Excellence in Ministry, Unleashed (EMU)

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Creating Congregational Cultures of Generosity

The EMU.NJ (Excellence in Ministry, Unleashed) initiative was established in 2016 as part of the Lilly Endowment’s National Initiative to Address Economic Challenges Facing Pastoral Leaders.  We seek to support gift of ministry that rostered leaders provide in service to our Lord Jesus Christ through the New Jersey Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Over the course of the funding initiative, EMU.NJ has provided assistance in retiring Student Load Debt, meeting unexpected expenses related to the Covid pandemic, offered incentives for retirement savings, and financial literacy training for both pastors and congregations.

Although we are in the final phase of our external funding, our work to provide tools for informed financial decisions continues. Check out the excellent collection of resources that remains available on our Research, Networks and Resources page, and look to our Coming Events page for the latest offerings.