Gone for Good? Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transition

Thousands of church properties worth billions of dollars are being sold or repurposed each year. Nothing can stop the currents of change. But congregations and cities can take steps now to ensure a legacy directed toward communal good rather than private interests.

In "Gone for Good?," Mark Elsdon marshals a diverse team of authors, including pastors, scholars, developers, and urban planners to explore the spiritual and practical aspects of church property transition. Congregations and cities can take steps now to ensure a legacy directed towards communal good rather than private interests.

This virtual program, featuring Mark and three contributors to "Gone for Good?," focused on how to assess the impacts of churches on their neighborhoods—and the gaps they will leave behind, the primacy of mission in any conversation about church property, transforming ministry in rural churches, and much more.


You can purchase "Gone for Good? Negotiating the Coming Wave of Church Property Transition" here: https://www.eerdmans.com/978080288324...

Learn more about Mark Elsdon’s organization RootedGood here: https://www.rootedgood.org/

Learn more about Bob Jaeger’s organization Partners for Sacred Places here: https://sacredplaces.org/

Learn more about Jennie Birkholz's work at Breakwater Light Consulting here: https://www.breakwaterlight.com/

You can learn more about Patrick Duggan’s United Church of Christ Church Building & Loan Fund here: https://cblfund.org/


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CHAPTERS:

0:00 Welcome and Introductions
2:59 Mark Elsdon
14:27 Bob Jaeger
21:28 Jennie Birkholz
28:15 Patrick Duggan
34:52 Q: How many churches begin by thinking about their building as an asset vs. a burden?
41:30 Q: What are the different challenges for repurposing small vs. large church buildings?
48:03 Q: How do tax laws impact repurposing church buildings?
54:51 Q: Should thriving churches be considering repurposing their space?
59:53 Q: How should churches begin leading/organizing this work?
1:08:09 Q: How might Indigenous communities play into decisions about repurposing space?
1:12:32 Final Thoughts and Thanks

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