Buildings: How I Think About This Major Resource – Transcript

Jim Latimer: Welcome to Coaching for Interims. We are about empowerment for ministers: Best practices and quick help from interims for interims – wisdom from the field. My name is Reverend Jim Latimer, and today I have the pleasure of speaking with Reverend Philomena Hare. Philomena, what would you like to speak to us about in this segment?

Philomena Hare: You know Jim, I’d like to talk about buildings. It’s one of our greatest resources. I think of buildings this way: it’s not just a physical structure, it’s an asset, a resource that we’ve been gifted with. And like all of our other gifts, it’s not only for our use, for our edification, but it’s really to further the Kingdom of God.

The thing about buildings is that, and I include myself, we think of it for its utilitarian value. It’s my office. It’s the sanctuary. It might be the thrift shop or the Sunday school. But if we think about why do we have those buildings? What are their purposes? What are they used for? And how can we continue to use that for mission, for outreach, for engaging our community?

That’s the beauty of it. So when as an interim Minister I come into a new congregation, I like to soak in the building, and I like to listen to the congregation’s thoughts and stories about the buildings. Because again, it’s not just the place, it’s where somebody’s baby – firstborn – was baptized. It’s where somebody’s mom was buried. It’s where you had your wedding. So there are all those stories walking around in that building. So I get it why congregations tend to be so in love with their buildings. But we want to be careful that it doesn’t slide into idolatry, because the building in and of itself is just a building. But when we layer the Spirit’s work that happens in the building and flows out of the building into the community, now we’re on to something.

Jim Latimer: Wow! The building really is, as you said, these are my words but I heard you say, it’s a setting for the sacred events that happened in ministry. So what if one of our interim colleagues is listening to you, and they’re saying, “Gosh Philomena, I get it how we have buildings to further the Kingdom of God; I get it that you don’t have to have building to be a church and all you need is a Bible at least two people…

What advice or guidance, would you have for me with how I lead my congregation with its building? What one or two things would you say?

Philomena Hare: Well, the first thing that pops up in my heart is that we want to pay attention to what place the building has in the total life of the congregation. What I mean by that is, I want to look at the budget and let those numbers tell me a story. I would be concerned if 50% or more of a congregation’s budget is to support the physical plant. And not only that, but that we somehow view that as okay, or normal. That would concern me as the pastor. Because every dollar we sink into that building we have less for mission. Now I’m not suggesting that we don’t take care of our buildings. Again, I always loop back to this resource our ancestors left us, that the divine creator gifted to us. So we want to be good stewards of everything that we have.

So that would be my first thing – look at where your money is going and how much of it you are spending to maintain the building. The other thing I would want to look at is the building usage. Is it mainly for the “members,” or is there a balance of things flowing out of that building into the community? Do community people view it as “their building” as well? Or do they feel like strangers when they enter the building?

So those are some ways that I would want my congregation to think about the statements we make with our buildings.

Jim Latimer: Let the numbers speak; look at the budget; if more than half the budget is being spent on the building… So what would you say, as we move into the last part of this segment, if you’re serving a church as the interim, and you look at their numbers, and wow, more than 50% of the budget is going toward the building. Or they’re really idolizing their building. What would you say to the people to help them?

Philomena Hare: What you say is connected to when you say it. So certainly, I would be cognizant and observant and have it in my mind, but, I may not talk about it for maybe the first six months, depending on the situation or the context, but because we would always be – from day one – talking about your mission, your vision, your values, that’s what would bring me into talking about the building. So I don’t want it to be an isolated conversation, because I don’t want people thinking only in terms of dollars and cents. I want those dollars connected to mission.

And so, as we begin to talk about mission – “Oh, by the way, now you say you want to do this? Is it possible? Because look at what we’re spending to maintain the building.” And that might lead to all sorts of other conversations: “Oh, the more you talk about mission…maybe we can’t…it’s not sustainable for us to own this building by ourselves…” “Oh, maybe now we can connect with a community group!” or something else. So start with the mission and work your way down.

Jim Latimer: Yes. It seems many churches aren’t so clear about their mission or their purpose. So you’re talking about helping them get more clear about what that is first – more clear about why they exist as a church community – and then see the building and the real estate as a resource in service of that mission.

Great, Philomena! I’m sure listeners will appreciate what your shared with us today. I certainly did.

Philomena Hare: You’re welcome. My pleasure.

More Bits Of Wisdom from Rev. Philomena Hare
< < < Back to Rev. Philomena Hare’s Biography