Featured Sacred Place
Christ Church , Reading , PA
Christ Church hosted Berks Youth Chorus Spring Concert , “ It Takes a Village ,” to support the Village of Reading , an organization committed to ending youth violence in Reading , PA . Photo : Berks Youth Chorus .
A t a time when many congregations decided to close or relocate out of the struggling center of Reading , PA , Christ Episcopal Church chose to stay .
“ We want to be the church that grows with the city ,” says Rick Wolf , senior warden .
The church has a history of service in Reading , including running a night school for people of color in the 1870s , helping to start the Episcopal House of Reading , and serving as the original site for the Reading Emergency Shelter . Its commitment to meeting Reading ’ s evolving needs continues today and prompted the congregation to conduct a community asset mapping led by Partners for Sacred Places in July 2022 .
The asset mapping led to new collaborations with Centro Hispano and Alvernia University . In addition , Christ Church now shares space with
a growing number of organizations : Narcotics Anonymous , Reading Choral Society , Reading Symphony Orchestra , Literacy Council of Reading-Berks , Veterans Coalition of Berks County , Berks Youth Chorus , and the Fall Festival of the Arts .
“ Christ Church has a dynamic legacy in not simply being in downtown Reading but being part of its surrounding community ,” says Fr . Bryce Wandrey , rector of Christ Church . “ It is upon this legacy that we continue to build today ; and we are very excited to do so .”
In 2021 Partners conducted a feasibility study to determine Christ Church ’ s capacity and potential for a capital campaign , ahead of its upcoming bicentennial , and determined it would be possible . Partners also will work with Christ Church on strategic visioning activities this fall as the congregation prepares for the campaign . In the meantime , Christ Church is undergoing a grant-funded architectural assessment that will guide future preservation efforts , and it also received a federal grant to improve the safety and security of its building .
In its 2021 feasibility report , Partners noted : “ Over its long history , the church has continually sought to serve the community to the best of its ability . As the demographic , social , and economic trends of Reading changed over the decades , Christ Episcopal has remained an anchor in the neighborhood through each evolution of the city , responding to its needs and dedicating its resources to serve others .” The congregation continues to build on this tradition and works toward a future where it can safely expand services and community programs in its building , sending a clear message that Christ Church is here to stay .
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