$1M Grant to Expand Ministry Education at Emmanuel College

By Leslie Shepherd 

A $1 million (U.S.) grant from Lilly Endowment Inc. will enable Emmanuel College to strengthen its Master of Divinity program and launch a new continuing education centre to help both emerging and experienced church leaders adapt to the rapidly evolving changes in society.  

“Many leaders in the United Church of Canada and other denominations are seeking new kinds of support to help them in their work, especially in urban centres with growing, diverse immigrant populations and in rural congregations where isolation can be a challenge,” said Emmanuel College’s Acting Principal Pam McCarroll. 

“Traditional church attendance is declining while more people are becoming interested in spirituality inside and outside of organized religion.” 

The new “Nurturing Ministry: Theological Education In Situ” project is being funded by a grant to Victoria University through Lilly Endowment’s Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative, which is intended to help theological schools across the United States and Canada strengthen their educational and financial capacities to prepare and support pastoral leaders for Christian congregations both now and into the future. 

The project has two parts. 

The first would strengthen the MDiv program at Emmanuel, the largest theological college in the United Church of Canada. Emmanuel is one of two colleges that make up Victoria University in the University of Toronto. 

Enrolment in the program dropped in the 2010s, during which time Emmanuel focused on growing its chaplaincy and spiritual care degree, adding options for Muslim, Buddhist and interfaith studies. While that led to a big increase in enrolment for the Master of Psychospiritual Studies, the last three years have also seen renewed interest in the MDiv program and increasing enrolment for it. 

The second part of the project will be to establish and fund a Centre for Continuing Education for Christian Leadership at Emmanuel to offer short, practical courses and peer support for clergy. The goal is to provide flexible, relevant training that responds to the real-life challenges for church leaders today, especially those in rural areas where clergy are scarce. 

“Victoria University is committed to exploring new ways of teaching and learning,” said President Rhonda McEwen. “We are delighted this commitment is being supported by the Lilly Endowment. 

Research conducted before applying for the grant, including a survey, interviews and focus groups with ordained and lay UCC leaders, found a need to provide emerging and experienced leaders with: 

• Pastoral care training for issues like end-of-life support and mental health.
• Leadership skills, including conflict resolution, financial literacy, community building and entrepreneurial approaches to church.
• Training for new forms of worship, such as hybrid models, weekday gatherings and outdoor “forest” churches.
• Immersive learning experiences are integrated into the MDiv curriculum to help students build practical skills and a strong ministry identity.
• Peer learning circles to support leaders throughout their education and ministry, especially during supervised placements. 

 
That research also found that experienced ministers and lay leaders were feeling isolated because of changes in the church and society, especially in rural areas. 
 
For example, the United Church now requires new ministers to complete a two-year supervised ministry experience after graduating from an MDiv program. Previously, students did internships and then returned to campus for final-year reflection and learning with their peers. The Emmanuel research found that graduates missed this opportunity to connect. 

In response, the new continuing education centre hopes to offer online peer groups for graduates during their two-year supervised ministry experience. It also hopes to offer a Certificate in Christian Leadership with micro-credential courses on leading hybrid churches and using technology effectively; sustainable leadership and social entrepreneurship; trauma-informed pastoral care; and rediscovering Christian spiritual practices. 

Emmanuel College is updating its MDiv program to include immersive, real-world learning experiences in inner city and rural congregations. Students might also attend spiritual retreats and participate with Indigenous communities to learn more about their spiritualities and history. Faculty will receive training  to help them incorporate more experiential and peer-based teaching methods into their courses. 

“Emmanuel College wants to become a top destination for training and supporting creative, justice-minded, heart-centered, gospel-inspired Christian leaders—both future ministers in its MDiv program and current church leaders who need new skills for today’s changing church,” McCarroll said. 

Emmanuel College is one of 163 theological schools that have received grants since 2021 through the Pathways initiative. Together, the schools serve a broad spectrum of Christian traditions in the U.S. and Canada. They are affiliated with evangelical, mainline Protestant, nondenominational, Pentecostal, Orthodox, Catholic, Black church, Latino, Asian American, Indigenous and historic peace church traditions.