News
January 2009
January’s monthly guest at the ABC House was the distinguished Pastor Marichal Monts. Pastor Monts leads the Citadel of Love Church in Hartford, teaches at Wesleyan University where he leads the popular Ebony Singers and also has a long standing radio show. Several Board members and scholars have attended Ebony Singer Concerts at Wesleyan University so we were thrilled when Pastor Monts accepted our dinner invitation.
Marichal Monts was born and raised in Hartford, CT. He attended the Renbrook School in West Hartford, CT, the Groton School in Groton, MA (cum laude), and graduated from Wesleyan University in 1985 where he was the Senior Class President and the first person in his entire family to graduate from college. With God's help and great encouragement from his mother and grandmother, he had successfully mastered the journey from the dangerous streets of the North End of Hartford to completing the rigorous challenge of higher education. He has given his life to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ and the residents of the Greater Hartford community.
As a student at Wesleyan, he began a radio broadcast on Sunday morning, and now, over 20 years later, he has the largest listening audience (estimated at over 1,000,000) of any show because of his consistency. He has also been very instrumental in the national Gospel Music industry scene, winning numerous awards for singing, choral conducting, and radio announcing. In 1995, Monts yielded to the call of God to establish a fresh and innovative ministry in the city that would bring positive, life-long change in the lives of all who would be challenged to reach their full potential and destiny. After a great deal of praying and fasting he began the fellowship which is now called The Citadel of Love.
We thank Pastor Monts for sharing his personal story with us and for a wonderful, inspiring evening.
December 2008:
Under the direction of Gail Wozenski, The Glastonbury ABC house has initiated a dinner guest program. The purpose of the program is to expose our scholars to local individuals who have unique experiences, occupations or backgrounds.
Sophia Danenberg, a Glastonbury resident, gave a thrilling account of her mountain climbing experiences, including her ascent of Mount Everest. The scholars were fascinated by her description of the months of preparation involved as well as the toll high altitude takes on the body’s ability to function.
Representative Tom Kehoe of the 31st District and his wife Peggy described their varied backgrounds. Peggy, an executive in a local insurance company, related how her writing and critical thinking skills are a key ingredient in her occupation. Rep. Kehoe discussed how his admiration for John and Bobby Kennedy inspired him to try government service. He also gave an overview of the Connecticut’s budget and legislative process.
Rep. Kehoe and his wife told how their lives have been a series of new challenges and new opportunities and how important it has been to embrace them. This certainly echoes a core ingredient of the ABC experience for our scholars.
