The CRG (Congregational Resource Guide) is an online tool designed to help leaders of all congregations find the right resources to address their unique challenges and needs.
Visit The CRGLifting up stories from across the state is critical to building connections, forging a stronger congregational community, and helping others grow. Has Center for Congregations helped you navigate a challenge or opportunity? Please share your story with us.
Share a story ideaThe Center for Congregations strengthens Indiana congregations by helping them find and use the best resources to address their challenges and opportunities.
About UsCenter for Congregations
303 North Alabama Street, Suite 100
Indianapolis, IN 46204
Originally from Mexico, Javier arrived in Fort Wayne in 2007 and together with his wife founded Many Nations Church, a multiethnic congregation in the Mount Vernon Park Neighborhood. In 2012, Javier established Bridge of Grace Compassionate Ministries, a faith-based community development organization dedicated to building thriving and sustainable neighborhoods in southeast Fort Wayne. Mount Vernon Park has struggled with many of the same problems many older neighborhoods face. Over the past decade Bridge of Grace, has mobilized staff, volunteers, and their neighbors to serve, pray, work on clean-up projects, renovating and building new homes, tutoring, mentoring, testifying at public hearings, and constructing parks in vacant lots and most recently a health clinic and an early learning center.
Javier holds a Masters of Ministry and Leadership from Olivet Nazarene University, has served as Adjunct Professor of Community Development and Urban Ministries at Indiana Wesleyan University.
Ted Waggoner is a retired lawyer from Rochester Indiana. He is a noted speaker on legal issues including ethics, retirement planning, and estate planning and probate, for state and national legal organizations. Ted is also active in his church, at the local, regional and national manifestations. He has been general counsel for the Indiana Regional Church, (Disciples of Christ) and the Indiana-Kentucky Conference of the United Church of Christ. He served as a Vice-Moderator of the General Assembly for the Disciples. Ted has been a founding member and past Chair of his local multi-county Community Foundation, founding Chair of the local Hospital Foundation, and member and Chair of the Christian Church Foundation. Ted and Nancy are the parents of two daughters and grandparents of seven grandchildren.
Dr. David M. Mellott is the president of Christian Theological Seminary. He has served as vice president for academic affairs, dean, and professor of theological formation at Lancaster Theological Seminary in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. An ordained minister with the United Church of Christ, Dr. Mellott provides an especially unique perspective for the ecumenical Indianapolis campus; he grew up with roots in the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) and the Roman Catholic Church. He was originally ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1982.
Colleen Kenney is an active leader and volunteer in Indianapolis area organizations. She is a member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, where she serves on the parish council and is a representative on the Eastside Catholic Community. She is also on the board of directors at Hope Academy Recovery High School.
Rev. Dr. Richard L. “Dick” Hamm served as a minister of congregations for 23 years, as regional minister of the Disciples of Christ in Tennessee, and as general minister and president of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) in the US and Canada from 1993-2003. He was the first executive director of Christian Churches Together in the USA, and has served as a vice president of the National Council of Churches and a member of the World Council of Churches Central Committee. Dick is an author and affiliate faculty member at Christian Theological Seminary. As a member of Central Christian Church, Indianapolis, he is active locally in Bread For The World.
The Center for Congregations is funded by Lilly Endowment, Inc. and is a supporting organization of the Christian Theological Seminary in Indianapolis and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.