UPDATE on Partners:
Texas Office
Texas Sacred Places Project
The Texas Sacred Places Project (TSSP) is creating a
comprehensive online database that will ultimately list
all historic sacred places in the state of Texas. With the
support of Prairie View A&M, Texas Tech University, the
University of Texas at Austin, and Texas A&M University
School of Architecture, this initiative has grown from
a concept to a reality. In addition, other groups and
individuals such as the Texas Association of Museums,
the Texas Historical Commission, Preservation Texas, the
Texas Society of Architects and leading architects from
around the state have come together in support of this
effort.
TSSP participants met at Texas Tech University recently to
review a demonstration project which surveyed churches
in a 16-county area of west Texas. Students drove as far
as 800 miles to photograph and learn the history of more
than 400 congregations, laying the foundation for data
collection statewide.
First Presbyterian Church in Galveston, recipient of a grant for a
comprehensive building assessment in the aftermath of Hurricane Ike
Galveston Update
The work of Partners for Sacred Places in Galveston continues
to grow and expand. The Church Restoration Group has been
retained to provide assessments for hurricane-damaged
buildings, and architects have been matched with 12
congregations awarded grants for comprehensive building
assessments. Partners is also excited to announce the addition
of two consultants to work in Galveston as we assist in the
rebuilding effort:
Catheryn Longino, the Congregational Support Consultant,
will provide direct support to congregations through
coaching and training. She has over ten years of non-profit
management experience, recently received her Masters in
Divinity from the Houston Graduate School of Theology,
and also has a Masters in Social Work from the University of
Houston.
Esmeralda Valague serves as the External Support Consultant
and will assist in building relationships with community
stakeholders, media, and potential funders. She comes to
Partners with nine years of experience in the non-profit and
educational sector.
7 • Sacred Places • www.sacredplaces.org • Summer 2009
Amachi Project:
A Collaboration Between Big Brothers Big Sisters of
North Texas and Partners for Sacred Places
Amachi is a unique partnership of secular and faith-based
organizations working together to provide mentoring
to children of incarcerated parents. Faith institutions
work with human-services providers and public agencies
(particularly justice institutions) to identify children of
prisoners and match them with caring adults. (“Amachi” is
a Nigerian Ibo word that means “Who knows but what God
has brought us through this child.”) Currently there are
250 Amachi programs in 48 states, partnering with more
than 6,000 congregations, serving over 100,000 children.
Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas has partnered with
the Amachi program and has created a statewide office to
introduce this program to congregations in Texas. With
the commitment and support of Charles Pierson, CEO
of Big Brothers Big Sisters of North Texas, Partners will
sponsor a workshop for congregations to introduce them
to this program. The workshop will be hosted by Diamond
Hill Baptist Church, a member of the 2006 cohort of New
Dollars/New Partners.
Texas Advisory Board Members
James R. Nader, AIA,
Chair
Robert G. Adams, AIA
Susan Alanis
Kenneth Barr
Richard H. Bundy, AIA
Daniel G. Carey
Louise B. Carvey
Judith S. Cohen
Gerald Davis
Robert I. Fernandez
Glenn S. Forbes
Donald Gatzke, AIA
Krista Gebbia
Marty Leonard
Robert F. Pence, PE
Elaine Petrus
Barry Silverberg
The Rev. Brenda W. Weir
Dr. Gaynor Yancey
Ex Officio
Fernando Costa
William J. Thornton, Jr.