Buechel Presbyterian
Church took a bold step in 2006 when it voted to sell its building
and donate the proceeds to mission. The Louisville congregation
had lost members and no longer had the income it needed to improve
or even support the church building. So the members agreed to
sell it and hold weekly services at Westminster Terrace, an
independent living home across the street.
The church building sold in the spring of 2007, and the Buechel
session donated the proceeds to the Mission Initiative: Joining
Hearts and Hands (MIJHH), a PC(USA) campaign to raise $40 million
for funding for new mission worker positions and support for
church growth in the United States, especially among racial
ethnic and immigrant congregations.
The Presbytery of Mid-Kentucky works with MIJHH to raise $1
million to support a fourfold vision for a new church development
south of Louisville, a youth and young adult evangelist to work
in the four communities of the African American congregations,
a Latino/Hispanic pastor to develop ministries throughout the
presbytery, and missionary support overseas.
Though Buechel had a small congregation, it was known throughout
the presbytery for its commitment to mission. The congregation
has always had an active outreach to the Hispanic community,
and the members continue their outreach at their current location
as they hold bilingual worship and translate the sermon into
Spanish as it is preached. In keeping with their commitment
to Hispanic ministry, Buechel voted to designate 10 percent
of the total proceeds of the sale of the building to the Hispanic/Latino
portion of the presbytery’s fourfold vision. In July 2007,
the clerk of session of Buechel presented a check to the presbytery
for $41,301.
According to MIJHH’s Emily Enders Odom, the Rev. Betty
L. Meadows, general presbyter of Mid-Kentucky, said about the
gift, “This was truly a God thing. Because Hispanic ministry
is their heart and soul, the session of Buechel covenanted to
make this amazing gift. It is simply awesome!”
Mid-Kentucky serves 10,892 members in 54 churches. |
