Abundance is all around us. Autumn is always a good reminder of the earth’s generosity — pumpkin patches, apple orchards and community gardens are overloaded with fruits and vegetables. Children come home on Halloween night with buckets so full of candy that it seems impossible for them to finish it all before Christmas. The table at Thanksgiving dinner dares us to finish all its bounty in one sitting (and the table always wins). But in just a few short months, the ground will be frozen, the trees will be barren and the next harvest will seem all but impossible.
Some of our church buildings seem stuck in their own winter seasons, holding only memories of the bustling activities that once filled their classrooms and fellowship halls. Over time, we come to see only the cracks, water stains, musty carpets and other flaws that make the budding of new life seem like a distant dream. But every empty space is overflowing with possibility, just waiting to be coaxed into bloom.
The Church Property Resource Hub is here to help you see the abundance waiting to be cultivated. In this issue of our newsletter, you’ll find a new resource to help church councils see their buildings with new eyes and imagine new ways for these places to be a testimony to God’s abundant love in their neighborhoods. You’ll also read about the First Presbyterian Church of Chicago, which has found new life for its historic (and huge!) building by opening their doors to artists and community organizers.
Wishing you a bountiful harvest of imagination and possibility,
Rev. Sarah Jones
Church Property Resource Hub Program Director
Resources
Rediscover the resources and gifts that your facilities could offer to the wider community. This resource will help you envision your church building as a vibrant hub of new activity. It may have been a while since you walked through your property — what will God show you this time?