Participants
Since its launch in 2016, the National Fund has supported dozens of congregations and organizations from all corners of the country and a wide array of faith traditions. Most importantly, the National Fund is proud to support and strengthen the community programming housed in these religious facilities. These programs and partnerships range from addressing food insecurity and access to healthcare services, to fostering community engagement through the performing arts, to nurturing belonging through countless social gatherings and support groups. The sacred places highlighted below are cultivating the common good of their communities.
Congregations and organizations participating in the National Fund receive a comprehensive package of services on the way to accessing capital grant funds for “bricks and mortar” building projects. Among the many steps needed to achieve successful projects, progress through this program can be tracked along five milestones noted with each profile. On average, participants take 18-24 months to complete the National Fund program.
Resources for Future Participants:
Access all subsequent grant steps and reports through the grants system online
2020-2021
134 Collaborative/Mathewson Street Church (United Methodist) – Providence, RI
Basilica of St. Lawrence (Roman Catholic)/ Basilica Preservation Fund – Asheville, NC
Central Presbyterian Church – Summit, NJ
Church of the Covenant (UCC/Presbyterian) – Boston, MA
First Baptist Church of Asheville – Asheville, NC
First United Methodist Church of Lawrence, KS – Lawrence, KS
First Covenant Church (Swedish Covenant) – Minneapolis, MN
Lafayette Avenue Presbyterian Church- Brooklyn, NY
Our Lady of Victory (Roman Catholic) – Lackawanna, NY
Saint Mary of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church – Indianapolis, IN
Saint Peter’s Lutheran Church – New York, NY
St. Francis Xavier Mission (Roman Catholic) – St Xavier, MT
St. Joseph Oratory (Roman Catholic) – Detroit, MI
Third, Scots and Mariners & Old Pine Presbyterian – Philadelphia, PA
Touro Synagogue – New Orleans, LA
Vernon African Methodist Episcopal Church – Tulsa, OK
2019-2020
First Congregational Church of Long Beach—Long Beach, CA
The sanctuary of this church is patterned after a Greek Cross. One of the first United Church of Christ congregations to declare itself open and affirming, members have led the campaign to change federal laws discriminating against LGBTQ people.
First Congregational Church of Long Beach—Long Beach, CALovely Lane United Methodist Church—Baltimore, MD
Lovely Lane, designed by architect Stanford White in the Romanesque style, is the Mother Church of American Methodism. Today the church is focused on opening its doors to all kinds of community-based programs in its local Baltimore community.
Lovely Lane United Methodist Church—Baltimore, MDSt. Paul's Episcopal Church—Syracuse, NY
St. Paul’s growth paralleled Syracuse’s development from a canal-oriented outpost to an upstate urban center; South Sudanese refugee church members now count among those who use the space for community and religious activities. The parish is planning to repurpose underused space in its facility for mixed-income housing units.
St. Paul’s Episcopal Church—Syracuse, NYFirst Congregational Church—Sheridan, WY
Featuring 31 stained-glass windows and a historic pipe organ, this Gothic Revival Style church started on a homestead near tryouts for Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Troupe. Today, the United Church of Christ congregation is a community activity hub and hosts a substantial lunch program every week.
First Congregational Church—Sheridan, WY
National City Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)—Washington, D.C.St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church—New Orleans, LA
This 1926 Spanish Colonial Revival building hosts the only Baptist church in the state with a woman lead pastor. It is affiliated with American Baptist Churches USA and the Alliance of Baptists.
St. Charles Avenue Baptist Church—New Orleans, LASt. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church—Philadelphia, PA
Vincentian Fathers founded this parish, built-in 1851 by German and Irish immigrants, making it the Mother Church of the Vincentians’ anti-poverty work across the country. Today, it hosts three of northwest Philadelphia’s major community-based programs.
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church—Philadelphia, PAHonpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin - Jodo Shinshu (Shin)—Honolulu, HI
This church focused on the welfare of homeless families and elderly populations. The temple’s design elements blend symbols of Buddhism’s roots in India, adoption in Japan, and the West’s future.
Honpa Hongwanji Hawaii Betsuin – Jodo Shinshu (Shin)—Honolulu, HISecond Presbyterian Church of Chicago—Chicago, IL
With murals by Frederic Clay Bartlett and windows by Tiffany Studios, Second Presbyterian hosts numerous hospitality services amidst a treasure trove of decorative arts.
Second Presbyterian Church of Chicago—Chicago, ILTrinity Episcopal Church—Abbeville, SC
Prominently located on Abbeville’s historic town square, this impressive church is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The parish and its diocese are partnering with Preservation South Carolina to achieve significant restoration projects at the site and manage the facility as a venue for religious and cultural activities.
Trinity Episcopal Church—Abbeville, SC2018-2019
16th Street Baptist Church, Birmingham, AL
The 16th Street Baptist Church was the first black church in Birmingham, Alabama, organized in 1873. Mr. W. A. Rayfield, Alabama’s first and only black architect at the turn of the 20th century, designed the current church building, completed in 1911. The 16th Street Baptist Church congregation played a major role in the Civil Rights Movement and was unfortunately targeted as a result of their organizing efforts. On Sunday morning, September 15, 1963, a bomb exploded, killing four young girls attending Sunday School and injuring more than 20 other members of the congregation. In response to this tragedy, the global community raised money to help restore the church building. Notably, the people of Wales provided the funds for a memorial stained glass window, designed by Jack Platt, to replace one of the windows that was lost.
Over 100,000 visitors come to the 16th Street Baptist Church every year to witness the legacy of activism that has been cultivated by the congregation. Daily hour-long tours are provided by church member volunteers. In addition to their tourism-related outreach, the church hosts numerous community events, offers a Benevolence Ministry that provides emergency financial support to those in need, a Fatherhood Ministry to educate and mentor young fathers, and a Wall Builders program to help recovering drug addicts.
The congregation has completed many critical and expensive repairs to their main building in recent years. Their current project will restore and repurpose their parsonage to create a visitor’s center and museum dedicated to the life and work of their architect, W.A. Rayfield. This museum will be a significant addition to the Birmingham Civil Rights District and honor the achievements of one of America’s first practicing Black architects. It will also function to relieve some of the daily visitor traffic and wear-and-tear on the historic church building.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
Training Technical Assistance Planning Grant: $5,000
16th Street Baptist ChurchFirst Presbyterian Church, Stamford, CT
The First Presbyterian Church of Stamford was founded in 1854. One hundred years later, in 1954, the church voted to move to their present location. Wallace K. Harrison, a major American Modern architect, was chosen to design the new building. The shape of the church mimics the form of a fish. To realize the unusual building, Harrison collaborated closely with other notable professionals such as glass artist Gabriel Loire, architect and structural engineer Felix James Samuely, and Willis Mills, architect of the attached parish unit. The sanctuary is an early and widely publicized example of a thin shell precast concrete construction, inclined folded plates incorporated into a non-industrial American building, and dalle de verre stained glass.
