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SUMMER 2023
SACRED PLACES
The Magazine of Partners for Sacred Places
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This Must Be the Place
Transformative Storytelling at San Antonio Mennonite Church
Adaptive Reuse of Historic Church Buildings
FEATURE ARTICLE
Preserving History and Culture in Central Appalachian Churches
Faith & Form : The 2022 Religious Architecture & Art Awards
Professional Alliance Directory
Partners for Sacred Places is the only national , nonsectarian , nonprofit organization dedicated to the sound stewardship and active community use of America ’ s older religious properties .
Partners builds the capability of congregational leadership for building care , shared use , and capital fundraising through training programs , fundraising assistance , and organizational and facility assessments . In the process , Partners becomes a trusted resource and guide as congregations examine and weigh opportunities .
Partners engages with congregations to focus on critical areas such as :
• Asset-mapping and community engagement — assisting congregations to develop new relationships with neighbors and potential community partners .
• Strategic partnerships and space sharing — brokering agreements between sacred places and arts , food justice , health , education , and social service programs .
• Planning for capital campaigns to support repairs and renovations that preserve significant historic features and make spaces usable for new community programs .
• Collaborative initiatives among unrelated congregations in a neighborhood to encourage coordinated outreach , space usage , joint marketing and interpretive events , and coordinated work with public agencies for lighting , signage , and streetscape improvements .
Mt . Olive Missionary Baptist Church , a participant in the Preserving and Strengthening the Cultural Heritage of Sacred Places in Central Appalachia project , has long served the Black community in Long Ridge in North Carolina ’ s Madison County . Ted Olson
Cover Photograph :
Guests receive hospitality at Broad Street Ministry in Philadelphia . Drew Harris
SACRED PLACES • SUMMER 2023 3