SAVE THE DATE: CONGREGATION MEETING JUNE 30, 2024 at 10:00 AM
This March marked the end of our transitional year of campus ministry partnership with the Wesley Foundation at the University of Cincinnati.
Since then, interest has emerged from multiple parties regarding the property Good Shepherd owns at 3007 Clifton Avenue.
On May 24th, Gaslight Properties made an all-cash, no-contingency offer to purchase the property for $550,000.
On May 30th, our church Council unanimously passed a motion to accept the offer from Gaslight Properties contingent upon the approval of congregational voting members.
Additionally, the Council unanimously passed a motion that a minimum of 25% of the net proceeds from the sale be allocated for future campus ministry support.
Please save the date for Sunday, June 30th, at 10:00 am for a congregation meeting to vote on the sale of the property. 20% of our active, confirmed members are needed for a quorum, and an affirmative majority vote is necessary for the sale to be approved.
While the sale of the Clifton property marks the end of an era in campus ministry, the decision reflects prayerful consideration for our congregation's steps over the past year. To review:
Last summer, our church council unanimously passed two motions concerning campus ministry:
Motion 1: Over the course of the 2023-24 academic year, GSLC will offer limited campus ministry activities at the Edge House facility pending a collaborative agreement with the Wesley Foundation to be clearly defined and reaffirmed by the Council at the August 1st Council meeting.
GSLC will cease operating the Edge House Lutheran Campus Ministry at the University of Cincinnati, effective on or before 4/30/24.
Motion 2: GSLC establishes a long-range campus ministry task force to work with the Southern Ohio Synod of the ELCA to explore the feasibility of establishing a new independent Lutheran Campus Ministry at the University of Cincinnati.
Concerning Motion 1: Our transitional year of partnership with the Wesley Foundation ended on March 24th, 2024. We thank God for the Wesley Foundation's willingness to serve students and partners over the last academic year and are grateful for the care and compassion with which they have served students.
As the spring semester at UC has now concluded, so has Good Shepherd's official operation of a campus ministry as an extension of our congregation in Kenwood.
Concerning Motion 2: The Campus Ministry Task Force of the Cincinnati Conference of the Southern Ohio Synod, under the guidance of Assistant to Bishop Tim Mentzner, began meeting late last summer/early fall. Mark Dawes, Diane French, and Pastor Alex Hoops served as Good Shepherd's representatives on the task force alongside other representatives from area churches, current UC students, alumni, and stakeholders.
This group was charged with exploring the possibility of launching a new, independent, and broadly supported Lutheran Campus Ministry at The University of Cincinnati in the future.
Unfortunately, after six months, the Task Force did not make significant progress toward its goal, and in March, it indefinitely suspended its long-term planning process. In follow-up conversations, Pastor Tim Mentzer and Good Shepherd's Task Force members have confirmed there is no plan to restart the Task Force.
A Potential Opportunity Emerges: While grieved that the Task Force was unable to build the necessary alignment for launching a new campus ministry, the hope for continued Lutheran Campus Ministry at The University of Cincinnati remains strong.
Upon learning from our Bishop's office that the Task Force had suspended its efforts, I began to hold a series of collaborative conversations with Task Force member Pastor Grant Eckert of Jacob's Porch, the Lutheran Campus Ministry at Ohio State University. Those conversations have sparked Jacob's Porch's intent to expand its ministry and call a pastor to serve at the University of Cincinnati.
Through prayer, discernment, and imagination for the future, Jacob's Porch is willing to provide oversight, training, and some funding to launch a new campus ministry at UC. They are seeking to hire a full-time ELCA pastor to live in Cincinnati and serve the students of UC.
The plan Jacob's Porch is developing does not make use of the property we own in Clifton as the building itself needs extensive repair and maintenance, and because the Wesley Foundation, a nearby UMC ministry with a building, has offered to be a part of this partnership and allow full use of the building to this end. The Wesley Foundation at UC and Pastor Becky Schofield Motter (UMC) have been vital partners and represent the best of collaborative ministry in our modern world.
The plan to launch a full-time ELCA pastor to UC as an expansion of Jacob's Porch will require seed funding from multiple sources.
The plan for sustainability is rooted in the broad network of judicatories, individual donors, and congregations that already support Jacob's Porch throughout Ohio. The Southern Ohio Synod of the ELCA, the Episcopal Diocese, and others have expressed strong interest in funding this expansion.
Additionally, proceeds from the sale of our Clifton property, which is currently vacant, could provide seed money to begin this collaborative partnership with the anchor of a full-time Jacob's Porch pastor on site along with the Wesley Foundation staff and property.
While the church council is excited about the potential of partnering with Jacob's Porch in their efforts to expand to UC, no definitive funding decisions have been made to date. More information will be shared as it becomes available over the next few weeks.
Next Steps:
Please save the date for Sunday, June 30th, at 10:00 am for a congregation meeting to vote on the sale of the property.
Continue to hold the developing plan of Jacob's Porch to expand to the University of Cincinnati in your prayers and their collaborative work with the Wesley Foundation. We are truly better and stronger together!