In 2008 the First Presbyterian Church began an after school program for local youth called Creative Learning @ FPC. Students from six nearby schools are provided with homework help, mentorship opportunities, and translation assistance for those who learn English as a second language. First Presbyterian Church is also involved in a wide range of other outreach programs including community gardening, refugee resettlement, and monthly volunteering at two different local shelters.
Glass disease and water infiltration have compromised some of the exterior panels. The current National Fund project will address these issues on the east side. Future campaigns will restore the north and south walls.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Economic Halo Effect of Sacred Places Report SM
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant Final Report
First Presbyterian Church, Stamford, CTPatronato San Xavier, Tucson, AZ
Father Eusebio Kino established the San Xavier mission in the village of Wa:k in 1692 at the invitation of the O’odham people. The Spanish mission transformed life in the region; introducing domesticated animals, fruits, vegetables, and winter wheat. The current building, finished in 1783, is the oldest European-designed building in Arizona, constructed under the supervision of a Basque master mason, Ignacio Gaona. The church is built in the Roman-style with twin fired adobe walls on volcanic stone foundations. The ceilings are made of vaulted adobe because timber is scarce in the region. Today, San Xavier is one of the few missions still ministering to the population it was built to serve: the descendants of the Tohono O’Odham people, the Pacua Yaqui who were settled into the area, and people of hispanic and European origins, many of whom can trace their roots back to the colonial period.
San Xavier is both a pilgrimage church and a significant cultural site, hosting over 300,000 visitors annually. Patronato offers visitors free guided tours and has a small museum that provides historical, architectural and religious information about the area. For locals, the mission supports a tuition-free K-8 school, provides a variety of counselling services, and organizes numerous annual festivals and events. Recently, the parish has begun the second iteration of their conservation apprenticeship program, which teaches a select few individuals in the art of conservation, using the mission as an educational training ground.
In the 1940’s-50’s the exterior of the mission was covered in Portland cement, which deteriorated underlying original adobe. A $10 million campaign in the 1990’s removed most of the Portland cement and financed a full restoration of the building’s west tower. The current campaign, including support from the National Fund, is focused on adobe restoration on the east tower.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance
Planning Grant: $5,000 for a Feasibility Study
Patronato San XavierVancouver Avenue First Baptist Church, Portland, OR
Located in the Albina-Eliot neighborhood in north Portland, Oregon, Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church is one of the last remaining landmarks of the vibrant black community that once lived in the area. The church was formed in 1944 by African Americans who moved to the Portland area to work in the shipyards during World War II. The congregation grew so fast that between 1950-1960 the congregation moved more than six times searching for adequate space. Their current building, the former Central Methodist Episcopal Church, was designed by architect Richard H. Martin Jr. in 1909. The church played a leading role regionally during the Civil Rights Era, and the building has become a symbol of the congregation’s strength in the face of racial inequality and gentrification.
Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church provides comprehensive services to their local low income neighbors. The Saturday Samaritan Homeless Ministry provides a hot meal, clothing, and social services to those in need. Impact Northwest offers anti-poverty programs including early childhood and family services, safety net programs, and assistance for seniors and adults with disabilities. The Drum Major Scholarship Program has awarded more than 500 scholarships to high schoolers since it began in 2006. Vancouver Avenue First Baptist Church also has a trained counselor onsite who provides pay-what-you-can services to the community.
With the current project, the church will renovate several community spaces, install energy-efficient equipment, and improve accessibility. Future phases of the project will create space for Portland’s first, permanent African American Museum.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance
Planning Grant
Capital Grant
Final Report
Vancouver Avenue First Baptist ChurchSt. Mary & Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church, Nashua, NH
The St. Mary and Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox Church building was originally constructed in 1898 to serve the local French-speaking Catholic immigrant community of mill workers. The church is considered to be one of the finest and most elaborated designs completed by Timothy O’Connell, a prominent and prolific architect in the northeast at the turn of the 20th century. The Catholic parish closed in 2003 and the building was sold to the Coptic Orthodox Church in 2009 to serve a new growing immigrant community of Egyptian refugees.
Since the Egyptian Revolution in January 2011, the Coptic Church has seen a great influx of congregants leaving Egypt and seeking asylum in the United States. The congregation of St. Mary and Archangel Michael’s provides many critical services to the immigrant community such as legal aid, ESL classes, and free health clinics. In addition to the refugee outreach, the church operates as a venue for youth programming, community lectures, concerts, and an Egyptian festival.
The congregation has been making substantial investments in restoring the church since buying the property in 2009. The current project will stabilize and restore the exterior masonry, repair the roof, and prevent water infiltration into the building.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance
Planning Grant
Capital Grant
Final Report
St. Mary & Archangel Michael Coptic Orthodox ChurchAnnunciation Greek Orthodox Church, Milwaukee, WI
In 1906 the Annunciation Greek Orthodox Parish became one of the first Greek Orthodox parishes to be incorporated in the United States. Their current building is one of only five religious buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Although Wright began work on the church in 1957, it was not completed until after his death in 1961. The equilateral cross and circle motif, a common Orthodox Church format, served as the inspiration for the building and is included into numerous architectural features from the overall floor plan to the detailing of the original icon screen, which was painted by an apprentice in Wright’s studio, Eugene Masselink.
The Annunciation Greek Orthodox Parish has since constructed two modern buildings to support their mission. The Manor, built by the parish in 1984, is a home for seniors that was made possible by a federal HUD grant. The Cultural Center, finished in 2004, is a multipurpose space that is used by numerous nonprofits. The parish also supports local school groups and nonprofits through a variety of activities such as food basket prep and distribution, holiday gifts donations for children & school supply collections. The congregation is best known for the “Taste of Greece”, a cultural event open to the public to share culture, church tours, food, and music.
