Arcus Foundation Grant
Arcus Foundation Grant began in 2011, to facilitate reconciling conversations with other UMC congregations in the Detroit Metro area.
The LGBT project at Central mushroomed after Annual Conference (late May 2011). The Arcus Foundation grant called for a total of 35 churches to be contacted. To date, 41 have been contacted and still growing. Bible studies and retreats are now being designed at many of those churches to discuss LGBT issues. (Arcus Foundation website here)
We are using the DVD "Seven Passages: The Stories of Gay Christians" to center these discussions. (trailer)
The LGBT project at Central mushroomed after Annual Conference (late May 2011). The Arcus Foundation grant called for a total of 35 churches to be contacted. To date, 41 have been contacted and still growing. Bible studies and retreats are now being designed at many of those churches to discuss LGBT issues. (Arcus Foundation website here)
We are using the DVD "Seven Passages: The Stories of Gay Christians" to center these discussions. (trailer)
George Jonte hired to coordinate Arcus Foundation activities
George
Jonte was hired to coordinate Arcus Foundation activities. He also serves as the Music Director at Berkley First UMC after a six-year tenure as Minister of
Music at Novi United Methodist Church. A
life-long Methodist, he
serves on the Worship Task Force of the Program Committee for the
Detroit Annual Conference, serves on the Board of Church
and Society, and is a Member-at-Large delegate from the Ann Arbor
District. He is a Certified Lay Speaker in the Detroit Conference.
His professional affiliations include the American Guild of Organists
and the Fellowship of Music and Worship Arts.
George holds both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Texas in Austin and had a brief concert career before answering the call to music ministry.
George holds both a Bachelor of Fine Arts and a Master of Fine Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Texas in Austin and had a brief concert career before answering the call to music ministry.
