How Beautiful Spaces Invite Community for Vulnerable Philadelphians
This Must Be the Place
How Beautiful Spaces Invite Community for Vulnerable Philadelphians
by Michael McKee
Grants & Communications Strategist , Broad Street Ministry
In 1901 , the ambitious construction of the Chambers-Wylie Presbyterian Church on South Broad Street was at long last complete . Boasting granite and Indiana limestone on all sides of its impressive 76-foot frame and one of the finest pipe organs in the country , the building towered over its neighbors along this emerging cultural corridor . Its main auditorium , with an 800-person capacity , would have been the envy of many a congregation . Roughly 100 years later , its new pastor walked into that sanctuary and began pulling the pews up from the floor , clearing the room for a revised , though equally ambitious , future .
Broad Street Ministry was founded by the Rev . Bill Golderer in 2005 as something of an experiment : not a church , per se ; not a mission ; not a community center — yet drawing on elements of all three to create an alternative type of worship community driven by a commitment to inclusivity and hospitality for all people . Today , BSM is one of the region ’ s most innovative social service organizations , a 501 ( c )( 3 ) nonprofit , and an epicenter of community and compassion for more than 7,000 Philadelphians experiencing poverty .
The old cliché of a rag-tag nonprofit housed within a run-down church building long past its heyday exists for a reason . Mission-driven organizations attempt to do a lot with a little — sometimes to such an extent that building maintenance is repeatedly delayed or deferred . With “ radical hospitality ” as its guiding principle , however , BSM recognized the importance of mise en place . As the French philosopher Gaston Bachelard said , “ The house protects the dreamer , the house allows one to dream in peace .” Spaces matter . Physical surroundings influence mental and emotional states . They would not be an afterthought at BSM .
“ When you come for a meal at Broad Street , the table has already been set ,” says BSM ’ s chief development officer Kris Jaeger . “ A tablecloth has been neatly pressed , a centerpiece has been placed , your water has been poured by a server who later sets down your plate and asks how you ’ re enjoying your meal . With all that attention to detail in the dining room , we communicate a level of hospitality before our guests even arrive .”
After decades of wear , tear , and weather — and months of disruptive scaffolding — BSM is now able to broadcast that hospitality message from blocks away thanks to a recently renovated façade . Much of this work was to ensure the structural and aesthetic
6 SACRED PLACES • SUMMER 2023