UPDATE on Partners:
Texas Office
THE TEXAS OFFICE OF Partners for Sacred Places continues
to grow and expand its reach throughout the state. In
addition to the work of the Texas Sacred Places Project (see
article on page 11), the office continues to provide technical
assistance and training to congregations ranging from North
Central Texas to the Gulf Coast.
Galveston Update
Galveston continues to be a place of resiliency. On the
night of August 30, 2009, a twister came through the island
damaging several homes and businesses. Despite the
work remaining to be done on the one-year anniversary of
Hurricane Ike, Galveston residents continue to rebuild and
remain hopeful. Partners staff was honored to attend the
rededication of Reedy Chapel African Methodist Episcopal,
the oldest AME Church in Texas. Reedy is a significant
institution on the island and has for a number of years
provided many services to the Galveston community. We
were fortunate to witness the rebuilding of this historical
gem.
The New Dollars/New Partners training program has started
for the ten congregations impacted by the hurricane that
received an initial grant from Partners. Luther Snow
conducted a workshop on asset mapping that helped
congregations identify internal and external resources to
support their efforts. Additional modules will be offered in
January and March of 2010. We are currently seeking funding
to provide additional training sessions for congregations
throughout Galveston County.
The Texas Office is grateful to the Galveston Recovery Fund
and Galveston Historical Foundation for their support as
well as the architects who have provided assessments and
offered their services to the congregations in this area. We
Chris Tarantola photographs the First Baptist Church in
O’Donnell, TX, for the Texas Sacred Places Project (see story on
page 11). Photo by Stephen Montalvo
Texas Advisory Board Members
James R. Nader, AIA, Chair
Robert G. Adams, AIA
Susan Alanis
Kenneth Barr
Richard H. Bundy, AIA
Daniel G. Carey
Louise B. Carvey
Judith S. Cohen
Gerald Davis
Robert I. Fernandez
Glenn S. Forbes
Donald Gatzke, AIA
Krista Gebbia
Marty Leonard
Robert F. Pence, PE
Elaine Petrus
Barry Silverberg
The Rev. Brenda W. Weir
Dr. Gaynor Yancey
Ex Officio
Fernando Costa
William J. Thornton, Jr.
are also thankful for the assistance of Church Restoration
Group, which provided two disaster preparedness workshops
in San Leon (near Galveston) and in Houston last June.
Training Opportunities
Toni Turner of the Texas Historical Commission provided
a workshop for congregations in the Dallas-Fort Worth
metroplex at Texas Christian University in August. “Modern
Manna” provided comprehensive information regarding
fundraising opportunities specifically for congregations.
Another workshop will be held in East Texas in February
2010. Partners and the Texas Historical Commission will
offer these workshops jointly throughout the state in
February and March of 2010.
The office has recently held workshops on “Social Media for
Congregations,” “Real Estate Development,” and “Marketing
101 for Congregations.” Upcoming offerings include “Fit
for Service,” a workshop that instructs congregations on
designing efficient operations in order to save money, which
can then be used to fund building expenses or outreach.
Outreach and Publicity
The Texas Office collaborated with the Volunteer Center of
North Texas on “Make A Difference Day,” (www.usaweekend.
com/diffday) in October, a nationwide celebration of
neighbors helping neighbors. Partners, Jack and Jill (an
African-American organization of mothers who nurture
future leaders) and other sponsors, which included Citigroup
and local radio station KHVN, worked with volunteers from
across the area and the Keystone Community Outreach
Church to host a community fair.
The Texas Office has been featured in the Fort Worth Business
Press, and we provided a commentary piece about our work in
Galveston, which aired on local National Public Radio affiliate
KERA during All Things Considered and Morning Edition.
Texas Office Director Froswa Booker-Drew was a panelist
in a webinar hosted by the Administration of Children
and Families during its Tri-Regional Human Services and
Disasters Virtual Leadership Forum, a collaborative effort
between three regional federal offices that cover twelve
states.
Sacred Places • Fall 2009 • 10