Ep 133 - Because Sometimes the Most Sacred Thing You Can Do Is Let Go with Sarah Jones

Dawn and Ruth welcome Pastor Sarah Jones, program director of the ELCA's Church Property Resource Hub, launched March 2025. Sarah's doing some of the most important and emotionally complex work in the church right now: helping congregations navigate the grief of underused or ill-fitting buildings and find new life on the other side.Here's what makes Sarah's work so compelling: She's not just talking about real estate decisions. She's talking about the messy cocoon stage of transformation. The grief, the loss, the uncertainty that comes when a congregation has to reimagine what their building is actually for. That's not a spreadsheet problem. That's a pastoral one.Sarah shares beautiful success stories: a neurodivergent school sharing space with a congregation, a church house repurposed for family visitation. She emphasizes moving away from membership growth as the main metric and toward community impact, because a building that serves the neighborhood might matter more than one that serves only Sunday morning regulars.Her practical advice? Clarify your mission first. Then invite local stakeholders to tour your space. Build partnerships before you desperately need them.This episode is for anyone navigating institutional change, letting go of what was, and wondering what comes next.LINKS:The Church Property Resource Hub: https://www.elca.org/how-we-serve/churches-and-church-leaders/property-resourcesCheck out Discern by Doing for Business with Dawn Trautman! https://bigpicturebigpurpose.lpages.co/discern-by-doing-for-business/Clergy Appreciation Month is October! Order a ConseCrate for your favorite minister here: consecrate.cratejoy.com00:42 Finding Common Ground02:34 Church Connections03:17 Episode Setup00:02 Meet Pastor Sarah05:14 Hub Origin Story07:01 What The Hub Does08:33 Grief Before Change09:47 Community Asset Mindset11:49 Faith Language Tools12:35 When Churches Reach Out14:09 Beyond Growth Metrics16:36 Bible Study Resource17:08 Church With Too Much Space17:54 Mission First Then Invite Community20:59 Who To Bring In22:01 Vincennes Family Visitation House24:08 Daytona School Partnership26:46 Future Church As Community Hub28:20 Field Trips And Examples29:05 Marketing The Good Futures Game31:14 Lead With Grief And Hope34:08 You Are Not Alone