How is participation in the
program structured?
> An application process will communicate the church’s interest in participating and provide program staff with profile of the church.
> The church will be represented in the program by a “Thrive Team” of 6-8 people (plus a clergyperson).
> The Thrive Team will participate program activities as a group and with teams of other churches.
> Thrive Teams will be given resources to share their experience as well as elements of the initiative with the broader congregation.
Congregational
Commitment
Thanks to the generosity of our funding partner, selected congregations are eligible to receive a stipend and the opportunity to apply for grant funding upon meeting the following requirements:
> Completion of pre and post survey
> Thrive Team participation in the four in-person workshops.
> Monthly Reports from Thrive Team Gatherings
> Plan for communicating process and progress to congregation's leadership and membership.> Completion of pre and post survey
> Completion of each phase of the program including the execution of an action discerned in Phase 3.
> Upon competition, Thrive Team, church leadership, and congregation will participate in assessment of the experience and resources
What Does the two years in
the examen(Ed) Church Look Like?
FAQs
- Pastor and Thrive Team receive training in reflection and in program themes.
- Congregation is exposed to the practice of reflection.
- Pastor and Thrive Team gain access to Program Staff and other Marquette personnel and resources.
- Churches that complete the process receive a $2000-4000 stipend.
- Small grants will be available to encourage congregations in new initiatives executed to during the experience.
Participation in The Examen(ed) Church comes without financial cost for congregations; all expenses are covered by the Lilly Endowment grant. Each congregation that completes the program will receive a stipend for its participation.
The church’s “Thrive Team” will participate in several activities in four phases over two years. Up to 20 churches total will participate fully in the initiative. Some events will provide opportunity for churches to learn together. Many of the month-to-month activities will be guided experiences for your church’s Thrive Team to engage together as a group.
The Thrive Team is a group of 6-8 individuals, including a clergyperson, who represent the church in their participation in The Examen(ed) Church initiative.
The Thrive Team represents the church as it participates in The Examen(ed) Church activities. The church is participating in The Examen(ed) Church, not just the Thrive Team. Accordingly, the make-up of the Thrive Team should represent the identity and constituencies of the church.
The role of the Thrive Team is not to make decisions or plans for the church, but rather to serve as those dedicated to reflection on behalf of the church.
Thrive Team members will…
- Participate in the required activities of The Examen(ed) Church—reflection, workshops, and discernment.
- Engage in guided personal and group reflection on their own spiritual journey, the experience of the church, and the needs of the community.
- Share the fruits of reflection with the congregation and church leaders.
- Discern together with church leadership and congregation a specific response to their reflection and learning.
The make-up of the Thrive Team should reflect the identity of the church, not just the current leadership of the congregation
A Thrive Team member from a particular church ministry area doesn’t need to be a leader in that ministry but must be able to represent the experience of that group in the Thrive Team’s reflections.
While there are no specific skills or gifts necessary to be a Thrive Team member, consider church members that might be more inclined toward spiritual reflection and listening rather than problem-solving, planning, or decision-making.
During Phases One and Two of the program, the congregation's Thrive Team will meet monthly for 90-minute sessions. Each month, the team will be provided with a Reflection Guide for individual contemplation and prompts for Thrive Team gatherings. In Phase Three, the Thrive Team will have the autonomy to set its own pace as it discerns its activities or actions. In Phase Four, the Thrive Team and the congregation’s leadership will work together to evaluate the entire process in a series of gatherings.
Communication with the congregation and its leadership is integral to the learning process for the Thrive Team. Throughout the program, tools and materials will be employed to share insights and reflections from the Thrive Team to the congregation.
Having a clergy member on the congregation's Thrive Team is highly recommended. The intention is for the pastor to serve as the spiritual guide and theological presence on the team. The pastor is not expected to be the "leader" or the primary facilitator of the program.
- Attendance at all four workshops is mandatory; these workshops are scheduled once a quarter during the first year.
- We recommend allocating 1.5-2 hours per month for individuals to engage with program materials. This does not encompass personal Examen practice.
- Each Thrive Team Gathering is slated for a 90-minute duration.
All program materials are freely available for download. Explore the program's audio recordings from workshop presentations, Thrive Team activities, and other documents by clicking HERE.
