UPDATE on Partners:
Chicago Office
On December 6, 2012, the Chicago Office hosted its first
annual conference, “Building New Economy in Faith
Environments.” The event was the culmination of a year that
saw the successful launch of the Making Homes for the Arts in
Sacred Places program, the completion of data collection for
Economic Halo Effect research in Chicago, the graduation of
more than a dozen local congregations and parishes from
New Dollars/New Partners, and the launch of Partners’ Capital
Campaign Consulting Services with several local clients.
The conference provided an important opportunity for
congregations to build on the lessons learned through
Partners’ core trainings, programs, and services, and to
generate new ideas and new partners with which to expand
their work in 2013. With more than 150 in attendance, faith
leaders had an opportunity to network with local leaders in
preservation, community development, and philanthropy.
Sponsored by architecture firm Bailey Edward and hosted
by Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church, the conference provided
attendees a crash course on how to best leverage houses of
worship to maximize community impact. The day began with
a keynote address from Partners’ Executive Vice President,
Tuomi Forrest, who introduced the Economic Halo Effect
research and methodology. His presentation highlighted
themes of the research that are especially important to
Chicago and its region, calling attention to congregations
and parishes who are leaders and innovators in violence
prevention, education reform, and arts and culture.
With the audience primed to understand sacred places
in this new way, the keynote was followed by two lectures
that introduced the fundamentals of space sharing – with
Chicago Advisory Board
Rolf Achilles
Rabbi Michael Balinsky
Clark Baurer, AIA, SE
Joel D. Bookman
Aja Carr
Christopher Ellis
Suzanne Germann
Eleanor Gorski
T. Gunny Harboe, FAIA
Corlis Moody
The Reverend
James M. Moody
Suzanne Morgan
Michael P. Mosher, JD
Joan Pomaranc
Father John Sanaghan
John Watts
Pastor James M. Moody of Quinn Chapel A.M.E. Church
welcomes attendees to Partners' first annual “Building New
Economy in Faith Environments” conference in the church
sanctuary.
community groups as well as with other congregations.
Gianfranco Grande, Partners’ Vice President for
Philanthropy and Business Development, introduced the
fundamentals of cultivating sustainable, mutually beneficial
space-sharing relationships, explaining the importance of
finding a partner whose mission, vision, and values align
with those of the sacred place. Grande was followed by Robin
Whitehurst, a principal at Bailey Edward, who provided an
overview of how to make buildings work for space-sharing
partners. He introduced attendees to the necessary steps
as they begin to reflect on how to use, restore, and renovate
their space for themselves and their space-sharing partners.
The lecture highlighted case studies from across the city and
suburbs, including Chicago Temple and North Shore Baptist
Church. Both congregations have adapted their buildings to
attract and serve space-sharing partners – who have, in turn,
strengthened the core mission of each congregation.
Sacred Places • Winter 2013 • 12