Western Maine Children’s Ministry Hub
Based at First Church in Bridgton, Maine, the Western Maine Children’s Ministry Hub, also known as the Hub, is a new center connecting churches doing innovative, inclusive children’s and intergenerational ministry in western Maine and beyond.
Grant initiative
How the Hub came to be
The Hub was established in November 2024 with support from Lilly Endowment, Inc.’s Nurturing Children Through Worship and Prayer grant initiative and First Church. Led by an advisory board of First Church lay and pastoral leadership, the Hub is directed by Spencer Law, First Church’s Minister for Intergenerational Innovation.
Four-part grant structure:
1. Innovation in intergenerational ministry
2. Creating First Church’s model space
3. The Church Cohort Program
4. Resourcing the local church
First Church has spent the first year of our five-year grant period exploring and experimenting with intergenerational worship and prayer in our congregation, evaluating and learning from our experimentation, and building even deeper relationships among people of all ages in our church. Now, the focus of our grant program turns outward as we invite our neighbors in faith to join the Hub through our church cohort program, which will run for the remaining four years of our grant period.
First Congregational Church of Bridgton, Maine, was founded in 1784. Today, as part of the United Church of Christ, we are privileged to continue serving the Lakes Region and its many visitors. Our people are our ministers: we try to make our lives examples of the love that Jesus taught his followers. We seek to provide a spiritually safe place for all who would seek to know God’s Spirit, and are proud to join our fellow congregations in the United Church of Christ in bearing witness to the “still speaking” God.
First Church
Bridgton, ME
Where the Hub resides
Meet our team
Funding structure
LILLY ENDOWMENT GRANT: BUDGET FOR THE 5-YEAR GRANT
| TOTAL INCOME | $1,250,000 |
| TOTAL EXPENSES | $1,250,000 |
| PERSONNEL | $478,081 |
|---|---|
| PROGRAM DIRECTOR | $113,588 |
| COORDINATOR FOR INTERGENERATIONAL WORSHIP | $143,666 |
| COHORT FACILITATOR | $88,410 |
| ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT | $66,309 |
| CONTINUING EDUCATION PROFESSIONAL EXPENSES | $22,500 |
| STAFF TRAVEL TO COHORT CHURCHES | $10,000 |
| SAFE CHURCH TRAINING AND BACKGROUND CHECKS | $750 |
| FICA, WORKER’S COMP. PAYROLL | $32,858 |
| ORIENTATION TRAINING EVENTS | $47,000 |
|---|---|
| HONORARIA FOR SPEAKER | $25,000 |
| SPEAKER’S PROFESSIONAL EXPENSES | $10,000 |
| FACILITY FEE | $4,500 |
| CATERING | $5,000 |
| CHILDCARE STAFF | $2,500 |
| INTERGENERATIONAL WORSHIP SUMMIT | $229,142 |
|---|---|
| HONORARIA FOR SPEAKER | $25,000 |
| SPEAKER’S PROFESSIONAL EXPENSES | $10,000 |
| CAMP RENTAL FOR LARGE EVENTS | $194,142 |
| COHORT | $280,900 |
|---|---|
| CLERGY AND LEADER COACHING | $20,100 |
| MICRO-GRANTS TO COHORT CHURCHES | $84,000 |
| SECOND MICRO-GRANTS TO COHORT CHURCHES | $176,800 |
| EQUIPMENT | $8,798 |
|---|---|
| COMPUTER HARDWARE | $6,000 |
| PRINTERS | $660 |
| VIDEO EQUIPMENT/TRIPOD | $1,838 |
| PROJECTOR | $300 |
| OFFICE EXPENSES | $33,769 |
|---|---|
| SUPPLIES | $5,000 |
| PRINTING/COPYING | $2,250 |
| GRAPHICS | $595 |
| WEB DEVELOPER | $17,800 |
| AUDIO-VISUAL SPECIALIST | $8,124 |
| CREATING FIRST CHURCH’S MODEL SPACE | $79,810 |
|---|---|
| FURNITURE | $2,075 |
| PAINTING | $1,800 |
| CABINETS | $14,000 |
| FLOORING CE WING | $10,000 |
| WINDOW TREATMENTS | $435 |
| SANCTUARY CHANGES | $27,000 |
| SANCTUARY | $2,500 |
| OUTDOOR PRAYER AREA | $22,000 |
| PROGRAM SUPPLIES | $37,500 |
|---|---|
| CURRICULUM AND BOOKS | $5,000 |
| MUSIC AND ARTS MINISTRY SUPPORT | $7,500 |
| MANIPULATIVES | $5,000 |
| INTERGENERATIONAL MISSION EVENT | $15,000 |
| ENRICHMENT | $5,000 |
| AUDIT | $15,000 |
| SUB-TOTAL EXPENSES | $1,210,000 |
| INDIRECT COSTS | $40,000 |