Annunciation’s National Fund project will include extensive roof repairs on the Wright-designed building, a redesign and repair of the HVAC system, and various other items to address water infiltration and ADA compliance. Long term building plans involve restoring the building’s lower level for community and congregational uses.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance
Planning Grant
Annunciation Greek Orthodox ChurchBroad Street Ministry, Philadelphia, PA
In 1887 two downtown Philadelphia churches, the Chambers and Wylie Memorial Churches, merged together to form the Chambers and Wylie Presbyterian Church. The combined church commissioned notable local architects Rankin & Kellog to design a Gothic Revival building that features stained glass windows created by Nicola D’Ascenzo. The Chambers and Wylie Church closed in 1999, and after a brief occupation by the University of the Arts, Rev. Bill Golderer was called to breathe new life into the building, opening the Broad Street Ministry’s doors in 2005.
In the years since the Broad Street Ministry was founded, the congregation has created a number of programs that largely focus on providing services for Philadelphia’s low income residents and people experiencing homelessness. The congregations’ flagship program, the Hospitality Collaborative, serves over 7,000 people a year. The program offers a daily meal for almost 250 people, health services, personal care items, clothing, therapeutic arts, and a mailing address to over 3,000 guests.
Broad Street Ministry’s current project will repair the slate roof, address deteriorated masonry, and refurbish the existing windows and doors.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
Training Technical Assistance: Advanced Capital Campaign ConsultingPlanning Grant
Capital Grant
Final Report
Broad Street MinistryNueva Vida Norristown New Life Mennonite Church, Norristown, PA
Nueva Vida Norristown New Life Mennonite Church began in 1990 as a merger between three very different Mennonite communities: First Menonite Church, Bethel Mennonite Church, and Fuente de Salvación. First Menonite Church was a historically white congregation founded in 1917. Bethel Mennonite Church was a historically Black Mennonite Church that was founded in 1959. Fuente de Salvación was a Hispanic congregation that began sharing space with the First Menonite Church in the 1980’s. Towards the end of the 20th century, the three congregations joined together in fellowship and moved into their current building, which was constructed by Bethany Evangelical United Brethren Church in 1907.
Nueva Vida Church hosts a number of programs on its three building campus. The Precious Life Childcare Center is housed in the main church building and serves 45 children and their families year-round. Across the street, the church runs a drop-in educational center equipped with a computer lab for neighborhood youth, and partners with local social service agencies to operate a photo ID clinic. Above the youth center is an assisted living apartment for three low-income and/or disabled women. For these many partnerships benefiting the city of Norristown, Interfaith Philadelphia named Nueva Vida a “Zone of Peace.”
The church’s National Fund project scope includes critical masonry repairs on the bell tower, stained glass window restoration, installing air conditioning throughout the facility, and numerous accessibility upgrades and general repairs to highly trafficked spaces.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance
Planning Grant: $5,000 for a Building Conditions Assessment
Nueva Vida Norristown New Life Mennonite ChurchSt. Paul the Prospector, Virginia City, NV
St. Paul the Prospector Church was formed in the newly established Nevada Territory in 1863 by Episcopal missionaries who followed miners west in search of prosperity. The current church building was built in 1876 after the first church burned in the Great Fire of 1875. Miss C.L. Wolfe, known as the richest unmarried lady in the United States, helped finance the reconstruction. The parish went on to serve as the mother church for many Episcopal churches in Nevada and Arizona; sponsoring the Chinese Church in Virginia City, Nevada Bible Society, a school for children from the surrounding communities, and more.
Currently, St. Paul the Prospector is one of three extant churches in Virginia City which has a population of around 1,800 people. Virginia City is a popular tourist destination, and the small parish has partnered with the Episcopal diocese to establish the Western Missionary Museum. With a cafe and gift shop, the museum is designed to be a major outreach vehicle to the two million tourists who visit Virginia City each year. Once the building is safe and the museum is open, the congregation plans to share their reclaimed space with more community partners.
The current project phase focuses on structural stabilization in preparation for improvements to the lower level for housing the Museum.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance
Planning Grant
Capital Grant
Final Report
St. Paul’s the ProspectorArlington Street Church, Boston, MA
The Arlington Street Church was founded by Scots-Irish immigrants in 1729. Their current building was designed by noted architect, Arthur D.Gilman in 1861. The inspiration for the design was St. Martin-in-the-Fields in London. The finished church is a notably early example of a revivalist architectural style in America. Between 1899 and 1930, the congregation commissioned 16 Tiffany windows that illustrate the Beatitudes.
Throughout the centuries, the church has been a leading force for reform. From advocating for fire brigades, petitionining for the abolition of the slave trade, turning in draft cards, to performing the US’s first legal same-sex church wedding, the Arlington Street Church has always been at the forefront of the social justice movement.
The historic church is open to visitors 6 days a week, offering volunteer-led tours to educate the public on the history of the building and the remarkable Tiffany windows. The church also provides daily Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, a weekly meal for those in need, a bi-montly book club and meditation session, and a food pantry catering specifically to the tastes of Arlington Street’s low-income Asian neighbors.
The church is working on urgent repairs to restore the integrity of their building’s envelope. Unstable masonry, leaks, unsafe stairways, and deteriorating portico finishes will all be addressed in the church’s National Fund project.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Advanced Campaign Fundraising Strategies
Planning Grant: $5,000 Capital Grant Final Report
Arlington Street ChurchFirst Congregational Church, Detroit, MI
The First Congregational Church of Detroit was established in 1844 by abolitionists. The church served as a major Underground Railroad hub prior to moving to their current location in 1891. John Faxon, an architect from Boston, was chosen to build the ornate, European style church that was atypical of contemporary Congregationalist architecture. The elaborate ceiling paintings depicting the four Gospels were created by Miss Lyle Durgin, also of Boston. Famed architect, Albert Kahn, designed the addition completed in 1924.
In 2002, the church converted the lower level of the current facility into the Underground Railroad (UGRR) Living Museum. The interactive museum hosts more than 85,000 visitors a year. In addition to visitor services, the church provides space for a variety of events such as weekly Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, weddings, plays, concerts, and several city-wide annual events such as the D-Lectricity Light/Art Festival and Noel Night.
