Our Values
Partners for Sacred Places is the only national, nonsectarian, nonprofit organization dedicated to the sound stewardship and active community use of America’s older religious properties.
Working at the intersection of heritage, faith, and community, our values are based on two key realities in American life: first, older sacred places are vibrant and productive centers of community service that benefit the public at large. Second, they are at risk because of congregations’ struggles to support both their mission-related work and their building maintenance.
We believe:
- Older and historic houses of worship embody the histories of communities, of congregations, of families, and of individuals. They also represent decades (or even centuries) of investment and sacrifice.
- Older and historic houses of worship, by their very presence, add architectural diversity and interest to their communities.
- Congregations housed in older and historic properties are uniquely positioned to serve their communities — in part, due to having a diversity of space types and sizes.
- Well cared for properties are best positioned to serve the underserved with dignity and to share space with other organizations sustainably.
- Older and historic houses of worship, because they benefit all, are shared assets that should be supported by congregations in partnership with community rather than by congregations alone.
