Building Beloved Community Committee Update
August 31, 2023
The August 2023 meeting of our Building Beloved Community Committee (BBCC) made some significant strides toward the goal of building affordable housing on part of the SSUMC campus.
We spent some time ascertaining the skill sets and interests of committee members and what aspect of the development process is best served by those talents. The committee also discussed and decided upon how we would function as a group and come to decisions.
Most significantly, the BBCC voted to approve a covenant agreement with the Baltimore Washington Conference Affordable Housing Committee (BWAHC) as our development consultant. Led by Rev. Sam Marullo, the BWAHC has already begun to make a significant impact on UMC congregations in the conference. Our committee is impressed by the BWAHC’s affordable housing experience, detailed planning guidance, knowledge of the UMC book of discipline and its importance in the development process, and their commitment to our mission at SSUMC. We feel they will be faithful and effective partners as we move forward.
From our next meeting in September, we hope to be able to provide the congregation with a more concrete vision of the project’s mission. Soon thereafter, we will begin meeting with potential development partners. And – beyond monthly updates, we are looking for opportunities to provide more frequent, ongoing reports on the BBCC’s progress. That is likely to include in-person check-ins during worship, web links and the weekly E-news update.