One of the sandstone columns that support the bell tower fell on the south elevation in October of 2017. First Congregational’s capital project scope includes installing new sandstone columns, replacing the roof, adding OSHA-approved ladders to allow for safe access to the tower, repairs on the upper copper elements, and new supports for the Archangel Uriel figure atop of the bell tower.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
Training Technical AssistancePlanning Grant
Capital Grant
Final Report
First Congregational Church of DetroitOld First Reformed Church, Brooklyn, NY
The Old First Reformed Church in Brooklyn, New York was originally established as the Reformed Dutch Church of the Town of Breucklelen by Gov. Peter Stuyvesent in 1654. For a century, Old First was the only church in Brooklyn. In 1888, the congregation moved to its current location and commissioned notable architect, George l. Morse to design the building. James H. Stevenson & Son built the church out of Indiana limestone. The stained-glass windows were created by three great American stained-glass artists: Louis Comfort Tiffany, William Willet, and Otto Heinigke. Old First is one of the founding congregations of the Reformed Church in America, the oldest Protestant denominations founded in America with a continuing ministry.
The congregation hosts 600-800 people weekly for programs that include a nursery school, the Brooklyn Youth Orchestra and Community Chorus, Dancewave, Bella Voce Choir, Girl Scouts, White Bird Creative Theatrics, and Community Board 6. More than 4,000 people attend one-time literary readings, concerts, and other events hosted at the church annually. The congregation’s most impactful program is their Summer Respite Shelter which provides a meal and a bed for more than a dozen men throughout the summer season.
In early 2018 the church completed a long-awaited phase of work to restore the sanctuary ceiling and regain occupancy of the sanctuary. Old First’s National Fund scope of work will include additional restoration efforts, upgrading the electrical system, and accessibility upgrades to restrooms and entrances.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance
Planning Grant
Capital Grant Final Report
Old First Reformed Church2017-2018
Congregation Beth Ahabah, Richmond, VA
Formed in 1789, Congregation Beth Ahabah is descendent from the sixth synagogue in the United States. Their 1904 neoclassical building was designed by notable Richmond architects Noland and Baskervill. The sanctuary is known for its elaborately painted proscenium arch, the magnificent pipe organ, and most especially the twenty-nine stained glass windows adorn the space, some of which were created by Louis Comfort Tiffany in 1923.
The congregation has robust on-site programming and has long been engaged in civic leadership and interfaith partnership. Their community support organization, Tikkun Olam, annually hosts Mitzvah Day creating ‘welcome baskets’ for families transitioning into new housing, collects food for the Richmond Food Bank, houses 35 people for three months over the winter, hosts an interfaith conference called Standing Together, and feeds close to 500 Richmonders on Christmas Day.
Among Jewish applicants, this application stood out for these qualities and for the comprehensive preservation project already underway at the synagogue. The congregation raised over 3 million dollars with a capital campaign but needed assistance funding the last pieces of their 2017 renovation. With help from the Funds for Sacred Places, Beth Ahabah will be able to complete their HVAC replacement, re-roofing, security overhaul, electrical upgrades and other accessibility improvements.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Economic Halo Study and Advanced Campaign Strategies
Planning Grant: $5,000 for Campaign Marketing
Capital Grant: $250,000
Final Report
Congregation Beth AhabahEmanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Charleston,SC
“Mother Emanuel” was founded by Rev. Morris Brown who was an important black religious leader in Charleston, SC. He began preaching services to African Americans in segregated portions of white churches in the early 1800’s. After Bethel Methodist built a hearse house (think garage for a hearse) on top of the black cemetery, he and 1,400 other African Americans created their own congregation, which was illegal at the time. In 1816, Brown represented his congregation at the conference in Philadelphia that formed the African Methodist Episcopal denomination. Despite much hardship, persecution, earthquakes, and most recently the 2015 shooting, this congregation continues to worship together as one of the oldest AME congregations in the country.
The current building was designed by the architect John Devereux and was reported to have been built by members of the congregation. The Gothic revival brick and stucco building was completed in 1891. Throughout the 20th century the congregation has been instrumental in advancing civil rights. Famous African American leaders such as Booker T. Washington and Dr. Martin Luther King have spoken in the sanctuary. Today the congregation is involved in clothing and food drives for low-income families, an inmate outreach ministry, community health services, and most recently opened the Empowerment Center to provide counseling for survivors of the 2015 shooting.
Emanuel’s preservation project includes the replacement of trusses and the roof, repair the finishes on the lower level, upgrade the electrical infrastructure, add a restroom on the sanctuary level and make all other bathrooms ADA compliant.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
Training Technical AssistancePlanning Grant
Capital Grant
Final Report
Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal ChurchFirst Presbyterian Church Santa Fe, NM
The First Presbyterian Church can trace its roots back to the oldest Protestant community formed in the New Mexico Territory in 1867. Their current Pueblo Revival sanctuary was designed by renowned Santa Fe architect, John Gaw Meem, and built by notable local builder, Fred Grill. It was constructed in 1939 on the same site as the prior two churches occupied by the congregation. Meem was an early advocate of “an architecture of place.” He designed his buildings in the rich stucco traditions of southwest that were developed by Native Americans and extended by the Spanish.
The church has numerous outreach programs that service a wide variety of age groups. They host a child development center that enrolls 60 children daily, volunteer with local homeless shelters, offer space to community groups, facilitate topic-based forums, and deliver musical programming, including free Friday recitals 52 weeks of the year.
First Presbyterian recently built a new administration building to better support their mission and programming but is now turning their attention to the historic sanctuary. The congregation is looking to upgrade its historic sanctuary infrastructure with two automatic wheelchair accessible doors, zoned HVAC with new software, an updated electrical control system, LED lighting, and envelope repairs. Partners will assist the congregation with National Fund Orientation training and capital campaign consulting.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
Training Technical Assistance: Advising on Campaign Strategies
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant Final Report
First Presbyterian Church Santa Fe, NMJudson Memorial Church, New York, NY
In 1890, Rev. Edward Judson initiated construction of Judson Church as a memorial to his father Adoniram Judson, the first American Protestant foreign missionary to Myanmar (Burma). The building was designed by architect Stanford White of the well-known firm McKim, Mead, & White. It is an eclectic composite of Romanesque and Renaissance forms that White became familiar with when he traveled to Europe. Rev. Judson intended the building’s Italianate design to appeal to the Italian immigrants in the neighborhood behind the church, while also displaying a classic beauty that would impress and attract the society-class New Yorkers who lived on the other side of Washington Square Park.
Judson Church was part of the “institutional church” movement, which held that churches should be used seven days a week; not only for religious services and instruction but also for community-serving education, recreation, and aid. To this end the congregation holds approximately 44 events involving 1750 people every week. Programs include weekly performances, an artistic practice space, a meeting space for social justice groups, a sanctuary for immigrants fighting deportation, and an off-Broadway theater called The Gym.
