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Genesis of Ann Arbor
Genesis of Ann Arbor is a house of worship in Ann Arbor, Michigan, home to two congregations: an Episcopal church and a Reform Jewish synagogue. Genesis of Ann Arbor was formed in 1974 as an equal partnership of the St. Clare of Assisi Episcopal Church and Temple Beth Emeth, which were founded in 1953 and 1970 respectively. At its founding, the leaders of Genesis of Ann Arbor believed that it was the only equal Jewish-Christian space-sharing arrangement in the world.
Genesis of Ann Arbor was the first such partnership between Christian and Jewish congregations in the United States, and was covered in national media upon its founding as an example of contemporary interfaith dialogue. The two congregations each own half of Genesis of Ann Arbor, a nonprofit organization which owns and maintains the property and facilitates dialogue between the two congregations. St. Clare of Assisi and Temple Beth Emeth each have their own administration, clergy, and worship services, and coordinate some activities, including an annual pulpit exchange between the two congregations' clergy and a joint service for Thanksgiving.
The Genesis of Ann Arbor campus includes a shared sanctuary, which can be configured with the symbols of either faith, or in a neutral configuration. Each congregation also maintains a chapel for its exclusive use. The campus includes the historic William Anderson House, which was built in 1853 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Anderson House has housed the Back Door Food Pantry, a weekly food bank program, since 2007.
Genesis of Ann Arbor is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which owns the shared building. The present-day main sanctuary is shared by both congregations, and can be converted to show the symbols of either religion. Each congregation maintains its own small chapel on the property, and each has its own offices and library in the building. A shared social hall, kitchen, and banquet space support the two congregations' events.
St. Clare of Asissi Episcopal Church is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. Since 2021[update], it has been led by the Rev. Anne Clarke.
Temple Beth Emeth is a Reform congregation and a member of the Union for Reform Judaism. Since 2016[update], it has been led by Rabbi Josh Whinston.
The oldest building on the Genesis of Ann Arbor campus is the historic William Anderson House, built in the 1850s for Washtenaw County's first sheriff. Anderson's family lost the house in bankruptcy in the 1930s, and it was purchased by Dr. Inez Wisdom in 1937. Wisdom, a 1923 graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School, lived in the house with her partner Gertrude Griffith until Wisdom's death in 1965.
Wisdom constructed a small chapel on her property, modeled after the personal chapels she saw in her travels in Europe. The 10-seat Chapel of St. Francis, built from stucco and measuring only 11 by 22 ft (3.4 by 6.7 m), was dedicated in 1941. In addition to her personal use, Wisdom opened the chapel for weddings and christenings, and a community formed around it. Wisdom donated the chapel and part of her property to the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan in 1953, for the establishment of a new church.
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Genesis of Ann Arbor
Genesis of Ann Arbor is a house of worship in Ann Arbor, Michigan, home to two congregations: an Episcopal church and a Reform Jewish synagogue. Genesis of Ann Arbor was formed in 1974 as an equal partnership of the St. Clare of Assisi Episcopal Church and Temple Beth Emeth, which were founded in 1953 and 1970 respectively. At its founding, the leaders of Genesis of Ann Arbor believed that it was the only equal Jewish-Christian space-sharing arrangement in the world.
Genesis of Ann Arbor was the first such partnership between Christian and Jewish congregations in the United States, and was covered in national media upon its founding as an example of contemporary interfaith dialogue. The two congregations each own half of Genesis of Ann Arbor, a nonprofit organization which owns and maintains the property and facilitates dialogue between the two congregations. St. Clare of Assisi and Temple Beth Emeth each have their own administration, clergy, and worship services, and coordinate some activities, including an annual pulpit exchange between the two congregations' clergy and a joint service for Thanksgiving.
The Genesis of Ann Arbor campus includes a shared sanctuary, which can be configured with the symbols of either faith, or in a neutral configuration. Each congregation also maintains a chapel for its exclusive use. The campus includes the historic William Anderson House, which was built in 1853 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The Anderson House has housed the Back Door Food Pantry, a weekly food bank program, since 2007.
Genesis of Ann Arbor is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which owns the shared building. The present-day main sanctuary is shared by both congregations, and can be converted to show the symbols of either religion. Each congregation maintains its own small chapel on the property, and each has its own offices and library in the building. A shared social hall, kitchen, and banquet space support the two congregations' events.
St. Clare of Asissi Episcopal Church is a parish of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan. Since 2021[update], it has been led by the Rev. Anne Clarke.
Temple Beth Emeth is a Reform congregation and a member of the Union for Reform Judaism. Since 2016[update], it has been led by Rabbi Josh Whinston.
The oldest building on the Genesis of Ann Arbor campus is the historic William Anderson House, built in the 1850s for Washtenaw County's first sheriff. Anderson's family lost the house in bankruptcy in the 1930s, and it was purchased by Dr. Inez Wisdom in 1937. Wisdom, a 1923 graduate of the University of Michigan Medical School, lived in the house with her partner Gertrude Griffith until Wisdom's death in 1965.
Wisdom constructed a small chapel on her property, modeled after the personal chapels she saw in her travels in Europe. The 10-seat Chapel of St. Francis, built from stucco and measuring only 11 by 22 ft (3.4 by 6.7 m), was dedicated in 1941. In addition to her personal use, Wisdom opened the chapel for weddings and christenings, and a community formed around it. Wisdom donated the chapel and part of her property to the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan in 1953, for the establishment of a new church.