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Creative Church Campus Uses

Thanks to Rev. Anna Golladay at Convergence for sharing this list of helpful and hopeful Great Ideas in her Convergence Weekly post.

Rev. Golladay is a consultant for Convergence who regularly helps congregations reimagine what their buildings might be able to offer to the community’; she usually emphasizes ‘economic opportunities for the neighbors who live in their area’.

With the new administration ‘creating conditions for distress across the country’, writes, Golladay, ‘it is time for congregations to think even more creatively about how their space is used and what opportunities they might have to agitate the system’.

She offers more details for many of these, but her list includes:

  • Banned Book Libraries (see here for a previous Great Idea along these lines)
  • Shelter – short-term, overnight with hygiene supplies
  • Lending – short-term, no-interest loans
  • Food Security – grocery and co-op gift cards
  • Chickens – yes, chickens
  • Natural and Prescriptive Medical Storage
  • Plan B Assist
  • Emergency Child Care
  • National Parks
  • Water
  • Host a Law or Finance Clinic

Read Rev. Golladay’s full post here.

I added:

  • Bee Hives/ Bee Keeping
    • Pollinators like bees are already in decline.
    • Crucial habitat is a primary factor.
    • Many congregations across Minnesota are turning land into pollinator plots.
    • Next step: invite in an apiary specialist (a recently-fired DNR person, maybe) or a local beekeeper  or provide community opportunities for online training in beekeeping.
    • Outcome: Healthier planet and bee population, local honey (which is extremely helpful for combating allergies, along with all its other benefits), potential income for the congregation or workforce, additional honey- or beeswax-based products like lotions, candles, etc.

ALSO

  • Thistles, which are considered weeds eve in pollinator plots (where they can be prolific) are another source of revenue and health products. See here.
    • Farmers and/or prairie land stewards will be happy to have people come cut thistles. Thistle Farms shows us how to turn those challenging weeds into beautiful, care-giving lotions, etc.

ALSO

  • Language and Cultural Exchange Events
    • Invite new neighbors to learn English.
      • English as a Learned Language courses can be supported by retired or soon-to-be-laid-off teachers who can jump right in with their experience and skills.
      • Online training is available to prepare teachers.
      • Online tools exist to support learning.
    • Create space for new neighbors to meet together to speak their language of origin.
    • Invite new neighbors to teach their language and culture of origin, if they are comfortable doing so.
      • – to their own children and grandchildren
      • -to English speakers
    • Flip-the-Tables events: invite the wider community for meals, cultural exchanges (dancing, music, art, etc.), and storytelling with interpreters in all languages.
    • Outcomes: Help neighbors feel welcome.
      • Support acclimation while avoiding indoctrination.
      • Support workforce and social confidence.
    • See here, here, and here for previous Great Ideas along these lines.