The congregation is adding an elevator that, unlike the current lift, will serve all four building levels and can carry heavy loads for the theater and other events. The existing shaft needs to be enlarged by several feet, which means the basement stairwell, ground-floor, main-floor church pantry and other areas have to be reconfigured.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Economic Halo Study; Workshop on Developing a “Friends” Organization
Planning Grant: $5,000 for Database Management
Capital Grant Final Report
Judson Memorial ChurchShrine of Christ the King Sovereign Priest, Chicago, IL
Built as St. Clara in the 1924, the church is the work of architect Henry J. Schlacks (1867-1938), one of Chicago’s most prominent architects of sacred spaces. Having worked as a draftsman for Adler & Sullivan, he later founded Architecture Department at the University of Notre Dame and designed dozens of churches in the Chicago area. St. Clara, renamed St. Gelasius in 1990, closed in 2002. It barely avoided the wrecking ball before it was reopened and re-christened the “Shrine of Christ the King” in 2006.
Sadly, on October 7, 2015, the church was ravaged by a fire caused by oily rags left by a volunteer. Masses were moved to Sunday afternoons and weekday evenings at a parish outside the neighborhood, but prayers continued on the Shrine church steps led by clergy. In early January 2016, when the Archdiocese decided to seek demolition due to lack of funds, the congregation joined with preservationists and neighbors to voice their support for the saving of the Shrine. Moved by their appeal, in late February 2018 Archdiocese decided to allow the congregation to pursue restoration, rather than demolish the building.
The most pressing preservation issue is restoring the church’s roof. The compromised existing roof truss will have to be carefully removed so as not to harm the surrounding masonry. A new steel truss system will have to be fabricated and installed before the building can function as a weatherproof envelope again.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Economic Halo Study
Planning Grant: $5,000 for Architectural Planning
Capital Grant: $250,000
Final Report
Shrine of Christ the King Sovereign PriestThe Church of the Epiphany, Los Angeles, CA
The Church of the Epiphany is the oldest sustaining Episcopal congregation in the Los Angeles region. British architect, Ernest Coxhead designed the Romanesque Revival church in 1867. As the congregation grew, the original church was incorporated as a parish hall into a larger Gothic Revival complex designed by Arthur B. Benton, completed in 1913.
During the Chicano Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s and 70s, Epiphany served as a headquarters for social justice and anti-war activists organizing in response to mounting discrimination in schools, workplaces, and social services. Currently the church distributes meals to approximately one hundred low-income families and houses partner organizations offering free legal services to the immigrant and refugee communities in the area.
The congregation is working on Phase II of a larger restoration campaign. Phase I addressed structural weaknesses in the building’s foundation, upgrades to their commercial kitchen and bathrooms, handicapped accessibility improvements, and some exterior work. Phase II will include a new roof, updated electrical infrastructure, more cosmetic façade work, and waterproofing the basement.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Advising on Identifying Fundraising Consultant and on Campaign Infrastructure
Planning Grant: $5,000 for Cost Estimating
Capital Grant Final Report
The Church of the EpiphanyFirst Baptist Church of Boston, MA
The First Baptist Church of Boston is one of the oldest Baptist congregations in the United States, formed in 1665. The congregation met in secret until 1679 when they built their first meetinghouse. The church doors were promptly nailed shut by the Puritans but the congregation built, rebuilt, and purchased several other buildings around Boston before settling into their current Beacon Hill location in 1881.
The prior owners, the Brattle Square Unitarian Church, gave architect H.H. Richardson his first big commission. This project became the precursor to Richardson’s other masterpiece, Trinity Church Copley Square, which launched the Romanesque Revival trend in American architecture. His most notable innovation for this design is the 170-foot square tower that looms over the cruciform sanctuary. The sculptures that adorn the steeple freeze were carved in place by the artist Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, most known for creating the Statue of Liberty.
A 2016 storm blew debris from the tower into the street prompting the City of Boston to get involved with church preservation efforts. Work was fast-tracked to avert the risk posed by unstable stone. The first phase of construction will address the immediate external safety hazard with a scaffold enclosure, replace the decayed internal access stairwell, restore the sculpted freeze, and repair the masonry.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
Training Technical Assistance: Space-sharing workshop and Space AssessmentPlanning Grant
Capital Grant: $250,000
First Baptist Church of BostonGrace United Methodist Church, Dallas, TX
Grace United Methodist’s building is an outstanding example of the Late Gothic Revival architecture, unique in the East Dallas area. It was designed by W. A. Cann, a leading church architect from St. Louis. The impetus for construction was the merger of Floyd Street Methodist Church (organized in 1874) and Haskell Avenue Methodist Church (organized in 1880). The stained-glass windows were created by the Kansas City Stained Glass Studios and shipped to Dallas by rail. The sanctuary was extended and classrooms were added by another notable architect, T.J. Galbraith in 1925.
Grace United Methodist has birthed several mission related programs that became full-fledged non-profit organizations as they matured. Dr. Bobbi Baxter opened the Agape Medical Clinic in the church basement in 1983. It has since expanded into an adjacent building where it now provides immunizations, treatment for chronic and short-term illness, dental and specialty care for close to 17,000 visits. The Open Door preschool prepares 44 non-English speaking students for public school and continues to operate on the church campus. In addition to these nonprofits, the congregation supports various youth programs, a bi-monthly legal clinic, and neo-monastic community that ministers to the homeless.
This construction phase is the sixth in a series of capital repairs that began in 1992. Currently the congregation is addressing the sanctuary roof and ceiling, waterproofing the envelope, and managing water drainage on the flat surrounding landscape.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance
Planning Grant: $5,000 for Architectural Planning
Capital Grant Final Report
Grace United Methodist ChurchLutheran Church of the Reformation, Washington D.C.
Lutheran Church of the Reformation has called Capitol Hill home since it was created in 1869 as a mission church by two older congregations, St. Paul’s English Lutheran and Memorial Evangelical Lutheran Church (now known as Luther Place). Their Art Deco building was designed by Irwin S. Porter in 1934. It is a modern masterpiece, reflecting the aesthetics of the adjacent Library of Congress John Adams Building and the Folger Shakespeare Library. The Arts and Crafts interior is filled with Scandinavian religious iconography reflecting a unique blend of many traditions and styles.
The church operates has served as a meeting, staging, and arts space for many community groups such as Civil Rights Marches, LGBTQ advocacy, musical performances, and today’s Immigrant, Women’s, and Climate marches. They have also founded many community organizations that serve their community including the Lutheran Home for the Aged, the Capitol Day School, Southeast Ministry (education programs and professional development for adults), and an on-site Food Pantry.
