Thank you to all who completed the survey. Approximately 37% of our pledging households shared their thoughts about our use of space at Emmanuel. The committee continues to seek your input. Please feel free to reach out to any of the committee members.
The first question was a big one: “What is God calling us to do with our space and property?” A few people answered honestly that they did not know what God wants. Most attempted a guess as to what God wants. The responses mentioned using our space to
· enhance community/connection with each other
· outreach to others
· fulfill spiritual needs
· invite others to use, which will help grow the church
· share our space with others to increase rental income
· demonstrate good stewardship of our physical resources
The committee sees these responses calling us to imagine ways to align our space use with our mission that focuses on both the Emmanuel community and the broader community outside Emmanuel.
A clear message from the survey is that there is general support for maintaining our current practice of renting space to non-Emmanuel groups with 80% of respondents encouraging us to seek new and “outside the box” solutions for space use.
An important part of the survey is how we see Emmanuel in the future. Half of the respondents see a positive future for Emmanuel while the other half are uncertain or see a negative future. The primary concern is that our size will continue to decrease. But we are hopeful! Respondents envision an Emmanuel that is more vibrant and socially interactive with more people, more activities, a stronger focus on youth, and a broadened community influence.
The responses for each question are summarized in the document here.
What happens next?
First, existing tenants. Leases with Emmanuel Day School and Patti’s Play Center have been renewed for one year. We are working with EDS and Patti’s, as well as Youth Theater Northwest, to understand their current needs and future plans as we prepare for the next round of lease negotiations.
Second, now that the committee has a better understanding of the views of the parish, we will begin examining options for the future. Several ideas were suggested at our forum in May with others mentioned in the survey. We will be back to ask for your help and feedback in deciding what options are feasible for Emmanuel.
Thank you for your support and help!
Emmanuel Space Use Committee
Sandy Maloof, Alan Reed, Lee Stiles, Debbie Wiegand, and Rev. Elizabeth Riley