Portland Avenue Presbyterian Church’s redevelopment in the Louisville neighborhood of Portland is about “more than building a church.” Rev. Willa Fae Williams shared this as we talked in a trailer across from the former site of Portland Avenue PC. On January 16, 2009 the 116 year old church burned in a fire. Only the church bell tower remains from the original structure.
Rev. Williams has been using a donated trailer as her office. Outside a banner reads “Be Not Afraid,” quoting Isaiah 43: 1-3. The banner was given to the church by Crescent Hill Presbyterian Church as a message of hope.
The church’s redevelopment is full of hope: for the congregation, for the neighborhood, and for the God’s earth. After originally planning to rebuild the church on the same site, the church decided to purchase a former Kroger grocery store next door, renovate it according to green practices, and lease space to Portland Avenue Community Trust and other community agencies. In addition to space for the church, the building will house a clothes closet, food pantry, senior activities, and counseling services.
The project has sparked exciting partnerships within the community. Portland Avenue PC has long had a partnership with nearby Portland Elementary School, and this will now grow to involve students in the Environmental Studies Magnet Program in environmental education. The architect working on the church’s new building has agreed to educate fourth and fifth graders about the green development on the worksite. The church is planning a community garden and students will serve as garden supervisors.
Portland Avenue PC is working toward LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification. LEED is a green building certification system from the US Green Building Council. The system sets standards for environmentally sustainable building construction, operation and maintenance.
Currently, the old Kroger store is being gutted. Outside sit four dumpsters: three for recycling wood, metal, and insulation, and a fourth for items that must be junked. The renovation will include many recycled materials, a new roof will include skylights and solar tube lights so the building can use mainly solar lighting, and many other green features will be included. The building will include a recycling room where people can drop off recycling from home.
As Rev. Williams showed me plans for the church’s new campus, she told me that members of the community are “blown away” that the church’s land will now include green space. There have not been trees or grass in that area of Portland for over one hundred years. In addition to the community garden there will be a prayer garden, an open green space, and a children’s playground.
The last line of Portland Avenue PC’s vision statement reads, “To celebrate the goodness of our Creator God, to cherish and to delight in God's creation, and to work for peace with justice among all people.” The church’s inspiring redevelopment responds to these calls. Learn more about Portland Avenue Presbyterian Church at the church’s website.
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