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Re-using Closed Churches
In 2009, in the Cambria City neighborhood of Johnstown,
PA, five parishes were merged into one by the Roman
Catholic Diocese of Altoona-Johnstown. New uses were
found for two of the churches, but three were closed and
faced an uncertain future – St. Columba’s, Ss. Casimir
and Emerich, and Immaculate Conception, all built in the
early years of the twentieth century.
Giving Societies
Partners for Sacred Places launched the organization’s
first giving societies in the fall of 2010. Since then,
nearly 40 members have joined at various levels,
which are each named for an individual whose
support, exemplary leadership, and commitment
cultivated Partners’ growth nationwide. (See page 20.)
Concerned about what would become of these
neighborhood landmarks, a group of local residents
formed Save Our Steeples (SOS), a non-profit aimed at
preserving the closed churches. They contacted Partners
for Sacred Places for help in ensuring the buildings
would not be torn down and determining new uses that
maintained the structures’ cultural, architectural, and
historic identities. SOS and the Johnstown Regional
Partnership raised funds to retain Partners to help lead
the planning process, together with the Johnstown Area
Heritage Association (JAHA) and the EADS Group, in
a collaborative process that would involve neighbors,
community leaders, and other non-profit groups that
supported re-use, as well as experts in preservation and
architecture across the state. Importantly, the group
sought to work with the Diocese, too, to make certain each
vested party had a voice in developing re-use ideas.
The Reverend Dr. Thomas Pike Society
$10,000 and up
Father Pike is the founding Chair of Partners’ Board
of Directors, and he remains a champion of Partners’
work to sustain and support sacred places.
The Reverend Thomas Phelan Society
$5,000 – 9,999
Father Phelan was a founding member of Partners’
Board of Directors, and he was the first donor to make
a planned gift to support Partners.
The Walter J. Handelman, Esq. Society
$2,500 – 4,999
Mr. Handelman was a distinguished member of
Partners’ Board of Directors, who guided and
supported Partners during a period of growing impact.
The Betty Alderson Society
$1,000 – 2,499
A community design charette was conceived as a way
to involve local residents and neighbors, as well as
professional architects, in the re-use planning. Led
by Partners’ Tuomi Forrest, initial work focused on
creating a steering committee that could guide the
project and continue the work once the visioning process
was complete. Community leaders from a variety of
Ms. Alderson is Partners’ first individual donor, and
she has been a stalwart supporter for over 20 years.
The 1989 Society
$500 – 999
Photo credit: Johnstown Tribune-Democrat
Named for the year Partners was founded as America’s
only national nonprofit dedicated to the sound
stewardship of sacred places.
Partners’ Bob Jaeger speaks at the opening session of a weekendlong design charette in Johnstown, PA.
Through your generous annual gift, you lead the way in
strengthening Partners’ programs and sustaining its
critical mission.
For information on how you can join Partners’
Giving Society, please contact