Dr. Daniel Hartman

Rooted Together: Strengthening Pastoral Formation for Ministry in the City

2026: Mosaic House Ministries recently entered a significant new chapter by becoming an Association of Churches, formalizing a decade of prayer, trust, and collaborative ministry among nine congregations in Waukegan, Illinois. This project seeks to strengthen the spiritual formation of pastors, deepen the institutional life of the newly formed Association, and extend its influence toward tangible expressions of hope through the Mosaic Healing Gardens. In a time marked by polarization and division, Mosaic House Ministries believes the Church has a unique opportunity to cultivate communities rooted in Christ, united across congregations, and committed to the flourishing of neighborhoods. Healthy churches require healthy pastors, and healthy pastors flourish through intentional rhythms of prayer, discernment, friendship, and shared leadership.

Grant support will make possible two pastoral formation retreats, ongoing gatherings for prayer and discernment, and continued development of the Mosaic Healing Gardens as a place of embodied Christian formation. The gardens will serve as a living classroom and extension of the churches, where pastors, young people, churches, and neighbors cultivate food while also cultivating leadership, hospitality, stewardship, and hope. By investing in pastors, strengthening collaboration among churches, and cultivating places where faith is practiced together, this project will deepen the long-term sustainability of the Association while creating resources and learnings to share with the Ministry in the City HUB and other urban ministry leaders.