Genesis of Ann Arbor

03/31/2025

The dedication and efforts of our staff are literally what make our building shine. Genesis appreciates our Building Attendant Pat Enright's hard work and expertise in making the sanctuary brass handles look absolutely immaculate.

The hard work and dedication of our staff are literally what make our building shine.Our Facility Attendant, Steven Kurz, shared the following update about our Building Attendant Pat Enright's work restoring the luster of our sanctuary door handles.Often when it comes to our cleaning staff's work, i...

02/24/2025

The Genesis 50th Anniversary Celebration Courtyard is coming very soon! Help build the courtyard and your legacy by memorializing your loved ones with an engraved brick. We are counting on you to place your legacy. The sale of at least 40 bricks will make the project a reality. You can reserve your brick for $300, which is mostly a tax-deductible donation to Genesis.

Help build the Genesis Celebration Courtyard and your legacy by memorializing your loved ones with an engraved brick!

02/15/2025

At Genesis' Erev Thanksgiving Service last November, we showed a first cut of this short documentary on the genesis of Genesis. Now we are pleased to present the final cut!

In the film, four founders share their recollections about how our unique partnership evolved. "It was a good financial arrangement. But that was the least of it. There was a commitment from both congregations [to show the world] that two different faiths could share a single space and make it work,” remarked Marilyn Scott (TBE President 1977-81).

At a foundational moment, there was even a divine sign! But no spoilers, you'll need to watch for that revelation.

At Genesis' Erev Thanksgiving Service last November, we showed a first cut of this short documentary on the genesis of Genesis, produced by Reverend Anne Clarke. Now we are pleased to present the final cut!In the film, four founders share recollections about how our unique partnership evolved. Allyn...

12/17/2024

As the season of light and celebration approaches, Genesis of Ann Arbor extends our warmest wishes to our congregants and their loved ones. This year, Christmas and Hanukkah converge, with Hanukkah beginning on the evening of Christmas Day—a beautiful reminder of the shared hope of our respective traditions. In the glow of hanukkiahs and the twinkle of Christmas lights, we heed a collective call to bring light to a world in need of healing.

As the season of light and celebration approaches, Genesis of Ann Arbor extends our warmest wishes to our congregants and their loved ones. This year, Christmas and Hanukkah converge, with Hanukkah beginning on the evening of Christmas Day—a beautiful reminder of the shared hope of our respective ...

11/17/2024

As we approach our Erev Thanksgiving celebration during our anniversary year, we continue to reflect on our origins, on what made establishing Genesis feel so important and urgent 50 years ago, as well as what continues to make Genesis relevant today.

Why Genesis? In a Rector’s Message published in the St. Clarian in June 1974, Doug Evett wrote:

"Obviously, I am in favor of the merger. [My children] have never known a world in which hatred and prejudice have not flourished…They have witnessed enough hate and violence and fear in each of their short lives to have warped and twisted them into something ugly and horrible. And I am sick almost to death with it. Because I know in my heart that almost all of that horror is due to the reality that we have been unwilling to get to know each other… Because we have permitted the hate and fear mongers to have their way with us."

Here is Doug's full Rector's Message from 1974.

Doug Evett explained in 1974 the reasons for his enthusiasm for the formation of Genesis.

11/02/2024

Following up on the publication of Genesis of Ann Arbor first President Robert Creal's recollections on the Founding of Genesis, here we reprint the speech he delivered on the occasion of Genesis' dedication ceremony on May 31, 1975. Most intriguing are his reflections on how our common core commandment, "You shall love your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your might"—which for Jews is known as the v'ahavta ("and you shall love") part of the shema—underlies our shared purpose in establishing Genesis.

Following up on the publication of Genesis of Ann Arbor first President Robert Creal's recollections on the Founding of Genesis, here we reprint the speech he delivered on the occasion of Genesis' dedication ceremony on May 31, 1975. Most intriguing are his reflections on how our common core command...

10/28/2024

In continuation of our celebration of our 50th Anniversary, Genesis invited our first President, Bob Creal, to share his reflections on the founding of Genesis of Ann Arbor, whose working name, he related, was “C & J, Inc.” Last June, Bob submitted his fascinating and detailed recollections of “the events which ended up bringing together a Christian parish and a Jewish congregation to own and share common worship facilities and a unique relationship.”

In continuation of our celebration of our 50th Anniversary, Genesis invited our first President, Bob Creal, to share his reflections on the founding of Genesis of Ann Arbor.As a member of the team that negotiated what ever since has been know as the Genesis Agreement, the author of the Agreement and...

10/01/2024

Following up our recent post about the history of our sanctuary now 30 years in service, here's another document from the Genesis archives. On the occasion of the Jewish High Holy Days, this week we reprint an undated Temple Beth Emeth handout describing the symbolism of the ark and the individuals involved in its design.

Following up our recent post about the history of our sanctuary now 30 years in service, here's another document from the Genesis archives. On the occasion of the Jewish High Holy Days, this week we reprint an undated Temple Beth Emeth handout describing the symbolism of the ark and the individuals....

