Recasting of Building Assets

"I think people take for granted that their church is always going
to be there for them."

- Candi Perotta, Diocese of Northwestern Pennsylvania

There are many factors that come into play when we start talking about our church buildings — at least when we really start talking about them. We love our buildings, new and old. They comfort us; they give us shelter; perhaps they remind us of another, less complicated time.

The reality is these churches were built in a period of our history that is long past. Church attendance has been in a sharp decline for many years; deferred maintenance is rampant; our buildings represent an enormous carbon footprint, and so we have difficult decisions to make. What do we do?

The answers are not easy, but they are present. And hopeful.

The ECBF has developed a process to help congregations identify their place in the community — to understand their relevance; to build mission and value in the world around them, and to use their real-estate assets to develop financial self-sustainability.

Our church buildings are more than bricks and mortar, they should be the heartbeat of mission and service, not the heartache of history and loss. As congregations find a role in their community, they can also find creative and innovative ways to sustain themselves financially. Most congregations believe their buildings are used regularly, but self-assessments of space repeatedly show that is rarely the case. From parish halls to naves, useable space sits empty, seldom used to its fullest potential.

Financial Sustainability

"Our team is excited about not only improving the situation in our church but about the possibility of being a good example for other churches in similar situations. The ECBF is doing nothing short of saving the Episcopal Church with this effort."

For too long, the ECBF has watched congregations struggle with a choice between having HVAC and maintenance, or clergy leadership and programs. Too often the buildings were under-utilized, with rooms being used only a few hours weekly. As the congregation and programs became smaller, the connection to the community became weaker. The madness had to stop.

"I have found the whole process interesting and exciting. I am hopeful and optimistic about the outcome for St. Anne's. We could not have accomplished this on our own. Having the support and guidance of ECBF and the community of other parishes has made this attempt at making change move forward unlike all the stalled attempts of the past. There is an energy behind this I have never seen before."

Recasting of Building Assets Consultation Process

I. OBJECTIVES OF THE RECASTING OF BUILDING ASSETS PROCESS

Develop a congregation's financial self-sustainability through the creative and innovative use of their buildings.
Increase relevancy of the congregation to the community.
Disperse or reallocate real-estate assets which are redundant or cannot be sustained.

The Episcopal Church Building Fund (ECBF) designs a customized curriculum for each group of participants. The framework below is standard; adjustments are made as needed.

ECBF facilitators are onsite for three (3) training sessions, over nine (9) months. A visit to each participating parish is made if possible.

Five (5) coached web-ex meetings are conducted with each congregation in between on-site visits to ensure accountability, provide neutral advice, access professional resources, and promote success focused solutions.

Assignments are given to stimulate creative problem solving, increase resources, develop connections in the community, and keep the congregation engaged with, and supportive of, developing ideas.

Communication with the diocesan leadership is maintained throughout the process.

Congregational development is not the strategy for increasing parish income. The intent of this process is to invigorate parish life, and create new, dynamic relationships within the community, resulting in a common mission and new people experiencing a fulfilling relationship with the parish.

II. SELECTION, PREPARATION, LAUNCH

Onsite Process Overview Presentation:

Define unique dilemma of financial sustainability of church buildings.
Review national statistical and cultural shifts.
Outline specific objectives of the Recasting Building Assets process.
Define and discuss curriculum.
Begin initial assessment of parishes.
Provide application to participate.

Post Visit:

In consort with diocesan representatives, review applications, notify selected participants.
Explain research to be conducted by congregations prior to first on-site meeting.
- Key events shaping the congregation
- Building time-use analysis
- Building conditions assessment
- Parish budget and financial projections
- Demographics of parish and neighborhood

III. ONSITE MEETING #1

Meeting Objectives:

Clarify with honesty the individual context, resources, and dilemmas of each congregation.
Instill a candid and forthright collaborative process and positive group dynamic.
Establish structure for the work.
Expand consideration of options for solutions.
Evolve to hope, creativity, experimentation and enthusiasm.

Agenda:

Review and analyze research from the pre-session assignments on parish resources, strengths, and challenges.
Education on the greater cultural and church reality.
Education on gathering leaders.
Establish organizational structure:
- set behavioral norms
- create job assignments
- determine process for parish communication
- determine group decision making process
Begin to determine the need for buildings.

Assignment: Understand Your Community Context.

Learn the gaps, assets, and unique qualities of both town and parish.
Build relationship through interviews, seek collaborative opportunities.
Learn and understand your public profile.
Learn the parish imposed limits and priorities.

IV. ONSITE MEETING #2

Meeting Objectives:

Relationship expansion in the community.
Determining the parish niche.
Education on change management.
Learn skills to select the most valuable ventures.
Select options for building use.

Agenda:

Review and analyze research from the pre-session assignments on interviews with civic, non-profit, and commercial leaders to assess the community assets, dilemmas, and opportunities.
Assess the church's public profile, and the parish priorities and restrictions.
Education about managing the period of transition.
Education about real world successful income producing and collaborative uses of church properties.
Education about increasing the parish sphere of influence within the community.
Education about conducting a feasibility analysis and use of a ranking matrix.
Develop a list of income producing or collaborative-use opportunities to explore.

Assignment:

Expand list of income producing and collaborative opportunities.
Rank options and conduct a feasibility analysis of selected options.
Determine most profitable opportunities.
Prepare three-year budget.

V. ONSITE MEETING #3

Meeting Objectives:

Assessment of plans for rental income, business ventures, collaborative relationship, fund raising, merger, sale, and other opportunities unique to each parish context.
Create coaching network.
Outline steps for launch of selected solutions.
Recruit outside resources.

Agenda:

Congregations present feasibility analysis for group coaching.
Education about development of business plan.
Education about tax, zoning, and other legal considerations, business coaching opportunities, and other professional resources available.
Identify steps needed to implement the plans.

VI. NEXT STEPS

How to maintain motivation.
Address specific parish issues and deterrents.
Develop both a short and long term plan.

Alternative Building Use

There are hundreds of examples of creative building use. We have gathered a few of them here:

Click here for Alternative Use examples

Or, if you are interested in participating in the Recasting of Assets consultation process, contact Julia Groom-Thompson or Sally O’Brien.