LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (May 1, 2025)—The Methodist Foundation for Arkansas’s next International Study Cohort will travel to Taizé, France, April 13 through 22, 2026, for a five-day immersive experience among the monastic community there. The itinerary also includes two days in Paris.
The Taizé community was founded in 1940 by Brother Roger Schutz, who wanted to bring peace and reconciliation from the war. Today, thousands of people from all over the world visit the community and join in the daily prayers with the more than one hundred brothers from Catholic and Protestant traditions. Their music has become part of different faith communities around the globe, including the United Methodist Hymnal. For more information see https://www.taize.fr/en.
Seats in this cohort are available only for clergy—elders, deacons, and local pastors—affiliated with the Arkansas Conference of the United Methodist Church; this journey will give clergy a significant amount of time to reflect on their spiritual and personal life while being part of the Taizé community and participating in prayers, meals, study, and self-reflection. No guest spots are available for travel companions. The Foundation will cover the majority of travel costs through its Clergy Growth and Renewal Fund, which was established to enable clergy to experience events that promote personal or spiritual growth and perfecting professional skills.
The journey will be booked through Educational Opportunities (EO). Participants will pay a $1,000 fee and should prepare to cover some of their own meals on the Paris leg of the journey. MFA President and CEO the Rev. Wayne Clark will serve as cohort leader.
The application window opens today at methodistfoundationar.org/2026-international-study-cohort-application and will close June 2 at 4:30 p.m. CDT. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance status by June 16.
Additional details available at this time:
- Each of the 15 participants will have a single room.
- Breakfasts will be served at the hotel, which is in Cluny, approximately a 15-minute drive from Taizé. The lunch and dinner meals provided at Taizé are intentionally very simple.
- Participants will be expected to fully participate in the Taizé experience. This will include two worship services Wednesday-Saturday and one on Sunday for a total of 9 services. Other than the two services and a Bible study with one of the brothers, participants will be free to do as they want at the Taizé community.
- There will be a lot of unstructured time at Taizé, so participants need to be comfortable observing that free time in the monastic setting. The days spent with the Taizé community will begin mid-morning and conclude at approximately 9:30 p.m.
- One of the two days in Paris will be unscheduled so participants may choose their own activities.
- Participants may stay longer in Paris at their own expense. Flight alterations can be made with EO. Participants may also coordinate with EO for a different class of seat, paying their own additional cost to EO.
- If participants choose to leave from an airport other than Little Rock, EO will schedule the flights and participants will be responsible for any increase in cost. Participants will also be responsible for any additional cost and coordination with EO and/or the airline if they miss the connecting flight to Paris. Participants who reach Paris late and miss the group transportation will be logistically and financially responsible for their own transport from the airport to Taizé.
About the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas
With a mission to establish and manage charitable funds to strengthen and expand Methodist ministries across Arkansas, the Methodist Foundation for Arkansas manages over $220 million in endowment funds and other charitable assets that benefit local churches and other United Methodist ministries. Founded in 1963, the Foundation has grown into one of the largest United Methodist foundations in the country, managing more than 800 funds that support Methodist ministries. To learn more, visit methodistfoundationAR.org.
