2024 COHORT
Central United Methodist Church
(Methodist)
Detroit, Michigan
Central United Methodist Church, located in the heart of downtown Detroit’s entertainment district, has long been a critical social services hub and a powerful voice for social justice.
Central United Methodist Church Photo by Hannah Robar
Central United Methodist CHurch Photo by Hannah Robar
2024 Cohort
Central United Methodist Church
(Methodist)
Detroit, Michigan
Central United Methodist Church, located in the heart of downtown Detroit’s entertainment district, has long been a critical social services hub and a powerful voice for social justice.
Central United Methodist Church’s Gothic Revival building was constructed in 1867 and designed by Gordon W. Lloyd, a notable Detroit and Midwestern architect. The adjacent church house originally included classrooms, a theater, a bowling alley, and a gym – reflecting the congregation’s growth as well as its commitment to being a center of community life. In the early to mid-1900s, Central took on more of a social justice identity: supporting Detroiters and immigrants during the Depression, helping re-settle Japanese Americans after World War II, hosting Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., and organizing anti-war and union activism, among other initiatives. By the 1980s, Central formally adopted a “missional” model, launching ministries to serve the unhoused, movements for peace, and racial justice organizations
Today, Central is an active, multiracial congregation home to several community-based nonprofits. The first floor of the church houses Swords into Ploughshares Peace Center and Art Gallery, which provides space for community organizing and artists to showcase their work. On the second floor, Noah at Central, a nonprofit organization that was founded by congregation members, serves more than 400 people experiencing homelessness through a day shelter, case management, health and wellness services, and other resources. The third and fourth floors are home to other volunteer-led organizations, including Michigan Welfare Rights Organization, Westside Mothers, and the United Tenants Council of Councils.
Central, in partnership with Noah at Central and Full Circle Communities, is undertaking a large redevelopment project of its entire campus that will involve redesigning space for the church and its nonprofit partners, improving accessibility, and adding supportive and affordable housing units above their adjacent parking lot. A National Fund grant of $245,500 to be matched by $491,000 raised by the congregation will support urgent roof and façade repairs to the sanctuary and improve HVAC and accessibility in both the sanctuary and church house.
Central United Methodist Church Photo by Hannah Robar
Spotlighting Women’s History at Historic Houses of Worship
Religious institutions have served both as a platform for the advancement of women’s rights and opportunities, and women have played critical roles in advancing religious traditions. The leadership and community building opportunities within these sacred sites have been critical to increasing female independence outside of the home and allowing women to develop institutions that strengthen their congregations and broader communities. The four historic houses of worship highlighted embody positive examples of how the histories of women and religion are inherently linked.
First Church in Oberlin
Stories and Media Coverage
Read more about how the National Fund for Sacred Places is helping congregations around the country rehabilitate their sacred places.
Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church by Luis P. Gutierrez