If your congregation is ready to explore new ideas, experiment faithfully, and imagine what’s next, we hope you’ll check out our partnership between the Presbytery of Baltimore and the PC(USA) Office of Innovation.
Learn more about Baltimore’s Innovation Lab
Applications open September 15 and close October 31. Applications will be reviewed in November, and all applicants will be notified of their status by December 15.
We encourage each congregation or ministry to apply with a team of two to three people, as Innovation Lab is designed to foster collaboration and shared learning. Only one ministry context per Regional Ministry Group may participate in each cohort, and ministry contexts that participated in the previous year’s cohort are not eligible for this year’s program.
Innovation Lab 2027 Timeline
January 15th to 18th, 2027: Innovation Lab Kick Off Retreat at a local retreat and conference center.
Innovation Lab Monthly Gatherings are on Zoom the first Thursday of every month from 6-8 pm EST:
- February 4
- March 4
- April 1
- May 6
- June 3
What to Expect
Each month, participants gather for a virtual Innovation Lab session, supported by flexible, practical work between sessions. The design is intentional: meaningful engagement without overwhelming busy ministry schedules.
Estimated time commitment: 1–2 hours per month outside of the cohort session
- Between-Session Engagement
- Pre-Session Preparation (30–45 minutes)
- Short, focused readings
- Reflective journaling or guiding questions
- Brief videos or case study review
- Practical Application & Experimentation (30–60 minutes)
- Testing innovation tools in your ministry setting
- Conversations with leadership teams or congregations
- Observing and gathering insights from your context
- Peer Connection (Optional, 15–30 minutes)
- Light engagement in an online discussion space
- Informal connection with fellow cohort members
- Pre-Session Preparation (30–45 minutes)
This work is designed to integrate into your existing ministry—not add another layer of burden.
Apply for 2027 Innovation Lab
Cohorts are formed with intentional diversity in role, experience, and context to foster rich learning and collaboration.
