versity setting to continually reinvent ministry.” Along with
training through the BreakTime Café). The Committee provided
their embrace of continual cycles of change and renewal, the
valuable guidance about trends in the community, and a deeper
congregation also started looking at trends around building care
perspective about the communities—from those needed services
and the resources required for long-term building stewardship.
to those who have much to offer—who share Harvard Square.
For UniLu’s leadership, budget conversa-
tions at the end of 2017 opened up new in-
Architect Andrew Sidford presenting some of the concepts coming
sights into the inevitability that “our giving
out of the design charrette. Credit: Joshua Castaño
was keeping pace with the program needs, but
it hasn’t been able to keep pace with the grow-
ing cost of maintaining a building in Harvard
Square,” according to Metelmann. Speaking
for the team of leaders who focused on these
issues, he adds, “we knew we needed a new roof
on the sanctuary among other major mainte-
nance needs, but we didn’t want to put a new
roof on a building that might need other
modifications to accommodate the constantly
changing needs of our ministry. We had made
modifications some 20 years past—completely
remodeling our basement to accommodate
the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter—so we
were not strangers to the idea that changes in
ministry may require significant changes to our
They also contributed significantly to UniLu’s process by serv-
physical space.”
ing as ambassadors to the wider Cambridge community, telling
Acknowledging these challenges and embracing a sense of
others about the congregation’s civic value and its work to share
change and ambition led UniLu to work with Partners on a major
its assets with other institutions and efforts within the city.
project that included capacity building through New Dollars/
The Committee worked with UniLu to invite over 60 civic
New Partners training, and discernment about new program-
leaders to a public Asset Mapping event—three hours of learning
matic opportunities and ways they might shape their building’s
about UniLu, engaging in asset-thinking, and developing excit-
future through Community Asset Mapping and a Design Char-
ing new ideas for leveraging the congregation’s value and using
rette.
its historic building in new ways. Over the next two days, a design
With guidance from the New Dollars training, the congre-
charrette took place involving a team of more than 10 architects,
gation crafted a compelling case statement for the larger value of
representing some of the region’s most distinguished firms,
its building and presence in Harvard Square. In the process, Me-
came together to develop a series of design approaches. They
telmann notes that they “created a lens through which to view
developed plans and elevation drawings that responded to the
our past and to embrace our future.” The congregation’s team
asset mapping output and addressed ongoing challenges, such as
conducted a building assessment that provided valuable infor-
accessibility, streetscape visibility, and the creation of new space.
mation about needs and conditions. It also documented signifi-
Metelmann notes: “By the time we reached the Asset Map-
cant economic impact within Harvard Square by using the Public
ping and Charrette, the congregation was super excited about the
Value Tool software provided through Partners’ training.
outcomes and next steps.” He adds: “This isn’t to say that there
UniLu’s public value became a key part of its case statement and
aren’t challenging conversations ahead, but there is a framework
how its members describe themselves to neighbors and commu-
in place for these conversations.” Because of the process Partners
nity stakeholders.
led, “There is a clear view of our goals and our approach to select-
The church also embarked upon an Asset-Based Commu-
ing partners for our space,” he says.
nity Development initiative to energize its members and engage
Metelmann sums up how the congregation’s energy has
its neighbors, and with Partners’ guidance it assembled an im-
increased and paradigms have shifted towards a renewed vision
pressive Community Advisory Committee. Members included
of the future for both ministry and their space: “We have created
leaders from the Harvard Square Business Association, Harvard
a new narrative around the nature of ministry and the role of our
University, Cambridge City Government and Select Board
building in that ministry. We have built a network of leaders in
(among others), and even two Harvard students connected to the
the community now over 60 members strong. Within our con-
homeless shelter (who are embarking on their own unique social
gregation we have generated a more expansive view of ‘ministry
enterprise to connect recently homeless individuals with job
to the academic community.’”
SACRED PLACES • SUMMER 2019
9