shake that up and help people see it with fresh eyes ? Like the woodwork carved from trees that can ’ t be found anymore , or the remarkable acoustics in your worship space . So if you renovate , can you use that irreplaceable wood in a new , creative way ? Are there new communityserving activities that will take advantage of those acoustics ?
It helps to think systemically about your community — the patterns of everyday life on the street and the way varied groups draw on networks of relationships to address problems and possibilities . This way of looking comes out of the field of urban studies inspired by Jane Jacobs and others . How do people actually interact and use a town landscape or neighborhood landscape ? By thinking systemically , you might develop creative ideas about how to adapt facilities and make them work financially so the congregation can continue to worship there .
BJ : Tom , you ’ ve done important work here . Thank you so much for sharing how your project evolved and what you ’ ve learned .
ABOVE : St . Francis Roman Catholic Church during demolition .
INSET : The steeple from the demolished St . Francis reused as a monument on the lawn of the new consolidated Roman Catholic parish .
RIGHT : The United Methodist Church reused as an art museum .
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