From a Rental to a Community Resource
From a Rental to a Community Resource
When our long-term tenant moved out of the Fellowship Hall in 2014, we did not plan to turn the building into a community resource. We extensively upgraded the building hoping to attract a new rent-paying tenant. But the market for commercial/office space was soft, and the building sat empty. We found that we could live without the rental income.
In 2017 we leased the building to the non-profit Gorge MakerSpace, a “Maker” community in our area. The makerspace movement, a worldwide community of inventors, crafters and tinkerers, believes that learning is best done through doing. At Gorge MakerSpace, young people learn the fundamental principles of science, technology and math through their own creations—and have fun doing so. Later that year the White Salmon Valley Education Foundation also moved into an office in the building. The tenants cover utilities, but they do not pay rent.
Widening Our Reach. In the fall of 2016 after reading Real Good Church by Molly Phinney Baskette, the board set a goal of increasing our giving to the denomination and community from 6% to 10% of the budget. Until that time about 5% of budget was designated for Our Church’s Wider Mission, while special fundraisers provided most of the funds for peace and justice work. In 2017 and 2018 we budgeted and gave $6,000 to community and statewide (WA and OR) organizations whose mission we support as well as $6,000 for OCWM. Some of our recent recipients include:
Widening Our Reach Even More. In 2018 the congregation approved selling the developable lot that we had retained when we sold the parsonage, investing the funds, and using the income to expand community outreach. This investment will generate about $7,350 annually in additional funds for community outreach. The hope is to move beyond helping sustain organizations to catalyzing new projects of emerging and current organizations.
Additional Community Outreach:
When our long-term tenant moved out of the Fellowship Hall in 2014, we did not plan to turn the building into a community resource. We extensively upgraded the building hoping to attract a new rent-paying tenant. But the market for commercial/office space was soft, and the building sat empty. We found that we could live without the rental income.
In 2017 we leased the building to the non-profit Gorge MakerSpace, a “Maker” community in our area. The makerspace movement, a worldwide community of inventors, crafters and tinkerers, believes that learning is best done through doing. At Gorge MakerSpace, young people learn the fundamental principles of science, technology and math through their own creations—and have fun doing so. Later that year the White Salmon Valley Education Foundation also moved into an office in the building. The tenants cover utilities, but they do not pay rent.
Widening Our Reach. In the fall of 2016 after reading Real Good Church by Molly Phinney Baskette, the board set a goal of increasing our giving to the denomination and community from 6% to 10% of the budget. Until that time about 5% of budget was designated for Our Church’s Wider Mission, while special fundraisers provided most of the funds for peace and justice work. In 2017 and 2018 we budgeted and gave $6,000 to community and statewide (WA and OR) organizations whose mission we support as well as $6,000 for OCWM. Some of our recent recipients include:
- In-Lieu Site: Bethel members donated supplies and funds for people living at this Native American housing site near The Dalles that lacks electricity.
- Immigration Counseling Services: As part of our Immigrant Welcoming ministry, our church has donated funds to provide affordable legal services to Gorge immigrants, and supported GEM’s NORCOR Phone Credit donation program.
Widening Our Reach Even More. In 2018 the congregation approved selling the developable lot that we had retained when we sold the parsonage, investing the funds, and using the income to expand community outreach. This investment will generate about $7,350 annually in additional funds for community outreach. The hope is to move beyond helping sustain organizations to catalyzing new projects of emerging and current organizations.
Additional Community Outreach:
- White Salmon Community Clean-up: Bethel partnered with the Rotary Club in 2018 to bring a shredder truck out from Portland, the first time it has been available.
- Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (EMO) & Washington Faith Action (FAN) Network: Bethel participates in these two statewide organizations that bring together diverse communities of faith to learn, serve and advocate for justice, peace and the integrity of creation.
- Western Regional Youth Event: In July 2018 , we sent three Bethel teens and two chaperones to WRYE, a life-changing experience for them.