As we are living into our vision of being a vibrant family, there are several on-going conversations within our church. One of those conversations is about the South Street property, Trinity Christian Academy (TCA), and the Foundry Orlando.
South Street Property. We know the original agreement with the Florida Conference regarding the South Street property stated that the property reverts back to the Conference should we choose to not use the facilities. The South Street facility is aging and in need of serious renovations. Earlier, a feasibility study found that to maintain the building, there are over $400,000 worth of repairs necessary. With this in mind, our Trustees recommended, and Leadership Council approved, that we leave the South Street property due to the amount of resources required to maintain it.
Trinity Christian Academy. Earlier this year, we announced the relocation of the TCA preschool ministry to the facility that formerly housed Reeves UMC. Even though that church is now closed, TCA is still transferring to this location for the start of the fall school year. This property transfer allows for more classrooms and an overall increase in facilities – all for less cost than the school was paying at the South Street location. With the location change, there is an increase in registration for the fall school year and many age groups are waitlisted for enrollment already! For more information on TCA, click here.
Foundry Orlando. We know that our former South Street ministry is continuing under the new name of the Foundry Orlando. This new approach to serving youth in the Orlando area aligns with our church’s vision of being Christ-like servants. Next week, we are presenting a proposal to the Florida Conference about the location, future resources, and long-term sustainability of the Foundry ministry. For more information on the direction for the Foundry Orlando, click here.
Continuing the Conversation. We are currently exploring ways to strengthen TCA by broadening ministry opportunities at the Reeves location. Now that Reeves UMC is closed, Pastor Patti Thue is assisting us in the smooth transition of TCA to the Reeves facility. She is currently working on behalf of the East Central District of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church. Our church vision, that launched in January 2018, offers our ministries a refreshed direction for growth and service.