Virginia Episcopalian Magazine Winter 2014 Issue | Page 8

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support the community. What are the most pressing needs?
How can the church make a difference? Asking for advice
and seeking collaboration are good ways to start integrating
into the community.

Can you share some
examples or stories
of churches that have
successfully repurposed
their buildings for
new ministries and/or
income streams?

There are so many great
stories of hope and success!
In our Recasting of Building
Assets process, we worked
with four congregations
in the Diocese of the Rio
Grande. Through community
involvement, one of them discovered that a Montessori
school was looking for a new home. Over the summer, they
reorganized some of their underused parish hall, made a
few renovations and are now the home to a full, 40-student
pre-school. Their bold decision has led to greater community
involvement, better use of their building and, eventually,
a significant revenue stream. A second parish in the same
diocese realized that there was nowhere to go in their small
community on a Friday evening after 7 p.m. except a bar.
They stopped thinking about how to get more pledging units
in the door on Sunday morning and started thinking about
how to serve. Their plan is to open the parish hall on Friday
evenings, offer free WiFi, and sell desserts and coffee, just so
people will have a common, safe place to gather. How great
is that?

What concrete st