EGC has sold our building in the South End, and we are preparing to move to Second Church in Codman Square, Dorchester!
Innovation is in our DNA. Over our 80-year history, our focus has always been the same—to strengthen Christian leaders to serve urban communities. But our methods grow and evolve as we learn from and adapt to the ever-changing realities of Boston.
EGC Staff Photo
Our decision to move stems from our desire to be agile and sustainable, allowing us to concentrate our time and resources into serving leaders and loving the city.
We have sold our building in the South End to IBA (Inquilinos Boricuas en Acción), the local community group that operates Villa Victoria. We are excited that their plan is to build affordable housing on this site. Funds from the sale will both finance our move and seed an endowment that will increase EGC’s financial stability to be more agile in pursuing our mission.
Second Church in Codman Square, Dorchester.
We are excited to partner with Rev. Dr. Victor Price of Second Church in Dorchester. Together we hold a common vision for faith, collaboration, and innovation with partners across the city. We look forward to sharing more details with you in the coming days about how our relocation is the “smart move” for pressing on in that call!
I’d Love to Hear from You
What do you think about EGC’s move? Do you have thoughts on how EGC can better encourage and strengthen Christian leaders in the city? Send me your thoughts at jbass@egc.org.
Part of EGC’s new space at Second Church.
Hungry for more details? Here are some FAQs:
Why are you doing this?
Our Board and staff have been considering a move like this for over 8 years and it is not one we make lightly. In prayerful response to changes around us and within EGC, we are making this significant change to put EGC in a stronger position to advance our mission—to strengthen Christian leaders to serve urban communities. It's a long story, but we felt we needed to make a choice between investing to maintain a large, aging and in some ways challenging facility (in an increasingly gentrified and expensive neighborhood), or streamlining so we can more fully invest in our mission. We love the South End neighborhood, but we feel that selling our buildings and moving into a rented space in a less-gentrified urban neighborhood best positions EGC for ministry today and tomorrow. We want the next 80 years to be even better than the last 80 years!
You’ve sold your buildings?
Yes, we sold our buildings in the South End to Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion (IBA), the local community group that operates Villa Victoria. We are excited that their plan is to build affordable housing on this site. Funds from the sale will both finance our move and seed an EGC endowment that will increase our financial stability to be more agile in pursuing our mission.
What will happen to the South End Neighborhood Church?
The three churches that meet at EGC will need to find new homes. Thankfully, IBA will be taking some time to implement their designs. So the churches can stay in this space through all of 2019 if they want to, which gives them time to make new plans.
What about the house (the Hall Hotel)?
EGC sold the Hall Hotel to Brian and Cathy Corcoran last winter. They are working to fix it up and continue its use as their family home and a center for Christian community. They will be neighbors to the new affordable housing that will be developed by IBA.
Where is EGC moving?
We plan to move to a rented space at Second Church (the historic church building in Codman Square, on the corner of Washington and Talbot). We will have over 3,000 square feet of dedicated space, and use of other spaces in the building for EGC meetings and our convening ministry. Three other churches, a few small ministries, and a solar business also share space in Second Church’s large building, so we are joining a robust and dynamic ministry community.
When are you moving?
We have work to do to configure the space at Second Church for our needs. Timing will depend on construction (and more importantly, on construction permits). At this point, we expect to move sometime later in 2019. IBA is graciously letting us stay in our current space until we are ready to go. We will make an announcement when we know a moving date, but at this point middle to late 2019 is a good guess.
What happens next?
Not many changes immediately. EGC and the churches that meet here will be working on our plans in the coming months. In the meantime, EGC will still be in the South End, doing our work of strengthening Christian leaders across urban Greater Boston from this space. Nothing will seem different until we get much closer to a moving date later in 2019.
What can I do?
Thanks for asking! You can pray for EGC at this significant point in our history. We’ve been in the South End for all of our 80 years, so this is a significant journey for us. Our mission is to strengthen Christian leaders to serve urban communities throughout urban Greater Boston, and we are excited to be transferring our work base to another significant urban neighborhood in Boston.
Also, please let me know what you think about the move, and how EGC can best encourage and strengthen Christian leaders in our city. You can email your thoughts or questions to me at jbass@egc.org. I’d love to hear from you!