PRESIDENT ’ S NOTE
Hope amid Change for Religious Properties
When Partners was founded in 1989 , churches were closing in a trickle . In the decades following World War II , demographic changes in our cities often prompted largely white churches to move to new locations , selling their buildings to other congregations , often African American , seeking more space and a chance to grow . Most sacred places stayed in religious use .
In more recent years , the trickle has become a flood . Many Mainline Protestant congregations , as well as independent Black congregations , are struggling to maintain and steward their buildings . However , one thing has changed : today , there may be no congregation ready to take on a large and daunting building when a church or synagogue decides to sell .
Congregations are looking for a way out of this predicament . Some may decide to sell , but many others just need a helping hand to rethink the use of their spaces and their approach to funding maintenance and repairs . These congregations are open to new ways to use , manage , and fund their facilities .
Whether the changes a congregation is considering are small or large , in effect the congregation is “ in transition .” The relationship it has with its building is changing . And if it recognizes — and addresses — this transition sooner rather than later , more options and choices will be available . And so we are glad to devote much of this issue of Sacred Places Magazine to “ sacred places in transition ,” including discussion of the work that Partners is doing to resource congregations .
Another issue is emerging too . Because so many congregations are stressed in new and larger ways , some may want to renovate their spaces , demolish their buildings , or sell their buildings to a developer with no concern about the role the
buildings have played — and could continue to play — in community life . And if the buildings are designated “ historic ” by a local municipality , with restrictions on demolition or alteration , those congregations may feel ambivalent about their historic designation .
When Partners was founded , a divide emerged in certain cities between some religious and preservation leaders over preservation laws . That divide has been healed in part by the rise of resources , best practices , and organizations such as ours that have helped congregations manage their physical assets . We hope that the growing stresses felt by congregations do not reopen that divide and that together we can develop the support , funding , and creative approaches to help sacred places remain healthy and active for decades to come .
A . ROBERT JAEGER
STAFF
A . Robert Jaeger , President Stephanie Cohen , Consulting Associate Dana Dabek , Director , Transition Services Karen DiLossi , Director of Strategic Partnerships Bridget Fidler , Senior Director of Consulting Angelia Gibbs , Finance Manager Gianfranco Grande , Executive Vice President Emilie Haertsch , Senior Communications Manager Lily Hamilton , Grants Manager , National Fund for
Sacred Places Rachel Hildebrandt , Director , National Fund for
Sacred Places Blair Horton , Project Coordinator Betsy Ivey , Director , Philadelphia Fund for Black
Sacred Places Sarah Lyn Jones , Associate Director of Community
Engagement Simon Kaufman , Director of Development Craig Nowlin , Chief Operating Officer Owen Robbins , Special Project and Design Associate Emily Sajdak , Senior Project Manager Rochelle Stackhouse , Senior Director of Programs Geraldine Wang , Senior Fellow , Strategic
Advancement Julie White , Office Manager
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Robin E . Whitehurst , FAIA , Chair
Ms . Barbara Abrajano Rabbi Michael Balinsky The Rt . Rev . Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows Mrs . David B . Butler Charles B . Casper , Esq . Mr . Mark Constantine Ms . Jennifer Correia Mr . Marsh Davis Paul Edmondson , Esq . Mr . Marco Federico Lynn Hunt Gray , Esq ., Secretary Sheffield Hale , Esq . Jorge L . Hernandez , AIA Mr . G . Edward Hughes Mr . Dave Kirwan Ms . Rosa Lowinger The Rev . Katherine Glaze Lyle Most Rev . Denis J . Madden The Rev . David W . Watkins , III
1700 Sansom Street , 10th Floor Philadelphia , PA 19103 partners @ sacredplaces . org www . sacredplaces . org 215.567.3234
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