The congregation is addressing urgent repairs and interior improvements. Pressing problems include replacing old wiring, asbestos remediation, exterior stone repair, fire and security upgrades. Minor interior works will improve lighting, repair the ceiling staining, and add ADA access to the chancel. Partners is assisting the congregation with National Fund orientation training, in-person consultation on community-wide fundraising strategies and long-range maintenance planning.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant: $250,000
Final Report
Lutheran Church of the ReformationUnited Baptist Church of Poultney, VT
The United Baptist Church of Poultney was built by Poultney’s earliest settlers in 1805 under the direction of their first minister, Rev. Clark Kendrick. Builder Elisha Scott used locally sourced labor and lumber to construct a rectangular Federal-style church. The design was based off of an illustration from Asher Benjamin’s “A Country Builder’s Assistant.” with a monumental entrance pavilion and attached Wren-type steeple. The church became an anchor for many other historic buildings in town; including the printing press that started the apprenticeships for Horace Greely and George Jones who went on to start the New York Tribune and the New York Times.
Relative to the congregation’s size, United Baptist Church has an enormous impact on their local community. Parishioners organize backpack of school supplies for low-income families, host summer concerts and community meals, distribute food through the Community Food Buying Club, and hold civic functions in collaboration with other non-profits such as the Poultney Historical Society and the Horace Greeley Foundation.
The building has suffered several well-meaning interventions that caused problems that can no longer be ignored. The current slate roof was laid on top of the old, deteriorated wood shingle roof which led to interior water damage. Inappropriate caulking and a relatively recent poor exterior paint coat led to further moisture-related issues for the historic woodwork. The congregation plans to seal the church to the elements by repairing their roof and windows. In addition to the training provided by the National Fund, Partners connected the congregation to a capital campaign consultant who has been helping them locate other resources to complete their project.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Advising on Identifying Fundraising Consultant and on Campaign Infrastructure
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant Final Report
United Baptist Church of PoultneyDowntown Church, Memphis, TN
Downtown Church is a newer congregation who’s building history embodies the core church mission to offer a multi-ethnic and multi-class meeting space in the heart of Memphis. The Romanesque Revival building was commissioned by a largely white, affluent Second Presbyterian Church. Minneapolis architects Frederick Kees and Franklin B. Long finished their design in 1893. At the time, it was the largest church building south of the Ohio River. Second Presbyterian relocated to the suburbs in 1949 and the Clayborn Temple African Methodist Episcopal Church (CTA) moved in.
CTA was actively involved in the civil rights movement throughout the 1960’s and 70’s. Their most notable campaign was the Sanitation Workers’ Strike that brought Dr. Martin Luther King to Memphis in 1968, where he was assassinated. During the two month-long strike, protesters met daily at CTA and marched from CTA to City Hall protesting wages and work conditions, carrying the iconic “I AM A MAN” signs. By 1999, the building had become too difficult to maintain and the CTA moved out. It remained vacant for almost twenty years before a coalition of local leaders acquired the building and formed Clayborn Reborn to restore and maintain the building as a multi-purpose community center. Downtown Church moved into the building immediately and became a full partner in the project.
Abandonment had not been kind to the building and some significant damage occurred. The first phase of restoration will replace structurally unstable roof trusses, waterproof the envelope, upgrade internal infrastructure (plumbing, HVAC and electrical), and repair the interior finishes. The project is being funded with the help of Partners for Sacred Places, the National Park Service Grant for African American Civil Rights History and Historic Preservation Tax Credits.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Advanced Campaign Fundraising Strategies
Planning Grant Capital Grant Final Report
Downtown ChurchFirst Church in Oberlin, OH
Oberlin was created in the 1840’s to be a utopian, racially-integrated community where the church, college and town were essentially one and the same. The founding pastor of First Church in Oberlin, Charles Grandison Finney, reached out to an architect he had met while recruiting Oberlin faculty in Boston to design a bigger space for the growing congregation. Richard Fifield Bond sent Finney plans for the Greek Revival brick building for $50 ($1,300 today). Local Deacon, Thomas P. Turner, a Vermont-born craftsman, executed Bond’s design with the help of his community. At the time of completion, 1844, the church was the largest building west of the Alleghenies.
First Church in Oberlin continues to be a major cultural center for its local community. The church share their space with more than 75 groups including interfaith coalitions, low income family support, health initiatives, continuing education classes, community theater, and various music groups. The church named its History Project as the most impactful program. The history committee led the formation of the Coalition for Oberlin History which pulled together members of all the African-American history groups and leaders of the Oberlin African-American community with other community leaders to explore opportunities to further cultivate the city’s understanding of its own history
The current building project involves repairing the sandstone front-steps, replacing the cupola, adding an elevator, constructing a raised platform in the sanctuary for better performance viewing, and refreshing the pew cushions and carpets. The goal is to make the building more attractive and useful to the congregation and their outside partners. Partners is assisting the congregation with National Fund Orientation training and architectural design support and feedback.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Architectural Design Support and Campaign Infrastructure Coaching
Planning Grant
Capital Grant: $250,000
The First Church in OberlinHoly Ascension of Our Lord Cathedral, Unalaska, AK
Holy Ascension of Our Lord Cathedral and its accompanying Bishop’s House at Unalaska are some of the most outstanding examples of Russian architectural heritage in Alaska. Beginning in the 1750’s, Russian Orthodox missionaries preached to European fur traders and native Alaskans. Over the years, Russian missionary outreach was so successful that to this day most Unanga (Aleuts) consider Orthodoxy an integral part of their culture. The first Russian Orthodox house of worship was built on the island in 1808. The current cathedral, completed between 1894-1896, incorporates building elements from several of its older iterations.
The beautiful wooden cathedral is a very popular site for cruise ship tourists and visitors from the State Ferry. It houses one the most significant collections of historical church icons and religious artifacts in Alaska—many carried across Northern Siberia by dog sleds and oxen, floated down rivers, and transported by ship. Church members of all ages provide tours of the cathedral and its collections to groups for a small fee. The congregation also hosts traditional Aleutian food bake sales, runs an elderly visitation program, and leads cultural events at the nearby schools and the Senior Center.
