the NC Rural Center has worked to develop, promote, and implement sound economic strategies to improve the quality of life of rural North Carolinians. The Rural Center launched its Faith in Rural Communities initiative in 2018 to empower churches as drivers of economic development and community vitality. Its flagship program, Connect Church, helps congregationsidentifyand mobilize their assets, build relationships, and implement sustainable, community-focused ministries.

To date, Connect Church has partnered with over 100 churches in over 50 of North Carolina’s 78 rural counties and in 2025 launched its first national hub partnership in eastern Tennessee. Successful ministries include youth mentoring and literacy programs, mental health resources and support, community gardens and nutrition initiatives, and early childhood education.

鶹ԭ Lilly Endowment Inc.

Lilly Endowment Inc. is a private 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 giftsremainthe financial bedrock of the Endowment, it is a separate entity from the company, with a distinct governing board,staffand location.

In keeping with the founders’ wishes, the Endowment supports the causes of community development, education and religion andmaintainsa special commitment to its hometown, Indianapolis, and home state, Indiana. A principal aim of the Endowment’s religion grantmaking is to deepen and enrich the lives of Christians in the United States by supporting efforts that enhance the vitality of congregations and strengthen pastoral and lay leadership.

鶹ԭ 鶹ԭ

鶹ԭ, in North Manchester and Fort Wayne, Ind., offers vibrant and transformative student experiences. Learn more atwww.manchester.edu/about-manchester.

Our mission and values

鶹ԭ respects the infinite worth of every individual and graduates persons of ability and conviction who draw upon their education and faith to lead principled, productive, and compassionate lives that improve the human condition.

鶹ԭ Peace Studies at 鶹ԭ

Founded in 1948by Gladdys Muir,Manchester is home tothe first undergraduate peace studies program in the world.The programencouragesitsstudents to examine the root causes of conflict and explore pathways to justice through nonviolence.

More News

Researchers including 鶹ԭ’s Dr. Sabrina Brown reconstruct environmental history of Yellowstone’s geyser basins

Researchers including 鶹ԭ’s Dr. Sabrina Brown reconstruct environmental history of Yellowstone’s geyser basins

by | August 17, 2026 |

A studyincluding work from a 鶹ԭ professorreveals how climate and hydrothermal activity have shaped the vegetation, wildfire and aquatic ecosystem history of the Yellowstone Plateau over the past 15,000 years. The results of the National Science Foundation-funded project were published this week in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Sabrina Brown, assistant professor of biology and environmental studies at 鶹ԭ, has spent the last decade conducting research in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem.Her interest in Yellowstone National Park’s Lower Geyser Basinbegan in 2020when sheanalyzed sediment samples from Goose Lake, noticingalongside coauthors Cathy Whitlock and Chris Schillerthat its contents differed from those in lakebeds in other parts of the park, suggesting that distinct geologic factors may have influenced the lake’s evolution. Collaboratorson the projectincludedscientists fromMontana State University,theU.S. Geological Survey, Oregon State University,鶹ԭand Colorado State University. Inthis study,the teamcollectedcore samples from small lakesof different agesin theLower Geyser Basin, which is Yellowstone’s largestgeyser system.The lakes are closed, meaning that theyhave noinflowing or outflowingstreams. Pollen records from thelakesindicatethatafterthe ice receded, a grassysteppeecosystem developed onthe rhyolitevolcanic soils.Steppewas replaced byalodgepole pine forestthatestablishedbetween 12,800 and 11,000 years ago. Despitesubsequentchanges in climate,these pineforestshavechanged littlein composition, leading theauthors tosuggestthat lodgepole pine will continue to […]
NxtGen Leadership Camp students fill bags of dog food for service project.

