The St. Paul Area Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America seeks a five-year grant for its From the Center Outward program. This endeavor seeks to provide mentoring for three specific groups of pastors: 1) early career pastors with four to ten years of ministry experience; 2) senior pastors of large congregations; and 3) clergy of color. Pastors will form peer cohorts, and each pastor will participate in an inaugural retreat, receive spiritual direction, meet regularly with mentors and create a leadership development program for his or her congregation. The program aims to connect, resource and encourage bolder leadership where weariness, isolation and self­ limitation may be especially likely to take root. To sustain this effort, the synod will incorporate elements of the program into its operating budget and include this program in a comprehensive capital campaign set to launch in the coming year.