April 1 of this year I wrote a parody about selling the Holy Donut. Evidently, you should be careful what you imagine...
ABCUSA: ABCUSA To Consider Sale Of Property In Valley Forge, PA
From "Jayne, Andy" <Ajayne@ABC-USA.org>Date Fri, 29 Sep 2006 11:35:15 -0400
VALLEY FORGE, PA (ABNS 9/29/06)-The General Board Executive Committee (GBEC) unanimously voted at its September 9 meeting to recommend to the General Board that ABCUSA begin the process offering the Mission Center property for sale, acting upon the recommendation of the Building Management Council to sell the Mission Center property. This recommendation sets the stage for action by the General Board at its November meeting and accommodates any action that might require Board approval in the process. The General Executive Council which met from September 25 - 27 also endorsed the recommendation.
But the decision involves more than selling a building. The beautiful Mission Center in Valley Forge, PA, represents for many American Baptists an enduring symbol of God's work among the 1.5 million members. For many this building is iconic. The decision, therefore, was not entered into lightly. ABC enlisted the services of Cope Lindner Architects to perform a site development study and the GBEC thoroughly reviewed the use and development possibilities of the site. This internationally-recognized firm examined three options. Based upon analysis, however, of economic implications, timelines and needed expertise, among other things, the recommendation was not to pursue these.
The divestiture of this circular-shaped office building is responsible stewardship. "We believe that God is calling all denominations to a new direction," said General Secretary Roy Medley, "and we must remain open to what God is doing. We must also better position ourselves for ministry in the 21st century." In addition, the total office space occupied by ABC entities is less than 50 percent. The remainder is occupied by outside tenants and this fact exposes us to the risk of vacant space. "We want to be good stewards of our resources and to "right-size" to fit our current space requirements," Medley added. "We should not be in the real estate business. We need to remain focused on our primary work of proclaiming the Gospel of Christ as radical disciples." ABC's President Arlee Griffin,Jr. also expressed the thought that "in selling the building we are being responsible stewards and doing the right thing."
All buildings need extensive maintenance as they age, and this 42-year old Mission Center seems to have arrived at this point with its need for capital work, and costly maintenance is no exception. Over the years the Building Management Council and the Budget Review Committee of the General Board regularly reviewed the use of the building and has worked diligently to reconfigure the utilization of space for greater efficiency. "ABC needs to use its largest asset in a different way to enable its ministries," said Cheryl Wade, ABC's treasurer. "Just as the church is not a building," she continued, "so the Mission Center is not ABCUSA." The decision to sell the building at this time, therefore, is timely and this is a favorable real estate market. "It makes good business sense," said Lloyd Hamblin, ABC's Budget Review Officer.
The sale of the building will create an endowment fund for ABCUSA. Any negotiations will include an ABC option to stay in the building for a 3 -5 year period of time to determine where the core functions will be housed. It seems that ABCUSA has a very good opportunity to position itself for its mission and ministry well into the future, just as many other denominations are also reshaping themselves to be responsive to God's leading. ABCUSA is seeking to seize the moment to refocus on its true centers of mission, the local church.
Andrew C. Jayne American Baptist Churches, USA Mission Resource Development http://www.abc-usa.org/
8 comments:
Cynic! Don't you know it is being done for reasons of responsible stewardship, right-sizing, and being flexible enough to follow where the Lord may be leading us in the 21st Century?
"The beautiful Mission Center in Valley Forge, PA, represents for many American Baptists an enduring symbol of God's work among the 1.5 million members. For many this building is iconic. The decision, therefore, was not entered into lightly. ABC enlisted the services of Cope Lindner Architects to perform a site development study and the GBEC thoroughly reviewed the use and development possibilities of the site. This internationally-recognized firm examined three options. Based upon analysis, however, of economic implications, timelines and needed expertise, among other things, the recommendation was not to pursue these."
"The divestiture of this circular-shaped office building is responsible stewardship. 'We believe that God is calling all denominations to a new direction,' said General Secretary Roy Medley, 'and we must remain open to what God is doing. We must also better position ourselves for ministry in the 21st century.'"