鶹ԭ hosts more than 100 youth for NxtGen Leadership Camp

by | July 27, 2026 |

鶹ԭ hosted105campersfrom 26 Indiana high schoolsfor itsthird-annualNxtGenLeadership Camp from July6-10. The NxtGen Program on Campusis a Lilly Endowment-funded initiative designed to help Indiana colleges and universities in their efforts to create new or expand and enhance existing high-quality, on-campus programs for community youth. The program aims to increase opportunities for Indiana youth to participate in learning experiences on college campuses that expose them to Indiana’s higher education institutions, while also providing them with experiences that will help prepare them for success in college and beyond. The camp is hosted at no cost to campers, and a $250 stipend is provided to every participant at the end of the week to ease the financial burdens of the students and their families. Camp highlights this yearincluded academic explorationat both campuses, team building, college preparation andexperience, leadership development, and a trip to Camp Mack. In addition toparticipatingin academic and leadershipsessions, campersalsocompleted a service project for Humane Fort Wayne,baggingand delivering more than 1,000 poundsofdog food. One student said, “Going to the North Manchester and Fort Wayne campuses was impactful to me because it showed me the environment of a college. I’ve never truly been able to explore one before and it was a […]
exists --- (function ensure40pxInlineEarly() { function set40(el) { el && el.style.setProperty('padding-top', '40px', 'important'); } // If header already parsed, set now; otherwise set as soon as it appears. const hdrNow = document.getElementById(HEADER_ID); if (hdrNow) { set40(hdrNow); return; } new MutationObserver((muts, obs) => { const hdr = document.getElementById(HEADER_ID); if (hdr) { set40(hdr); obs.disconnect(); } }).observe(document.documentElement, { childList: true, subtree: true }); })(); // --- Helpers --- function hideDiviBars() { document.querySelectorAll('.divibars-container').forEach(div => { const content = (div.textContent || '').replace(/\u00A0/g, ' ').trim(); const shouldHide = !content || /all\s*clear/i.test(content) || /test/i.test(content) || /feed\s*has\s*no\s*items\.?/i.test(content); if (shouldHide) div.style.setProperty('display', 'none', 'important'); }); } function isEffectivelyVisible(el) { if (!el || !el.isConnected) return false; const target = el.querySelector('.divibars, .divibars-wrapper, .divibars-content') || el; const cs = getComputedStyle(target); if (cs.display === 'none' || cs.visibility === 'hidden' || target.hidden) return false; if (parseFloat(cs.opacity || '1') < 0.05) return false; if (target.closest('[aria-hidden="true"]')) return false; const rect = target.getBoundingClientRect(); const hasSize = (rect.width > 0 && rect.height > 0) || (target.offsetWidth > 0 && target.offsetHeight > 0); if (!hasSize) return false; const vh = window.innerHeight || document.documentElement.clientHeight; return rect.bottom > 0 && rect.top < vh; } function anyRealBannerVisible() { // A “real” banner = visible AND not empty/test/all-clear/feed-empty return Array.from(document.querySelectorAll(CANDS)).some(el => { if (!isEffectivelyVisible(el)) return false; const txt = (el.textContent || '').replace(/\u00A0/g, ' ').trim(); if (!txt) return false; if (/all\s*clear/i.test(txt) || /test/i.test(txt) || /feed\s*has\s*no\s*items\.?/i.test(txt)) return false; return true; }); } function setForce110(on) { const root = document.documentElement; const was = root.classList.contains('divibar-force-110'); if (!!on === was) return; root.classList.add('divibar-atomic'); root.classList.toggle('divibar-force-110', !!on); // If we’re NOT forcing 110, clear any stray inline 110 the plugin may add later. if (!on) { const hdr = document.getElementById(HEADER_ID); if (hdr) hdr.style.setProperty('padding-top', '40px', 'important'); } requestAnimationFrame(() => root.classList.remove('divibar-atomic')); } // Debounced 2-frame confirmation to avoid flicker during animations let raf1 = null, raf2 = null; function scheduleRecompute() { if (raf1) return; raf1 = requestAnimationFrame(() => { raf1 = null; hideDiviBars(); const a = anyRealBannerVisible(); raf2 = requestAnimationFrame(() => { raf2 = null; const b = anyRealBannerVisible(); setForce110(a && b); }); }); } // --- Wiring --- document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', scheduleRecompute); window.addEventListener('load', scheduleRecompute); window.addEventListener('resize', () => { cancelAnimationFrame(raf1); raf1 = null; cancelAnimationFrame(raf2); raf2 = null; scheduleRecompute(); }); new MutationObserver(() => scheduleRecompute()).observe(document.documentElement, { childList: true, subtree: true, attributes: true, attributeFilter: ['style', 'class', 'aria-hidden'] }); document.addEventListener('transitionend', e => { if (e.target && e.target.closest(CANDS)) scheduleRecompute(); }); document.addEventListener('animationend', e => { if (e.target && e.target.closest(CANDS)) scheduleRecompute(); }); document.addEventListener('click', function (e) { const btn = e.target && e.target.closest('.divibars-close'); if (!btn) return; setTimeout(() => { const bar = btn.closest('.divibars-container, [class*="divibar"]'); if (bar) bar.style.setProperty('display', 'none', 'important'); scheduleRecompute(); }, 200); }, true); // Initial pass scheduleRecompute(); })();