09/23/2024

Every two years at the Erev Thanksgiving Service, Genesis awards the Genesis Humanitarian Award to an individual or an organization. With this award, Genesis hopes to promote recognition of people and organizations whose actions exemplify the Genesis vision and spirit, that by embracing mutual trust, respect and appreciation of all people, and living the ideals of faith and inclusiveness, together we work to heal a broken world.

Please submit your nominations by November 1.

Please submit your nominations for the Genesis Humanitarian Award by November 1.

09/16/2024

Twice a year, we invite congregants of all ages and skills to tend to our gardens: waking them up in the spring and putting them to bed in the fall. It's a wonderful and refreshing opportunity to get some exercise in the brisk fall air, to meet new friends, and to catch up with old ones.

Come join in the fun on October 27, from 1 pm to 4 pm. We hope to see you there!

Twice a year, Genesis invites congregants of all ages and skills to tend to our gardens: waking them up in the spring and putting them to bed in the fall. It's a wonderful and refreshing opportunity to get some exercise in the brisk fall air, to meet new friends, and to catch up with old ones.Come j...

09/10/2024

In 2002, Genesis past president (1993-1995) Peter Dodge, who had joined St. Clares' in 1978 shortly after Genesis was formed, was asked by the Genesis Board to share his reflections of Genesis history and how our congregations wound up with our new sanctuary in 1994. As we approach the 31st anniversary of the ground breaking, the 30th anniversary of the first services in our new sanctuary, and in the context of the 50th Anniversary of Genesis, we revisit building our sanctuary from big dreams.

https://www.genesisa2.org/post/building-anew-an-informal-reminiscence

08/19/2024

There are well over 100,000 buildings in Michigan. In 2023, Genesis of Ann Arbor’s building was Michigan's biggest loser! We reduced our water usage by over 60%.

This is a significant accomplishment! Our trophy in the Michigan Battle of the Buildings competition – a heavy glass obelisk – was presented last May at the 2024 Michigan Energy Summit conference in Grand Rapids to Murray Rosenthal, chair of the Genesis Green Team.

Last May, Genesis of Ann Arbor was recognized with a state-wide award for reducing our water usage by 60% in 2023.

06/03/2024

Last Sunday, in conjunction with the Genesis Annual meeting, the Genesis Board met with the TBE Board and the STC Vestry to discuss our aging facility and how to keep it repaired. Since our building needs significant work in the near term, we sure had a lot to talk about!

We discussed our capital needs and the processes for prioritizing them, strategies to raise funds to meet those needs, and increasing organizational efficiency and capacity to execute on all this major work. We also resolved to check-in with each other in person more often than we have been in recent years. We’ve put all these wheels in motion.

Of course it was just a pleasure to get together and meet or reconnect with our counterparts in our partner congregations.

We are enthusiastic to work together, with your help as part of our Genesis family, to meet our urgent needs as our congregations each continue to grow.

Last Sunday, in conjunction with the Genesis Annual meeting, the Genesis Board met with the TBE Board and the STC Vestry to discuss our aging facility and how to keep it repaired. Since our building needs significant work in the near term, we sure had a lot to talk about!We discussed our capital nee...

05/13/2024

How many congregations in the world have the luxury of focusing on services and programming, while entrusting the maintenance of their place of worship to a separate entity?

With a volunteer board, Genesis works hard to take the burden off our clergy and staff while keeping our building running on a truly shoestring budget. This year we’ve worked harder than ever and we’d like to share, in our 2023-2024 Annual Report, what we’ve accomplished and the challenges we will face together.

Our beloved building is aging. Many of the major building systems that we count on to keep our building operational will soon reach the end of their expected lifespans.

Genesis wants our congregations to be informed and prepared. It is time to plan. We took an in-depth look at what the costs could be for replacing aging building systems over the next 25 years. How will we raise the funds to maintain and operate our facility so both our congregations can continue to thrive and flourish? The answers are in your hands and in the hands of all the members of our congregations.

How many congregations in the world have the luxury of focusing on services and programming, while entrusting the maintenance of their place of worship to a separate entity? You belong to one of the few. Under the leadership of a volunteer Board, Genesis works hard to take the burden off our clergy....

04/23/2024

Genesis is proud to announce that the installation of the brand-new social hall doors is finally complete, including the all-new hardware which we hope everyone in our congregations will agree looks amazing!

Genesis President Jim Downward wrote and delivered an inspiring speech on the occasion of Erev Thanksgiving 2023, as Genesis launched its 50th Anniversary celebrations, in anticipation of the arrival of the new doors.

Read Jim’s comments in their entirety below. Then go marvel at the doors that face Packard Street and its passers-by, doors which renew our invitation to the world and our call to open them to a world in need of repair.

Genesis is proud to announce that the installation of the brand-new social hall doors is finally complete, including the all-new hardware which we hope everyone in our congregations will agree looks amazing!Genesis President Jim Downward wrote and delivered an inspiring speech on the occasion of Ere...

03/12/2024

We’re very proud of the good work done within our community.