No wonder they call conservatives bigoted, narrow minded, theologically constipated, belligerant, pharisaical, fundamentalist, mean-spirited, opposed to any social progress, resistant to change, back-stabbing, eat-their-young, cruel, insensitive, right-wing nut, ninnyhammers.
The "beautiful Mission Center in Valley Forge" represents an iconic and "enduring symbol of God's work among 1.5 million American Baptists."
The worse we do, the better off we are, don't you know? After all, this is only the penultimate sign of our success. The ultimate sign would, of course, be if we collapsed into a singularity.
I don'understand why you continue to attack ABC? You're leaving correct? You decided not to be a part of the ABC so let us work out ouw own issues. You lost your right to complain when you voted to leave.
Roy,
Glenn, me, or both? I tend to agree with you that once the PSW truly becomes TM, my relationship to the organization will change. My own blogs have become fewer, partially on account of this. So, expect me to be more of a fly on the wall after Nov. 1.
As to the question "why?" . . . After more than 50 years in the denomination, probably the same reason why a divorced spouse often finds himself/herself preoccupied for a time with the "ex."
BTW, Roy, in the "it ain't over til it's over" category . . . I keep hoping (like the little boy sitting at the window waiting for his dad to show up after the divorce) that this is all a bad dream.
All of this talk about a "shared table" that will only admit regions willing to agree to a certain core of values and practices as a denomination within the denomination is interesting. Before last week's GEC meeting Dr. Chetti was claiming 21 EMs were on board for the idea. Reciprocity of ordination recognition, cooperation, etc. would be contingent on being a member in good standing of the "shared table," a group which by definition does not include a number of the congregations and regions at the center of the ABC debate. IFF that should come to pass, who knows?
Besides, when I put on my day-job hat, we are still affiliated with the ABC and my board does not intend to change that affiliation. So, to some extent anyhow, you are stuck with me.
Roy, here's the deal:
I am an American Baptist. That's my ordination, my history and still my home.
I ache for renewal in the ABC. I believe that the only way that can happen now is for the ABC to entirely implode.
Yes, my focus is more and more away from the ABC. But I will always hold out hope.
Sorry for lack of clarity. I was aiming my comment more at Glenn. Your position, Dennis, is a bit more ambiguous as you will continue to have a foot in ABC whether you like it or not.
First off, none of these kinds of comments feel hopeful to me. There are no positive contributions, only kicking the "ex." One of the visions that I heard for this separation was to part "blessing one another." This doesn't feel like a blessing.
It seems to me that PSW has become TM in every way that is important. Nobody in Covina is looking to Valley Forge in any way and all constructive energy is looking forward to November and beyond. I've only heard rumors about the "shared table" but I can't imagine that PSW would change direction and come back to the ABC regardless of what happens there. This die is cast. There is too much intertia.
Glenn, once PSW officially becomes TM and formally cuts ties with ABC, assuming your church is withdrawing from ABC, you will not be an ABC pastor. It may be your history but you have chosen that it not be your future. I don't know what happens with the professional registry but that feels irrelevant to me. And I can't imagine that you'll leave your name in the profile system.
As for hope for ABC... I too dispair at the shape of the denomination. It is moving away from what I learned it was back in the mid 70's at Eastern Baptist Seminary (which is where and when I joined ABC). I think it is moving in exactly the wrong way to position itself for the future. I think the Baptist tradition as understood in the more progressive wing (and as I learned it at EBTS then) fits very well in a post-modern world and would be positioned to share a message about Jesus that resonates with the culture as I see it moving. We had the foundation to speak and do real mission in a diverse world. We are discarding that position. Sadly, I think ABC already is imploding because it is turning its back on its defining strengths and worrying more about survival than mission, keeping things together than following the Lord of the Future.
VF can't tell me who I am. I'm the one standing in the line of Judson et al, not them.
They say there was an American GI during WWII who had the misfortune to be named Adolph Hitler. When asked why he didn't change his name, he replied, "Let that $*#$ change his!"
Now, I'm not saying VF = Hitler, but the principle stands. I'm the real deal. VF are the imposters.
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