A Message from Our Leadership
Robin Whitehurst , FAIA Board Chair
Bob Jaeger President
2023 was a momentous year for Partners . We celebrated our 35th anniversary at a time when our capacity to serve is greater than ever , helping us keep up with the growing need for assistance among congregations and communities . We continued to serve sacred places throughout the year , while also working to plan and carry out special events such as Activating Hidden Assets ( our National Convening ) and the Philadelphia Organ Festival , which have set the stage for years of work to come . All of this would not have been possible without your steadfast support .
As increasingly reported in the national news , houses of worship are closing or stressed in unprecedented numbers . Partners is uniquely positioned to meet the call of this moment , to help congregations discern how to continue their missions and care for their buildings as membership dwindles and coffers are low . In 2023 Partners led a cohort of congregations in the Pacific Northwest through the transitioning process , where they learned not just what their options were and how best to proceed , but also to rely upon one another for support through challenging times .
In addition to transitions work , Partners strengthened and expanded its programs this year . We completed the successful first cohort of the Central Appalachia Program and look forward to an increased focus on folk arts as the program moves into its second phase . Partners also launched two new programs : the Philadelphia Fund for Black Sacred Places and Chicago ’ s South Side Arts in Sacred Spaces , both of which recruited their first cohorts .
Our largest program , the National Fund for Sacred Places , experienced enormous demand , receiving almost 400 applications this year . Sixteen faith communities from around the United States were welcomed into the newest cohort , including the program ’ s first mosque . Read more about the successful National Fund project at the Church of the Covenant , a Boston congregation that restored its priceless Tiffany stained glass windows , on pages 4 and 5 .
Thank you for your generosity , which enables us to expand our impact . Historic sacred places , and the communities that depend on them , directly benefit from your support . We could not do this work without you .
Robin Whitehurst , FAIA Board Chair
Bob Jaeger President
Front Cover : 2023 National Fund Participants ( counter-clockwise from top ), Unitarian Universalist Church of Buffalo , Photo : Karen Streech , St . Francis de Sales Oratory , Photo : congregation , Alrasool Islamic Center , Photo : congregation , First Unitarian Church , Photo : Joseph Elliott .
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