Late in 2023, the Church of the Advent (a past Sacred Spaces "Counting the Cost" client) purchased the historic Third Baptist Church in the Shaw neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Built in 1893 as one of a handful of surviving buildings designed by Calvin Brent, Washington's first black architect, and listed on the National Register, Third Baptist was the oldest black church in the nation's capital.

Third Baptist discerned a need to move closer to its congregants in Maryland, and the congregation chose Advent as the buyer to steward and extend the legacy of this historic space. Last month, WORLD magazine reporter Josh Schumacher brought the story to a national audience. Click here to read the full article.

Providing key resources for the city’s congregations

Since 2008, Washington, DC has lost more than one-third of its sacred spaces. Financial realities, changing urban populations and declining church rolls have led congregations to consider the possibility of selling their buildings.

In a city where houses of worship are vanishing, Sacred Spaces Conservancy works with congregations to find collaborative solutions to preserve these vital spaces of neighborhood life for generations to come.

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