[Dallas, TX, USA, 9/10/25]
Dear friends of the Avery Fund,
On behalf of the Global Ethnodoxology Network Board, I greet you and invite you to participate in the fruitful, good work that the Avery Ethnoarts Scholarship Fund has done over the years in supporting ethnoarts scholars around the world.
The Avery Ethnoarts Scholarship Fund was created over two decades ago by the Global Ethnodoxology Network in partnership with the Avery family in honor of Tom Avery, a beloved leader in ethnoarts, to offer scholarships to active GEN members from underserved communities for facilitating training and development in ethnodoxology.
Over the years the fund has blessed 51 global leaders in missions and the arts, such as Colombian ethnoarts teacher and organizer extraordinaire Dr. Jhonny Nieto, Cameroonian ethnomusicology professor and ethnoarts pioneer Dr. Roch Ntankeh, and Indian scholar Dr. Jacob Joseph.
Jacob Joseph was inspired by learning of Dr. Tom Avery’s ministry at the first Global Consultation on Music and Missions, where he first learned about the power of ethnomusicology. He began to work toward applying those concepts in his context in India. As he began research for his doctoral thesis, he struggled to find materials on ethnomusicology in India. Through the help of the Avery Fund Scholarship, he was able to travel to Thailand to research and gather valuable materials to inform his work and ministry. The fruit from that research resulted in his book, Contextualizing of Worship in India: An Ethnodoxological Approach. Jacob continues to focus on contextualized worship and the use of indigenous arts in his ministry as he trains up many others in ethnodoxology in India. These turning points in his ministry were made possible through the Avery Ethnoarts Scholarship Fund.
The seed money donated to the fund has served our global scholars and ministry partners well, but, as you’ll notice from the graphic below, the funds have been depleted and the time has come to replenish this vitally important resource.
To that end the GEN Board is launching a fundraiser as of TODAY with the goal of raising $25,000 to benefit a new generation of ethnoarts ministry workers, energizers, and global leaders. The drive will culminate in an event commemorating the work and life of Tom Avery on December 2nd in Dallas, Texas.
Our dream is to make this vital resource sustainable for the long term. We pray that you’ll join the GEN Board today in making this dream a reality.
Sincerely,
Héber Negrão,
GEN President
