Spiritual Life Center Loses Midtown Sacramento Lease, Seeks New Sanctuary

By:

Jennifer Garza - The Sacramento Bee

Leaders of the Spiritual Life Center, one of the largest congregations in midtown Sacramento, said Tuesday that they need a miracle – a sanctuary where their 500 worshippers can meet every Sunday.

The church, a midtown fixture for 12 years and a leader in interfaith unity, was recently notified that its lease would not be renewed when it ends Dec. 31. Now, at the beginning of its busiest time of the year, church officials are scouring the area looking for a new home – preferably at another church.

"We need the space; maybe there is a church that needs help financially," said the Rev. Michael Moran, senior minister of worship for the Spiritual Life Center. "We would love to work out something right away."

With donations down and costs going up, more congregations are sharing sacred spaces. Church administrators face rising costs and have buildings that are used only once or twice a week. So they rent everything from the chapel to meeting rooms and fellowship halls in an effort to raise funds.

"Church sharing is good financially and good for the Earth because you don't waste as much," said the Rev. Christine Bouten, senior minister of operations at Spiritual Life Center. Each side has something the other side needs, she said.

The Rev. Sam Rodriguez's congregation, New Season Christian Worship Center in Elk Grove, shares space with Calvary Christian Center.

"The only downside is two successful ministries sometimes overlap," he said.

Robin Smith of Restoration Life Church in downtown Sacramento said her church has shared space with another congregation, the House Church, since January. Smith said the experience has been positive.

"They help cover utilities costs and we have made some really great friendships," Smith said.

The only concerns – since resolved, she said – have been in transition: "Making sure one service is over in time for the other one."

Sharing sacred spaces may bring other challenges.

"It's not like renting an apartment or a room in a house," Bouten said. "There are special concerns."

Sometimes, theological concerns.

The Spiritual Life Center is interfaith and features elements from other faith groups as wells as guest speakers, said Moran.

"We will have Sikhs, Buddhist nuns, rabbis, Muslims – we cover the spectrum," Moran said. "Whoever we share space with has to be OK with that."

Members of the Cathedral of the Blessed Sacrament know all about sharing sacred space. For two years, churchgoers shared space at Westminster Presbyterian Church while the cathedral was being renovated.

"It requires patience and respect from both sides," said the Rev. James Murphy, vicar general for the Catholic Diocese of Sacramento. He said the only adjustment needed was changing the altar a bit.

"They were wonderful, but we were happy when we returned to our own space."

The Spiritual Life Center congregation has met at the Pioneer Congregational Church at 27th and L streets in Sacramento every Sunday for 12 years.

When members learned their lease would not be renewed, "we were stunned," said Moran. The church paid $4,000 a month to rent the Pioneer sanctuary, fellowship hall and classrooms for Sunday school. It used the rooms for a few hours Sunday mornings and Tuesday nights for music practice.

Leaders at Pioneer Congregational Church said the Spiritual Life Center was an excellent tenant but that Pioneer needs to find a full-time renter for spaces Spiritual Life Center uses.

"It was a business decision, pure and simple," said Dean Wakefield, past president of the downtown church.

Pioneer, one of the oldest churches in Sacramento, rents out its space to four congregations, said Wakefield.

The other three are smaller groups and need only small spaces.

"The income from rentals has sustained a congregation that has been dwindling," said Wakefield.

"We are a small congregation of about 70 … . Renting the space has kept us going."

Renting space to four different congregations means that the church is busy on Sundays, said Wakefield, "but we will do what we have to do."

Moran said he hopes to find a church in the midtown or downtown area, but is open to other options.

"We are a regional church, but our members are used to midtown," he said. They will also consider other buildings, such as a school.

The minister has faith a new home will be found soon.

"I know where we'll be at Christmas," he said. "But I have no idea where we'll be at Easter."