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How the Church Can Serve Society by Changing the Way it Handles Property

Faith & Leadership, NC, February, 2024

Description

This article shares a conversation between Duke University's Faith and Leadership newsletter writers and Mark Elsdon, author of the Book, "Gone for Good? Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transition." It helps congregations recognize the potential of their church property as a valuable community asset. It provides examples of congregations that have successfully repurposed their church property, particularly at the crossroads of property closure.

Features

  • Case studies: examples of congregations that have successfully repurposed their church property
  • Practical guidance: specific advice and strategies for congregations facing closure
  • Examples of creative repurposing: ideas for how church buildings and land can be used for community benefit
  • Discussion of the challenges and opportunities: insights into the potential benefits and drawbacks of repurposing church property

Recommended Audience

church leaders facing the challenges of declining membership and church closures, community leaders, funders

Cost

Free

Practical Applications

  • Identify alternative uses of church buildings by learning from the examples discussed in this article.
  • Explore possibilities for your facility that go beyond traditional worship spaces, such as affordable housing, community gardens, or an educational center in order to create a strategic plan for repurposing chuch property.

About the Contributor

Contributor
Tim Shapiro

Tim Shapiro is the Indianapolis Center’s president. He began serving the Center in 2003 after 18 years in pastoral ministry. For 14 years, Tim served Westminster Presbyterian Church in Xenia, Ohio. Prior to his pastorate at Westminster, he was pastor of Bethlehem Presbyterian Church in Logansport, Indiana. He holds degrees from Purdue University and Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary.

Tim’s interest in how congregations learn to do new things is represented in his book How Your Congregation LearnsAfter his extensive work on the Center’s Sacred Space initiative, Tim co-authored the book Holy Places: Matching Sacred Space with Mission and MessageHe has also authored several articles, including Applying Positive Deviance and The Congregation of Theological Coherence.

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