When New York State Pride reached out to local churches in the early 2000s seeking shelter space for LGBTQ+ youth during the coldest months of the year, Trinity Lutheran Church of Manhattan felt called to act. Membership had declined significantly, and financial resources were limited. What the congregation did have was space – and a good amount of courage.
Pastor Heidi Neumark and Vicar Chris Wogaman led the housing effort, determining that the state would provide bedding and cots while Trinity would offer overnight supervision, dinner, and breakfast. The trial program ran for three weeks and was so successful that two Pride members offered to keep the shelter going full time. With seed funding for a year, the congregation began exploring ways to enhance the program.
“This was a huge leap of faith for them,” says the Rev. Alyssa Kaplan, Trinity’s current pastor. The congregation was often operating at a deficit and had faced serious challenges before calling Pastor Heidi. Trinity took this leap not waiting for stability or an excess of funds — they acted at a time of scarcity.
“They knew that churches had hurt the LGBTQ+ community, that churches were one of the reasons why these youth were on the streets,” says Pastor Alyssa. “They saw that it was incumbent on their church to be part of the healing process.” In June of 2006, the congregation unanimously voted to establish Trinity Place as a permanent shelter program. The shelter has been open every night since.
The church is not large – a modest sanctuary sits atop a basement fellowship hall, two offices, a kitchen, and two small restrooms. Shelter guests arrive in the late afternoon and help transform the fellowship hall, often used for daytime programming, into a shared sleeping area with cots and a central dining table. The guests are young adults ages 18 – 24 and may stay at Trinity Place for up to 18 months.
Having a reliable and safe place to sleep, cook, unwind, and store belongings is critical. It helps residents maintain employment, pursue education, access needed services, and take steps towards permanent housing. The shelter accommodates about 10 guests—the maximum the space allows—creating a sense of community.
Trinity Place was born from a congregation that proclaims, “a wild belief that with God and one another we can make a difference.” For hundreds of LGBTQ+ youth, they have. The church building has become more than a house of worship; it is a place of shelter, healing, safety, and love. The bold step the congregation took 20 years ago has sustained not only its mission in Manhattan but its physical presence – which may, in fact, be one and the same.
Like Trinity, many congregations find themselves with buildings and land that could be used to meet urgent community needs. However, for many navigating the challenges and opportunities that buildings and land represent can be daunting.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) launched the Church Property Resource Hub to help. This online platform equips congregations and synods with tools for faithful property stewardship – how-to guides, stories of creative solutions, eLearning courses and connections to professionals who can assist.
No congregation is alone in this work. Many ELCA congregations find themselves with buildings and land that no longer fit their programming or capacity. How might your congregation embrace the next chapter of ministry in your space?
Explore the Church Property Resource Hub at www.elca.org/cprh or email the team with questions at CPRH@elca.org.
Readers are invited to learn more about the Church Property Resource Hub, a new project of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), at one of three upcoming town halls. These webinars are an introduction to the project for congregations and all people connected to the management of church property. Join to explore support available to congregation leaders as they seek to steward property in faithful and practical ways.
Tuesday, March 17, 1 p.m. Central time (register here)
Thursday, March 19, 4 p.m. Central time (register here)
Tuesday, March 24, 1 p.m. Central time (register here)