The congregation is upgrading its buildings to better serve the visiting population. To protect their recently conserved icons, the cathedral is installing a new fire protection system that douses fires with mist rather than liquid water which can cause extensive damage to sensitive objects. The Bishop’s House is also being renovated to provide temporary housing, a visitor’s center, and a gift shop.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Advanced Campaign Strategies, including feasibility coaching
Planning Grant: $5,000 for Campaign Consulting Services
Capital Grant Final Report
Holy AscensionMission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima Concepción, San Antonio, TX
Completed in 1755, Mission Concepción is a hybrid church that combines Roman Catholic/Spanish Colonial missionary architecture with indigenous building traditions. Its domed vaulted roof, cruciform layout, and adjacent plaza give the church an overall Spanish appearance. Indigenous technologies can be found in subtler architectural gestures such as two side alters that become illuminated on specific Feast celebrations by manipulating solar geometry and the wall/ceiling proportions that enhance acoustics in the sanctuary. Mission Concepción is one of four Spanish Colonial Missions plus the Alamo that were recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Monument in 2015.
Mission Concepción balances an active parish life with the needs of over 2 million tourists that visit the site annually. Many of the 600 or so members are descendant from the white, Latinx, and Native American peoples who founded the early church. The community currently supports several food drives, assists with refugee settlement, and gives monthly subsidies to two local sister parishes.
The 2017 Phase of the 10-year Project plan of Mission Concepcion includes overall repairs and improvements, facade conservation, and maintenance needs, particularly drainage and moisture control around the perimeter of the church.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant: $250,000
Final Report
Mission Nuestra Señora de la Purísima ConcepciónSt. Paul's United Methodist Church, Cedar Rapids, IA
St. Paul’s is the descendent congregation of one of the earliest Methodist congregations in Cedar Rapids, IA, founded in 1840. They worshiped out of log cabins until they built their first permanent location in 1856. In 1909 St. Paul’s commissioned Louis Sullivan to design a “modern church for a seven-day program” for the growing Methodist congregation. His design cost twice the allotted amount and after making negligible changes to reduce costs, Sullivan resigned in March 1912. W. C. Jones was hired to redraw the Sullivan plans within budget. The new building was dedicated on May 31, 1914.
Since 2007, the congregation has had an influx of African immigrant families from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Rwanda. They have added worship in Swahili, Kirundi, and French to the robust programming that exists at St. Paul’s. Other ministries include the FOCUS preschool, the Neighborhood Meal and Enrichment Program, and ESL education. The congregation also shares its space with several non-profit partners and opened its doors as a flood shelter in 2008.
Phase 1 of the Forward in Faith campaign was completed in 2017. The first campaign added a new accessible main entrance, a welcoming center, renovated parking, and new electrical infrastructure. The second phase will replace the old HVAC system in the historic sanctuary and classrooms in the 1963 wing. Partners is assisting the congregation with National Fund project training, community engagement strategies, and asset mapping.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Asset Mapping
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant: $240,000
Final Report
St. Paul’s United Methodist ChurchSt. Joan of Arc
St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church was founded in 1921, a year after its namesake had been canonized. The Bishop saw the need for a new parish to serve the families who were moving north of downtown Indianapolis, beyond the reach of the central cathedral. The Romanesque design of St. Joan of Arc reflects the wishes of the pastor as well as the scholarship and artistic talents of the architect, Henry J. Schlacks. Trained at MIT, Schlacks began his career in the famed offices of Adler & Sullivan before starting his private practice that went on to become one of the Chicago’s finest church design firms.
St. Joan of Arc Catholic School was jointly founded with the eponymous parish in 1921. There are currently 450 students enrolled throughout the year, 200 of which also participate in after school and summer programs. The congregation also operates a community garden and contributes to several outreach ministries such as the Refugee Clothing Project and St. Vincent de Paul Society.
St. Joan of Arc is in the process of a multi-year phased campaign. Phase 1, completed in 2017, addressed problems with the HVAC system, ADA compliance and created an endowment for future maintenance. The other phases include restoring the church interior finishes and replacing the asbestos flooring.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
Training Technical AssistancePlanning Grant
Capital Grant:$150,000
Final Report
St. Joan of Arc2016-2017
Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church, Chicago, IL
Quinn Chapel formed in 1844, and the current building was dedicated in 1891. The congregation has been profoundly historically significant, as shown by a remarkable list of abolitionist and Civil Rights guest speakers including: Frederick Douglass, Booker T. Washington, Martin Luther King, Jr., Ida B. Wells and Presidents McKinnley and Taft. Today Quinn Chapel is a growing congregation that has made major capital improvements in recent years. This church serves its community through several ministries, including health screening, addiction recovery programs and short-term employment. The church space is shared with a variety of community partners, is a site for court-ordered community service. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
Training Technical Assistance: Advising on Campaign Strategies
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant: $220,000
Final Report
Quinn Chapel African Methodist Episcopal ChurchFirst Church of Christ in Hartford, CT (Center Church)
Center Church dates to 1632, and the current Meetinghouse was dedicated in 1807. It was designed by Danial Wadsworth and is an excellent example of early Federal architecture. The building includes five Tiffany stained-glass windows. Thomas Hooker, one of the founders of Hartford, was its first pastor, and several of Connecticut’s governors are buried in its Ancient Burial Grounds—it is the oldest institution in the state of Connecticut. Today Center Church has dynamic pastoral leadership and it is a hub for community initiatives, including programs run by the church and others run by partner organizations that serve a variety of basic human needs. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Shared-Space Planning
Planning Grant
Capital Grant: $250,000
Final Report
First Church of Christ in HartfordBasilica of Saint Josaphat, Milwaukee, WI
Built by Polish immigrants from stone reclaimed from a U.S. Postal Service building, the Basilica of St. Josaphat was dedicated in 1901. It was inspired by St. Peter’s in Rome and designed by Erhard Breilmaier—who specialized in ecclesiastical design, designing dozens of churches and a monestary. The basilica partners with several local organizations to share space, including the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Bel Canto Chorus. The basilica serves households from across its metro region and the space is often fully utilized daily. The basilica is on the National Register of Historic Places.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Economic Halo Study
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant: $250,000
Final Report
Basilica of Saint JosaphatFirst Christian Reformed Church, Grand Rapids, MI
First Christian Reformed in Grand Rapids is the oldest congregation in and the birthplace of the Christian Reformed Church, a Dutch Calvinist denomination that is strongest in the upper Midwest. The building was dedicated in 1912. Its style is Richardsonian Romanesque with Classical touches and is a classic example of an auditorium plan sanctuary. Today it serves as a civic center for many activities and community programs in downtown Grand Rapids. 2000 square feet of space is donated to a community drop-in center that is open three days each week. The former parsonage serves as student housing for nearby Calvin College and Seminary.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
