Journey toward a Home
Date: December 30, 2023
It is winter solstice as I write this. The days will now be getting longer and the nights shorter. There seems to be a growing brightness in the sky and I’m very optimistic that there will be brighter days for LUF. This past year we began a journey with Trinity Centres Foundation (TCF); a journey to rejuvenate LUF in Thunder Bay. TCF’s specialty is reinventing traditional church buildings into community hubs and although we don’t have a building, TCF is working towards community partnerships and a location for those partnerships and community service to happen.
Back in the spring, the Board struck a working group to liaise with TCF. Some of the Working Group were able to take in TCF’s Property Strategy Course over the summer months. Several things that I took away from that course:
We are not the only religious community in the country trying to reinvent themselves
We, as a religious community, have a lot less red tape to go through than others
This is not a quick or easy journey to take. That being said, it is a journey worth taking.
In the fall, the working group held a congregational information session that presented information about TCF’s process, what steps are involved and the costs.
LUF entered into contract with TCF in October. Dave Harder and Kendra Fry are the two associates that we are working directly with from TCF. The working group has had several meetings with them. In early December, Dave and Kendra came to Thunder Bay for several days to meet with potential partners and community leaders, check out Thunder Bay geographically, and meet with a commercial broker who will work with LUF and TCF; his name is Kris McGowen. LUF hosted Dave and Kendra to a Souper Soup Evening after which they met with and engaged members and friends in a mini workshop. The Board received a lot of positive feedback from those who attended. TCF’s report on this workshop will be made available in the new year.
The Working Group continues to meet and work with Dave and Kendra and we are looking forward to our January meeting to discuss the results of their meetings and findings while in Thunder Bay. We will continue to keep you informed. We ask all members and friends to take an active part in this journey. Keep your ears open to possible partnership organizations and keep your eyes peeled for potential properties that could be our new community home.
The Working Group consists of: Margaret Wanlin, Fred Maycock, Pyteke Blaauw, Brenda Diebel, Angela Bach and Sandra McIver. Please contact any member with information or questions.
Sandra McIver luf.president@gmail.com (807) 627-3513
