[MassHistPres] Religious Properties Workshop

[Dekle, Ross (SEC)]

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:
Wendy Nicholas at WHALE                                                   Anne Louro, City of New Bedford
508-997-1776<tel:508-997-1776>                                                                          508-979-1637<tel:508-979-1637>
Cell:  617-872-0696<tel:617-872-0696>

PRESERVING NEW BEDFORD AREA'S HISTORIC AND OLDER RELIGIOUS PROPERTIES TOPIC OF DAYLONG "HOW-TO" WORKSHOP
Experts will lead training sessions in restoration, fundraising, energy efficiency


On Saturday, April 13th, the City of New Bedford, Inter-Church Council of Greater New Bedford, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, and WHALE (Waterfront Historic Area LeaguE) are sponsoring a daylong program, Preserving Religious Properties: A Practical Workshop for Caretakers of Older and Historic Churches and Synagogues.  The workshop will feature training on fundraising for repair and restoration of religious buildings and on conducting building assessments, prioritizing repairs, and making buildings more energy efficient.  The Historic Preservation Education Foundation, the New Bedford Preservation Society, and Partners for Sacred Places are co-sponsors of the workshop. Reservation deadline is Friday, April 5th.

Keynoting the day will be Robert Jaeger, Co-founder and President of Partners for Sacred Places.  Partners is the national, non-sectarian nonprofit dedicated to the sound stewardship and active community use of America's older religious properties.  Their work over 25 years has been extraordinarily inspiring and compelling in its advocacy of the broad value that churches and synagogues bring to their communities.  Jaeger's keynote address, The Halo Effect of Sacred Places:  Preserving Architecture and Community Value, will offer inspirational and practical proven ideas for congregations and parishes.

Presenters on the nuts and bolts of preserving historic religious buildings are:

*         Architect Martha Werenfels, AIA LEED AP, principal in the Providence-based architecture firm, Durkee, Brown, Vivieros & Werenfels,

*         Contractor Rob Cagnetta who heads Heritage Restoration, Inc. and SuperGreen Solutions, and

*         Tom Nutt-Powell, co-founder of Mass Interfaith Power & Light and an expert on building energy efficiency.

The afternoon's session, Finding Funds for Building Repair and Restoration, will feature three presenters:

*         Gianfranco Grande, Vice President for Philanthropy and Business Development at Partners for Sacred Places,

*         The Reverend David Hammett, Pastor of New Bedford's Pilgrim United Church of Christ; and

*         Ross Dekle, Preservation Planner with the Massachusetts Historical Commission.

The workshop will be Saturday, April 13th, 8:30 - 3:00 at Grace Episcopal Church, 133 School Street at the corner of County Street in New Bedford.  The cost is $10, which includes lunch, a handbook of invaluable resource information, and a tour of Grace Church.  To register and see the complete agenda, contact WHALE at 508-997-1776<tel:508-997-1776> or visit WHALE's website<http://www.waterfrontleague.org/wp-content/uploads/religious-properties.pdf>.  People may register online at www.waterfrontleague.org/donations/<http://www.waterfrontleague.org/donations/> .  Deadline for registration is Friday, April 5th.


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