South Indiana Conference Small Membership Churches, Lay Pastor Project (Lilly Endowment) records

The Indiana University Center for Survey Research (CSR) in Bloomington conducted the Partnership in Ministry (PIM) Survey with lay pastors and church members who are participating in the Partnership in Ministry Program throughout Indiana. The Partnership in Ministry Program was created to help small churches remain open. The Program is based on the belief that smaller churches that cannot afford to sustain a full-time pastor can be effectively served by a part-time lay (local) pastor. The PIM program is "a model for ministry which emphasized the mutual responsibility of pastor and members of the congregation to engage in developing a partnership ministry" (as stated in the PIM mission statement). This survey, sponsored by the North and South Conferences of the Indiana United Methodist Church, was funded by a grant from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. The goal of the survey was to determine if the program was serving its intended purpose and if pastors and church members in partnership were satisfied with the program.