especially if it was older and required significant maintenance or repair . These congregations now face a significant change in their relationship with their property : in Partners for Sacred Places parlance , they are “ in transition .” In cities and suburbs , small towns and rural areas , faith communities face challenging decisions about what to do with properties that have become too large and too expensive to maintain , even if the congregation still has vitality and a sense of mission .
A lthough thousands of congregations across the country confront these same issues , individual faith communities like East Longmeadow often feel alone in the process . Judicatories may be understaffed or underresourced , and most congregations are unaware of organizations such as Partners that may be able to help them navigate unfamiliar waters . Further complicating the situation is that many volunteers and leaders , both clergy and lay , are weary from dealing with COVID issues and facing their own grief at the potential loss of their spiritual homes . That sense
PLANNING FOR EXTREME WEATHER
The ever-increasing impacts of climate change can be devastating to older and historic properties that were often not built to withstand more extreme weather . On the East Coast , flooding and hurricane-force winds can exacerbate damage to buildings with worn-down materials prone to leaking . West Coast sacred places may be faced with a devastating wildfire or the immense cost of seismic retrofitting . Rising temperatures may require congregations all over the country to consider installing costly air conditioning to make their buildings habitable year-round . While congregations should keep the climate impacts of their area in mind as they engage in long-range planning for maintenance and capital improvements , government and philanthropic organizations also have a role in supporting these improvements . Sacred places are integral community centers , often serving those who need help the most . Protecting these historic spaces from the impacts of climate change is critical to ensuring their continued survival . of grief is important to acknowledge : weariness and grief may lead a congregation to make quick decisions , often resulting in the transition of property with important historic and civic value in a direction that does not align with the congregation ’ s mission . After attending the webinar , the leadership of First Congregational East Longmeadow decided to engage in a strategic visioning process to help them discern possible futures for their property , which is central to the town and a place of beauty with a long history of community service . They opened their imaginations to explore what the future mission of their property might be .
Many faith communities develop mission or vision statements to help guide their life together . Very few of those statements mention the property as a vessel or tool for the planned mission . Sacred places provide space for worship , education of children and adults , life-cycle events ( weddings , funerals ), social events , community services ( food pantries , meeting space for twelve-step groups , counseling centers ), and public gatherings , among many other uses . All of these reflect the mission of the faith community . Further , these uses indicate that the property has a mission congruent with that of the congregation . They are essential in many ways to the well-being of the community around the property . East Longmeadow ’ s buildings hosted a variety of Scout troops , twelve-step groups , youth groups , senior citizen services , social events , and performing arts organizations . If that space were lost , these services might struggle to find other places to call home . The leaders enthusiastically agreed that their property needed to continue as a safe , inviting space to the community . They identified their property ’ s mission as a place of “ connection , community , and caring .”
When a congregation needs to transition all or part of its property , it may be approached by developers interested in purchasing the property to build market-rate housing or retail spaces , especially if it is located in an area where real estate values have increased . But once a congregation like East Longmeadow understands that its property has a mission in the community and civic value , the following questions can help clarify next steps : In what ways does the building serve the community , large and small ? How can the ( often central ) location of the building and surrounding property be leveraged for greater , mission-aligned community benefit ? What are the unmet needs of our community ? Who could use space but doesn ’ t know the space exists or
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