2026 Pathways for Tomorrow Annual Gathering Highlights

Preparing the Way Together

Wayfinders on the Journey

More than 600 grantees, collaborators, consultants, and theological education leaders gathered in Indianapolis this September for the 2026 Pathways Coordination Program Annual Gathering. Grounded in the theme Wayfinders and inspired by Isaiah 40:3–5, participants came together to explore new possibilities, strengthen relationships, and learn from one another as they seek new and innovative ways to prepare leaders for ministry in a rapidly changing world.

As ATS Director of Institutional Initiatives Jo Ann Deasy reminded attendees during the Opening Plenary, "This journey is better taken with others." Throughout the Gathering, attendees were reminded that they are not traveling alone. They are fellow pilgrims navigating changing terrain, sharing wisdom, and helping to build roads that others will follow.

Program Highlights and Participant Experiences

From plenaries and workshops to team conversations and the Pathways Expo, the Gathering created space for reflection, collaboration, and practical learning.

Day 1 Opening Plenary: Mapping the Terrain

The Gathering opened by inviting participants to consider the changing landscape of theological education and the opportunities emerging through the Pathways for Tomorrow Initiative. Leaders from ATS, the In Trust Center for Theological Schools, and Lilly Endowment Inc. reflected on the shared mission of preparing pastoral leaders and strengthening congregations through innovation, collaboration, and institutional resilience.

Speakers emphasized that theological schools are not simply responding to change. They are helping to shape the future by creating new pathways, expanding access to theological education, and learning together across institutional and denominational boundaries. The message was clear: Wayfinding is a shared endeavor that flourishes through community.

Watch the Full Opening Plenary

Day 2 Morning Plenary: Looking to the Horizon

How can theological education respond faithfully in an age shaped by rapid technological change?

Adam Cronk of the University of Notre Dame's Delta Framework challenged participants to consider the opportunities and challenges created by artificial intelligence while keeping human flourishing at the center. Drawing on themes of dignity, embodiment, learning, love, agency, and transcendence, the session encouraged schools to think beyond technology itself and focus on what it means to prepare leaders who can help communities navigate a changing world.

See Presentation Slides

Watch the Full Morning Plenary

Closing Plenary: Making Our Waypoint on the Trail

The Gathering concluded with reflections on what participants had learned together and the paths that lie ahead. Drawing on insights from the workshops, Expo, and community conversations, speakers highlighted themes of collaboration, adaptation, leadership development, and hope.

Lilly Endowment's program director in the religion division Tito Madrazo encouraged participants to view their work as part of a larger story unfolding across theological education. He reminded them that grant projects may end, but the relationships, learning, and transformation they inspire continue.

Watch the Full Closing Plenary

Workshops

A variety of workshops provided practical tools and strategies for grantees at every stage of their projects. Topics included collaboration, hiring, project management, grant administration, recruitment and enrollment, assessment, curriculum development, technology, and adaptive leadership. Participants also explored emerging questions facing theological education, including sustainability, innovation, organizational change, and the evolving needs of congregations and communities.

Pathways Expo and Navigator Tool

The Pathways Expo showcased nearly 50 grant-funded projects and offered opportunities for participants to learn directly from peers about promising practices, challenges, and innovations emerging across the initiative.

New this year was The Pathways Explorer, an AI-powered tool designed to help participants discover projects, resources, and collaborators working on similar questions. By connecting attendees with relevant peers and Expo presentations, the tool helped foster meaningful conversations and strengthen relationships throughout the Pathways ecosystem.

Team Time

Dedicated team sessions gave grant teams the opportunity to step away from presentations and focus on their own work. Whether refining project plans, discussing implementation challenges, identifying next steps, or reflecting on learning from the Gathering, teams used this time to strengthen collaboration and build momentum for the months ahead.

For many participants, team conversations provided an opportunity to align vision, clarify goals, and reconnect with the broader purpose of their grant work.

Preconferences

Before the 2026 Gathering officially began, participants gathered in two specialized preconferences designed to meet grantees where they were in their Pathways journey:

The Individual School Grants (ISG) Preconference focused on schools launching and implementing institution-specific projects.
The Large-Scale Collaborative Grants (LSCG) Preconference brought together leaders working together across schools, denominations, congregations, and partner organizations.

ISG Preconference

The ISG Preconference helped new grantees through workshops, cohort conversations, and team planning sessions. Opening reflections framed participants as fellow wayfinders navigating new terrain together, while the closing plenary featured experienced Pathways leaders sharing lessons learned from years of grant-funded innovation. Their stories emphasized adaptability, perseverance, and the importance of relationships as schools move from promising ideas to meaningful impact.

Watch the ISG Opening Plenary

Watch the ISG Closing Plenary

LSCG Preconference

The LSCG Preconference supported attendees with workshops and cohort conversations centered on the opportunities and challenges of collaboration. Opening speakers explored why theological education's future depends on individual institutional success as much as partnerships capable of strengthening the broader ecosystem of leadership preparation. The closing plenary invited seasoned leaders to reflect on what they had learned through complex partnerships, highlighting themes of trust-building, shared mission, and organizational change.

Watch the LSCG Opening Plenary

Watch the LSCG Closing Plenary

Looking Ahead

As participants departed Indianapolis, they carried with them new ideas, expanded networks, and renewed energy for the journey ahead. While each grant follows its own path, the 2026 Annual Pathways for Tomorrow Coordination Program Gathering reinforced a shared conviction. As Lilly Endowment's Tito Madrazo reminded attendees, the work of Pathways is not simply about traveling a road. It is about "building the road even as they travel on it," helping shape a more faithful and sustainable future for theological education.

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