Curious Christian Children

What Is Curious Christian Children?

Curious Christian Children (CCC) is a multi-year, Lilly Endowment–funded initiative working to reshape how communities across the ELCA include children—especially children with disabilities—in worship and prayer.
We’re inviting ministry leaders to explore big questions:

What makes worship truly welcoming for children?
How do we make room for curiosity, creativity, differing physical abilities, and neurodiversity?
How do children teach us about God?

This project combines deep listening, leadership development, and experimentation to create a church culture where children are not just included—they belong and lead.

Why it matters

Children are not supposed to be an afterthought in worship, and yet, too often, worship life is designed without their voices, needs, or leadership in mind. We want to change that by inviting faith leaders to reconsider how to engage kids as full participants in the Body of Christ.
The CCC initiative exists to:

Equip leaders to navigate change toward child-centered, accessible worship
Gather and test practices that work in real ministry contexts
Share ideas, stories, and tools with the wider church
Foster spaces where kids can lead us toward wonder, prayer, and presence

We believe when worship becomes more inclusive of children, it becomes more faithful, joyful, and whole—for everyone.

What CCC Offers

Learning Cohorts Nine-month learning and experimentation groups with funding and coaching

Listening Real voices, real stories—hearing from ministry leaders across the ELCA

Tools & Resources Practical guides, worship innovations, and a growing best-practice library

Ongoing Coaching & Community
Support to sustain and spread inclusive ministry practices

Join a Cohort!

We’re currently recruiting 25 leaders for our 2026 Learning Cohort—a 9-month opportunity to test, reflect, and transform how children engage in worship.
Participants will:

Attend two in-person gatherings (May 3-6, 2026 and Jan 20-21, 2027)
Receive monthly training, coaching, and peer support
Design and implement a ministry experiment with grant support
Help build the ELCA’s shared library of inclusive, child-led practices

Open to: Lay and rostered leaders in congregations, schools, camps, and chaplaincy.

Submit Your Ministry

Nominate a Ministry

Staff

Grant Director

Rev. Janelle Hooper (she/her)
Janelle is a seasoned ELCA pastor with deep experience in faith formation, children’s spirituality, and congregational change. She leads the vision and strategy of CCC with a focus on systemic transformation and spiritual inclusion.

Grant Coordinator

Shelby Briggs (she/her)
Shelby manages the day-to-day operations of the CCC initiative and serves as the primary contact for cohort members and partner organizations. With a background in communications, ministry, and a passion for accessibility, Shelby ensures that leaders are supported every step of the way.

Advisory Board

Cory Newman (she/her)
Executive Director of the Evangelical Lutheran Education Association

John Weit (he/him)
Executive, Worship, Office of the Presiding Bishop

Michael Sonnenberg (he/him)
Administrative Assistant, ELCA Chaplain Corps

Wanda Frenchman, Oglala Lakota & Lenape
Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations Assistant Churchwide

Kale Johnson (they/them)
Pathways LOM Program Director

Sarah Flatt (she/her)
ELCA pastor and Disability advocate

Jess Clarke (she/her)
Special Education Teacher

Ed Kay, (he/him)
Senior Director, Discipleship & Inclusive Communities

Additional Lilly Grant Resources:

Big Faith Resources exists to ensure that neurodiverse children and their families are fully included in the life of the church.

The Soil and The Seed Project nurtures faith through music, art, and Little Liturgies for daily and weekly use in the home. FREE music, coloring pages and brief services.

Radically Inclusive Parenting Project Engaging, Equipping, and Empowering parents and caregivers to pass on a radically inclusive spirituality to their children.