Making disciples of Jesus Christ
and spreading scriptural holiness across the globe.

Help Build the Future of Ministry in the Great Lakes Region In December 2025, the Great Lakes Annual Conference (GLAC) received an $800,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. to launch the Equipping Initiative —an ambitious effort to strengthen local church ministry across Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Wisconsin. This grant supports our strategic plan by establishing ministerial scholarships, funding church plants, developing leadership training, and building sustainable infrastructure for long-term impact. Now we're looking for two exceptional professionals to help bring this vision to life. Two Strategic Contract Roles 1. Development Fundraising Consultant What You'll Do: Lead a $400,000 matching funds campaign over three years to establish the Ministerial Scholarship Fund and Equipping Fund endowment. Key Responsibilities: Design and execute a major gifts strategy targeting 25+ prospective donors Cultivate relationships through personal visits and strategic engagement Create donor stewardship systems that build long-term partnerships Establish sustainable fundraising infrastructure for GLAC's future Who You Are: A proven major gifts fundraiser with campaign success A relationship builder who thrives on authentic connection A compelling storyteller who translates vision into giving opportunities Someone experienced in faith-based development who sees fundraising as ministry Read the full Development Fundraising Consultant description → 2. Project Manager Consultant What You'll Do: Orchestrate the coordination of GLAC's comprehensive equipping strategy across trainer networks, technology platforms, scholarship programs, and strategic communications. Key Responsibilities: Coordinate all components of the initiative to work in harmony Lead communications and marketing through newsletters, webinars, and social media Compile progress reports, track key metrics, and refine strategy based on data Provide administrative support including pledge tracking and donor stewardship coordination Who You Are: A strategic thinker who sees how complex pieces fit together A communications expert who crafts compelling messages for diverse audiences Highly organized with proven project management skills Tech-savvy enough to coordinate platform development and digital tools Read the full Project Manager Consultant description → Consultant Details (Both Roles) Type: Independent Consultant or a Firm Schedule: 30 hours per week, 50 weeks per year Compensation: Negotiable Duration: Year-to-year contract Location: Remote with occasional travel to the Great Lakes 4-state region Application Deadline: January 20, 2026, 11:59 pm EST Why This Work Matters These engagements are about building sustainable infrastructure that will equip Great Lakes churches and leaders for generations to come. Your expertise will help: Launch new churches in areas with little Global Methodist presence Train the next generation of pastoral leaders through scholarships and mentoring Fund experimental approaches that could revolutionize ministerial formation Create lasting impact across local churches throughout the Great Lakes region This is Kingdom-building work that transforms communities and strengthens the Church's mission. How to Apply Submit your Request for Proposal (RFP) by January 20, 2026, 11:59 pm EST Read the full Development Fundraising Consultant description and RFP details → Read the full Project Manager Consultant description and RFP details → We're looking for professionals who bring strategic thinking, relationship-building prowess, and a passion for advancing God's Kingdom. If that's you, we want to hear from you. Learn More About the Equipping Initiative For more information about the $800,000 grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. and the full scope of the Equipping Initiative, read our press release. Questions? Contact us at info@greatlakesgmc.org or (463) 202-6032. The Great Lakes Annual Conference is committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ and spreading scriptural holiness across the globe.

The Connectional Council of the Global Methodist Church has received a grant of $800,000 from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help support The Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church (GLAC) to help establish the Equipping Initiative.  The grant builds upon a $49,900 planning grant received earlier this year, which enabled the GLAC to develop an implementation framework for its strategic plan . That plan, approved at the annual conference session in June 2025, identifies five strategic areas of focus: Cultural Formation, Discipleship Formation, Leadership Formation, Local Church Formation, and Missional Formation. “This grant is an answer to prayer,” said Rev. Dr. Scott Pattison, Conference Superintendent for the GLAC. “Since inception, our leaders have been discerning avenues by which we can better support pastors and develop the next generation of leaders. Now we have the resources to turn those conversations into action—investing in scholarships, apprenticeships, resources, and church planting that will bear fruit for decades to come.” The grant will support four key areas of investment that support the initiative: Ministerial Support and Equipping Fund ($400,000): Establishes an endowment to support ministerial scholarships for those pursuing ordained ministry, church plant seed funding, pastoral apprenticeship programs, internship placements in thriving congregations, and innovative ministry development. Half of this amount ($400,000) will be raised through a 1:1 matching campaign, leveraging the Endowment's investment, to generate $800,000 in total funding for these funds. Development and Project Management ($200,000): Provides professional fundraising communications and project management support to help the conference achieve matching funds goals and coordinate implementation across all strategic areas. Leadership and Capacity Development ($140,000): Partners with qualified experts to deliver training on disciple-making strategies, church health assessments, evangelism training, leadership development pathways, adaptive ministry for changing contexts, and more. Technology and Systems Infrastructure ($60,000): Develops digital platforms featuring church assessment tools, coaching resources, videography, a learning management system, and a resource-sharing network connecting churches across the conference. With matching funds, this opportunity could raise up to $1.2 million, $800,000 from Lilly Endowment and $400,000 from funds raised through GLAC. “Our strategic plan lays out an ambitious vision, and now we have generous resources to make it a reality,” said Rev. Tyler Best, Director of Operations. “From digital tools that connect our churches to scholarships that remove barriers for future pastors, every aspect of this grant is designed to strengthen local congregations where ministry happens every day. We are very grateful to Lilly Endowment for entrusting us with this opportunity.” The Equipping Initiative is being funded through Lilly Endowment’s Supporting Hoosier Churches Initiative. This initiative is designed to help strengthen the capacities of regional denominational organizations and church networks in Indiana to help their congregations thrive and contribute to quality of life in the local communities they serve. The grant to the Connectional Council of the Global Methodist Church supporting GLAC is one of 37 that is receiving funding through the initiative. About 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 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 founders’ 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. A principal aim of the Endowment’s 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 about religion and lift up in fair, accurate and balanced ways the roles that people of all faiths and various religious communities play in the United State and around the globe. About the Great Lakes Annual Conference The Great Lakes Annual Conference of the Global Methodist Church serves congregations across Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Wisconsin, with its headquarters in Kokomo, Indiana. The conference is committed to making disciples of Jesus Christ and spreading scriptural holiness across the globe through its network of local churches and pastoral leadership.