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Beloved in Christ,
 
This week, I can share more details about the potential change in property discernment that has become possible due to the P Patch gardeners partnering with GROW-Northwest (https://www.grownorthwest.org/). There are still many unknowns but it is looking more likely that there could be a way forward that involves selling the existing P Patch to GROW and also selling another portion of the current church lot to Habitat for Humanity. Since this is different from what the MOU with Habitat currently says, it will require more of a process within our congregation and the conference to answer a couple of questions and then seek approval for the new plan, if one emerges.
 
The first question, if the GROW deal becomes a real possibility is whether to proceed with selling the remainder of the south half of the church lot to Habitat or whether to revisit the possibility of selling the west half of the lot to Habitat, in addition to selling the P Patch to GROW. The primary reasons that the Leadership Board selected the sale of the south half last spring, and then that decision was approved in our All Church Conference on Palm Sunday, were that the sale price was higher because the existing parsonage would not need to be replaced, and the parking for the church was closer to the doors of the church. These factors may not be as relevant with the options that GROW has presented. Therefore, the Faithland Team will be sharing more details and asking for your input.
 
The first opportunity to hear more will be at the After 8-to-5 group on Thursday August 13 at 11:00 am. All are welcome at that session by Zoom or in person. Ideally, the same information will be shared in other small groups throughout the church. If you host a small group and would like to invite the Faithland team to make the same presentation for you, please let me know. In addition, on two Sundays, August 30 and September 20, time after worship is being reserved for congregational conversation. The Leadership Board will listen to all the input shared in these sessions and make a recommendation about what proposal(s) should move forward.
 
If there is any change from the plans to sell the south half to Habitat and cease to have a P Patch, a new congregational approval process will occur. If that is the case, on October 11, the new proposals will be presented to the congregation after worship. At that time, a straw poll would be conducted to see if we are ready for a congregational vote to approve the signing of purchase and sale agreement(s). Then if we are ready, at our regular annual All Church Conference, which will probably be held near the end of October this year, possibly on October 25th after worship, our congregation will have the opportunity to vote on the agreement(s). If the Leadership Board recommends that we not change the plans with Habitat and we cease negotiations with GROW, then no new congregational vote is necessary and we move forward with that sale as originally planned.
May Spirit guide us in this season of new information and new perspectives,
 
Pastor Laura