Over the past several months, the Building for Hope Initiative has focused intentionally on listening, trust-building, and discernment as we consider how God may be calling us to use our campus and congregational assets in new ways for the good of our community. We have held extensive conversations with members of the congregation last fall, with neighbors in recent weeks, with approximately twenty individuals connected to our community ministries, and with a variety of community leaders. Across all of these conversations, we have encountered remarkable openness, encouragement, and imagination. Even ideas that might once have been assumed to generate resistance—such as affordable housing—have been met with thoughtful support and a shared desire for the church to respond boldly to community needs.
As we continue this work, we are exploring social enterprise opportunities that exist at the intersection of three key considerations: meeting real community needs, aligning with the passions and mission of our congregation, and making faithful use of the physical and relational assets God has entrusted to us. We continue to return to this framework as a way of discerning not simply what is possible, but what is most aligned with our calling.
One important area of focus is our relationship with the Child Care Center. We are actively working with its leadership to better align governance, space usage, and mission with a potential social enterprise model. This raises important questions for the church as well: to what extent is this work mission-driven ministry, and to what extent is it an enterprise intended to sustain itself financially? We recognize that this is not an either/or question, but a continuum that requires careful discernment. We also acknowledge that there is important relational work to do in bringing our church and childcare communities back into closer connection and shared purpose.
Several areas have emerged as particularly promising for further exploration. These include food ministry and feeding programs, especially given that our kitchen is a significant community asset that is currently underutilized. We are also exploring ways to deepen our role as a convener—bringing people together in fellowship, gathering, and connection—which remains one of the congregation’s greatest strengths and passions. Childcare, housing, and potential partnerships with other nonprofits also remain active areas of consideration.
At this stage, we continue to pray for God to reveal the right partners and opportunities to help bring this vision into fuller focus. We are actively engaging with the Child Care Center to better understand their hopes, dreams, and long-term vision for ministry and service. We have also held a preliminary meeting with an architect to begin exploring what future use cases for our campus might realistically support.
As this process continues, we invite the congregation to join us in prayer and discernment. Think about who you know in the community—individuals, organizations, or leaders whom God may place in our path as partners in this work. And pray also for wisdom and courage: not only to recognize what new possibilities God may be opening before us, but also to understand what we may need to release in order to make room for what comes next.
