Curated Resources for Christian Leaders for August 21, 2023

Readings for Christian Leaders in Congregations, Denominations, and Parachurch Organizations With ForthTelling Innovation Insights from George Bullard

Adaptive Reuse of Historic Church Buildings—Read HERE

"Throughout the country, historic churches stand as community landmarks, reminding us of the investments of previous generations and adding a rich texture to the tapestry of our neighborhoods."

"Dwindling congregations and high maintenance costs have put many historic religious properties at risk in recent years When these community assets are lost, they leave a hole in the neighborhood fabric, rarely mended by the new construction that takes its place."

(For more information about restoring and/or repurposing church buildings and other sacred places, connect with Partners for Sacred Places at https://sacredplaces.org/.)

ForthTelling Innovation Insights: Clearly churches are the people—the congregation. Not the buildings. At the same time, church buildings which outlive the organic life of a congregation—at least in a specific location—have both a story to tell and a future use to empower.

The stories to tell are not just about the church buildings. They are also about the lives—particularly the spiritual lives—of the people who passed this way and experienced the worship of God, an enriching community of faith, and were scattered locally and globally through missional endeavors.

The congregational stories need to be collected, saved, and shared with the community at-large. They need to be what is passed on—at a minimum—as part of the repurposing of the church buildings to those who later occupy the buildings or the site if the buildings are ultimately torn down and replaced.

The church buildings may not last forever—as is seen in the next curated resource below—but the stories go on forever as they are told and retold and remembered.

We Turned an Abandoned Church Into a Skatepark. Then Tragedy Struck—Read HERE

Words from Rachel Chapman, a board member of Sk8 Liborius, an indoor skate park and community outreach organization in St. Louis.

“A few years ago, my friends and I pooled our resources to turn St. Liborius Church, a nationally registered historical site and the largest Gothic revival church west of the Mississippi, into a community space. Trying to develop a skate park inside a massive church was never a part of my five-, 10- or any-year plan. But I fell in love with the idea of giving a new generation of St. Louis kids a spectacular place where they would be welcome and where no one would ever shoo them away.”

“Before the four-alarm fire, Sk8 Liborius was a beautiful place in a place not known for beauty. Some of the church’s original stained glass was still intact. Cobalt blue, canary yellow and rose hues depicted the stories of the New Testament. A partly shattered portrait of Mother Mary, a tree branch peeking through her left eye. If you bit it on a ramp, as you lay on your back, the gold mosaic ceiling tiles comforted you with their sacred geometry.”

“The goal had been to save the church, but now it was gone, and we’d failed. Our years of relentless optimism had turned to rubble. It was crushing. The fact that it ever existed at all was a miracle. Proof that transformation is possible anywhere. Even in the land of vacant lots, Dollar Tree stores, dusty red brick buildings and payday loan signs.”

“A community isn’t a building, and St. Louis is shockingly resilient. In the days that followed the fire, we held emergency community meetings. Over 200 volunteers showed up to secure the building and clean up the mess the fire left behind in the neighborhood. A group of grade schoolers raised money to pay for supplies with a lemonade stand. We are planning on rebuilding. After all, who but us is interested in making our particular patch of unwanted earth more beautiful?”

ForthTelling Innovation Insights: This radical change is not necessarily what many people have in mind when they think about repurposing their church buildings. Some may wish their buildings would burn down rather than be turned into a skateboarding site.

It is tough to let go of church buildings and allow what the community will support be what happens next. Family stories and significant spiritual experiences are part of the long-term memory of congregational participants.

What may have really happened to this congregation and many others is that 20, 50, or more years ago when innovations were needed in the church’s ministry to serve its setting, leaders opposed the changes as they would rather see their church died than change.

Or the community contextual changes were so rapid and radical that the congregation had insufficient time to build new capacity and innovate in response to the changes around them.

Every congregation is subject to having a limited lifespan. It is the gospel—the Good News—that goes on forever. May we always love God more than we love our church buildings.