Image Description: The stamp for the Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes. The bottom of the stamp is a orange-yellow shield with a dark blue outline that reads "Estd. 2024" in highly stylized type with two Episcopal-style crosses. On the top of the shield, like it's sailing on it, is the two-sailed ship from the diocesan seal, along with the three stars in the sky. the largest of which represents our new diocese while the two smaller stars represent our two legacy dioceses.
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Image Description: The wordmark for our diocese that reads, "EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF THE GREAT LAKES." The first four words are in all caps in a simple-yet-wide sans serif font. "Great Lakes" is also in all-caps, but in a highly stylized font that is reminiscent of vintage sign art. The G, L and S all have added flourishes that look like waves. This is the horizontal orientation of the wordmark and it is shown in the warm gray (off-white) brand color.

Something new is growing among us.

Holy Ground for Whole Communities offers each congregation in our diocese is an opportunity to connect and transform.

Video Transcript

Reverence and Resilience

A New Initiative for Ministry, Ecology, and Justice

 Holy Ground for Whole Communities is a Lilly Endowment grant-funded program (2025–2028) supporting Episcopal congregations in discerning new ways to use their land and buildings as sacred assets for the common good. Through formation, action grants, and partnership, the program invites congregations to reimagine how they serve God, neighbor, and creation in a time of climate crisis and social transformation.

Who's involved?

IMAGE DESCRIPTION: A dark blue stylized wordmark which reads, "EPISCOPAL DIOCESE OF THE GREAT LAKES."

 Spiritual and regional leadership

Convening the initiative

Congregational Network

Plainsong Farm logo

Formation in sacred ecology

Food & discipleship

Episcopal Service Corps

Image Description: Logo for Partners for Sacred Places

Training in community engagement

Property as sacred asset

Asset-based ministry training

What will happen?

  • Four-session hybrid training (Zoom + in-person)
  • Faithful Land Choices Decision Tree Workbook+Referral Network+Bible Study
  • Experiential gathering 
  • Site visit & community facilitation
  • $7,000 sacred action grant per congregation
  • Evaluation + storytelling for impact
  • College for Congregational Development 
  • Communities of Practice beyond 2028

Cohort 1: Program Timeline (2025-2026)

  • September 2025: Call for applicants opens
  • November 30, 2025: Application deadline
  • January 2026: Cohort 1 announcement & welcome/orientation
  • February – March 2026: Online Training 1-4
  • April 2026: Experiential in-person gathering 
  • May – June 2026: Site visits from Partners for Sacred Places
  • July – September 2026: Regranting & award period
  • October 2026: Call for applicants for Cohort 2
  • November 30, 2026: Application deadline Cohort 2
  • December 2026- Cohort 1 Culmination reports

Applications for Cohort 1 are open until November 30, 2025.

Apply today!

Questions?

Connect with Dr. Jess Kidder, Program Manager, Episcopal Diocese of the Great Lakes. 

Applications are open for the first Cohort of Holy Ground for Whole Communities until November 30.

Apply today!