Training Technical Assistance: Stakeholder Event; Advising on Campaign Strategy
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant: $100,000
Final Report
First Christian Reformed ChurchBroad Bay Congregational United Church of Christ, Waldoboro, ME
Broad Bay Congregational is a classic example of a small-town New England church. The building was designed by Samuel Melcher, and dedicated in 1838 as First Baptist. It melds Greek Revival and Italianate styles. The current congregation purchased the building in 2002 and has been exceptionally proactive in tapping community ideas for use of the facility, extending its role as the center of town and community life.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Capital Campaign Feasibility Study
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant Final Report
Broad Bay Congregational United Church of ChristTrinity-Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church, San Francisco, CA
Trinity-St. Peter’s, designed by Arthur Page Brown, was completed in 1894 and served as temporary city hall after the fire of 1906. It houses the first Protestant church in California and the oldest Episcopal congregation on the Pacific coast. The facility includes one of two acoustic Skinner organs in the city, and Tiffany stained glass windows. It has the finest acoustics for choral music in the city. The congregation has been an active neighborhood partner in recent years and shares space with several groups, including another congregation and several performing arts organizations.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
Training Technical Assistance: Campaign Discovery Study; Stakeholder Space-Use Event
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant: $80,000
Final Report
Trinity-Saint Peter’s Episcopal ChurchKadesh African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, Edenton, NC
Kadesh American Methodist Episcopal Zion, the first African-American church in Edenton, began in 1866. The building was constructed by Hannibal Bedham, patriarch of a prominent African-American family in Edonton who built several other buildings in the same block. Together these are contributing buildings to the Edenton Historic District of the National Register. The design is an example of Victorian adaptations of Gothic Revival architecture. The congregation is temporarily relocated until the building can be restored following structural damage from a hurricane in 2003. Despite this, the congregation hosts numerous community programs serving basic needs including clothing and food donation drives and blood drives in nearby buildings.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
Training Technical AssistancePlanning Grant
Capital Grant
Final Report
Kadesh African Methodist Episcopal Zion ChurchNorth Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), Columbus, IN
North Christian was founded in 1955, and its architecturally magnificent facility was completed in 1964. The building is the last designed by Eero Saarinen. The landscape design is by Dan Kiley—who had also collaborated with Saarinen on the St. Louise Arch, with interior design by Alexander Girard, and organ design by Walter Holtkamp. Today the congregation is about to finalize a major partnership that would ensure active use of their facility by the community for years to come. North Christian is listed as a National Historic Landmark.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
Training Technical Assistance Planning Grant: $5,000 Capital Grant: $250,000Final Report
North Christian Church Divine Redeemer Presbyterian Church, San Antonio, TX
Divine Redeemer’s classic Mission Revival-style building was dedicated in 1928 and designed by Harvey P. Smith, who was also architect for the restoration of the San Antonio missions. This predominantly Latino congregation has a deep and rich history of serving its community. It has a century-long partnership with a sister non-profit organization housed on site to provide an array of basic human services, including a daycare, emergency food assistance and a host of educational programs.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Capital Campaign Feasibility Study
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant
Final Report
Divine Redeemer Presbyterian ChurchChrist Church Lutheran, Minneapolis, MN
Christ Church Lutheran, designed by Eliel Saarinen, with an educational wing designed by his son Eero, was dedicated in 1949. It is considered one of the elder Saarinen’s major works, initiating a new form of religious architecture in the U.S. And it is a rare example of the father and son’s collaboration. This dynamic congregation shares 80% of its building with an array of community organizations, and has strong partner relationships with the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Minnesota Orchestra, the University of Minnesota School of Architecture and the St. Paul Chamber Orchestra. Christ Church Lutheran is a National Historic Landmark.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
Training Technical Assistance: Campaign Feasibility Study
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant: $130,000
Final Report
Christ Church LutheranMokuaikaua Church, Kailua-Kona, HI
Mokuaikaua is Hawaii’s oldest Christian church, beginning in 1820. The building was dedicated in 1837. It is modeled after classic New England architecture, but features regional burned coral mortar masonry—a Pacific regional technique where raw coral is burned to make lime mortar. It was listed by The National Trust for Historic Preservation as one of “America’s 11 most endangered historic places” in 2009. Today it is exceptionally racially diverse, reflecting the cultural and ethnic diversity of the island. The building suffered major earthquake damage in 2006. Despite this, the building is also home to a preschool serving 48 children of Hawaiian ancestry—using 70% of available space. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Economic Halo Study and Capital Campaign Feasibility Study
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant: $250,000
Final Report
Mokuaikaua ChurchTrinity United Methodist Church, Idaho Falls, ID
Trinity United Methodist traces its roots to early Methodist preachers and missionaries dating to 1834. The cornerstone of the building is dated 1916. The building is one of the finest examples of the Tudor-Gothic style in Idaho, and was designed by John Visser and built by Dan Sweeney. Nestled in the small city of Idaho Falls, the church is used by over 20 community groups every week, including a soup kitchen serving lunch 364 days/year—55,000 meals annually. The building is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Feasibility Study
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant: $190,000
Final Report
Trinity United Methodist ChurchUrban Grace, Tacoma, WA
The building was constructed in 1925 to house First Baptist Church. It is the oldest continuously occupied Christian church in Tacoma and the only church in Tacoma’s downtown core. The congregation reincorporated as Urban Grace in 2005. The building is architecturally significant as a fine Gothic Revival example, and the only “skyscraper” church in the Northwest—designed with multiple stories of leasable space in addition to space for the congregation. The church has extensive community partnerships and shares 90% of its space with human service, arts and education organizations.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Capital Campaign Feasibility Study
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant: $250,000
Final Report
Urban GraceChrist Church in Philadelphia, PA
Christ Church dates to 1689 and is the birthplace of the Episcopal Church in America. The 1744 building is a premier example of Georgian architecture, and is home to an active and growing congregation. Seven signers of the Declaration of Independence are buried in its nearby graveyard. The actively-used facility hosted nearly 500 performing arts events last year. Christ Church is a National Historic Landmark.
NATIONAL FUND SERVICES PROVIDED
TrainingTechnical Assistance: Feasibility Study
Planning Grant: $5,000
Capital Grant: $250,000
Final Report
Christ Church in Philadelphia