SHADES VALLEY PRESBYTERIAN TO SELL ITS PROPERTY TO PEARSON?
On yesterday, I reported that the Rev. Andrew Pearson, the ex-dean of the Episcopal Cathedral Church of the Advent, in Birmingham AL, had announced the creation of a new church which he has named "Grace Church Birmingham." The church's website, and Facebook pages, did not provide a physical address of the new church.
It is interesting to note that the Shades Valley Presbyterian Church is now seriously considering selling their property. Find their newsletter article about it here .
Apparently, the congregation, and budget, of SVPC have declined too much to maintain the church and its property. The pledge total for 2021 was just $255,605, hardly enough to keep up even a small church. The newsletter said the congregation would probably stay in the present property until the end of 2022 and then would most likely merge with another PCUSA church nearby.
Anyone who knows anything about this area would know how prominent and valuable the SVPC property at 2305 Montevallo Road is. It is near the intersection of U.S. 280 (a main artery of Birmingham) and Montevallo Road, a stone's throw from the English Village, in Mountain Brook, the "uppest" upscale retail district in the Bham area, and probably in all of Alabama. Mountain Brook is the per capita wealthiest municipality in AL. SVPC is also very near the Birmingham Zoo and the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. The land alone of SVPC must be worth millions. Then there is the handsome and impressive church structure. I have no idea what the asking price for this place would be but one can be certain of an eye-popping amount. Zillow lists the 2020 assessed value of the property at $3,869,700.
If Pearson is thinking about buying this property, he has a year and a half to come up with a financial arrangement. Of course, he would have a handy advisor in Mrs. Pearson (Lauren) who is a Certified Financial Planner and head of Somerset Advisory, in Bham. Still, it is hard to imagine how a new start-up congregation could come up with even a down payment on such a pricey place.
One other interesting fact to point out is that St. Peter's Anglican Church, the most successful of the ACNA congregations in the Bham area, is just down the road from SVPC, at 3207 Montevallo Road, in the old Mormon property. This means there would be two ACNA churches within about a mile.
So, if Pearson does have an eye on the SVPC property, it is wise of him to start building a congregation now. It seems to me it will take a church of several hundred people to occupy and keep up this property.
Pearson has invited his "Friends" at the Advent to join him, and Lauren, as they move to build a new congregation of his own particular design. Since the adoption of the Covenant at the Advent, "Grace Church Birmingham" will be quite distinct from the Advent. Certainly, there will be people at the Advent who will join him. How many remains to be seen.
Right now we know two things: Pearson has set up a new church without a physical address and the Shades Valley Presbyterian congregation is tentatively planning to sell their property.
Meanwhile, we will keep our eye on the happenings at Shades Valley Presbyterian. We shall see if Pearson's new church will find a home there.
In the end, the sale of the property is the choice of the people of the Shades Valley Presbyterian Church. Given the long and fervent devotion of these people to the Social Gospel, one can only wonder whether they would surrender their property to a denomination devoted to discrimination against gays and women.
