BETHESDA SUSTAINABLE FUTURE TASK FORCE UPDATE

Bethesda hired Partners for Sacred Places in September of 2022 to conduct a feasibility study. The impetus for this was that, in the fall of 2021, we received an assessment report through a State of CT grant regarding our building envelope with many items related to maintenance and repair to our facility whose total cost estimate is over $2 million. If we are going to continue in our building, we will need to make decisions that outline our ability to stay.

The purpose of the Feasibility Study was to provide insight into the overall perception of Bethesda -what it’s known for, what neighbors value about it and how to leverage our location for maximum community impact. Partners conducted 45 interviews. We asked that extra emphasis be placed on helping to determine ways to find partnerships and opportunities for Bethesda to keep our ministry alive in this building.

A 7-page written summary of the report was received on May 13, 2023 and is linked here. In a zoom call with PSP on May 16, we informed them that we felt we had received very little of value from this original feasibility study so far. Much of it was “identifying underlying issues” we already knew without much additional information or guidance from Partners. It is obvious that Bethesda needs a mission-focused vision and a sustainable plan for the buildings and space if we are to stay here.

Partners suggested that Strategic Visioning for Transitions is where we need to focus. They would work with Bethesda to create a roadmap to this visioning plan including the right order to proceed, timelines, milestones and actionable items. They have agreed to provide a slightly truncated Enhanced Strategic Visioning Process for Transitioning in lieu of spending the time and resources to flesh out the feasibility study report any further.

Bethesda has received that proposal and it is being reviewed and discussed by Council and the Task Force before any decision is made whether to proceed with this proposal.

Peace,
Bethesda Sustainable Future Task Force