Luther receives $1M from Lilly Endowment Inc.

Contact: Dr. Kristine Lund
548.889.3588
klund@wlu.ca
Oct. 7, 2025

Waterloo Lutheran Seminary operating as Martin Luther University College (Luther) has received a grant of $1,000,000.00 from Lilly Endowment Inc. to help establish By Living Waters Ministry School.

The program is being funded 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 new school will serve as a central resource for the Eastern Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada (ELCIC) and strengthen collaboration with partner faith communities. This initiative directly aligns with Luther’s strategic priorities and underscores Luther’s commitment to advancing theological education and ministry leadership in Canada.

The By Living Waters Ministry School will engage in research to assess and address gaps in faith-based education and congregational support. These findings will inform new strategies for ministry that are both contextually relevant to Canadian society and grounded in global best practices.

“This grant represents an extraordinary opportunity for Martin Luther University College to expand its mission,” said Kristine Lund, Principal-Dean. “By developing innovative approaches to ministry, we will further equip our faculty, students, and partners for leadership in service to church and community.

Waterloo Lutheran Seminary operating as Martin Luther University 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.

“Theological schools have long played a central role for most denominations and church networks in preparing and supporting pastoral leaders who guide congregations,” said Christopher L. Coble, Lilly Endowment’s vice president for religion. “These schools are paying close attention to the challenges churches are facing today and will face in the foreseeable future. The grants will help these schools engage in wide-ranging, innovative efforts to adapt their educational programs and build their financial capacities so they can better prepare pastors and lay ministers to effectively lead the congregations they will serve in the future.”

Luther extends sincere gratitude to Lilly Endowment for its generous support of this important work.

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 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.