CBCP NEWS: Expand your sightline
“When I lift my head from the day-to-day concerns of parish, family, work, and life, I find faith to be an invitation to expand my sightline.
God is always working on a grander scale than mine.”
Rev. Mike Angell, Forward Day By Day, March 18, 2026
When I read those words in Forward Day by Day, I immediately thought of the Church Buildings for Collaborative Partnerships project. CBCP invites us to expand the sightline of our congregation’s mission. CBCP teaches us how to engage and partner with those outside the congregation to allow God to work on a grander scale, or at least a more impactful one, especially when it comes to church property. The goal is to help congregations thrive by stewarding property in new ways, often in partnership with others.
CBCP training occurred statewide in 2021-2023. A small team from your church participated. You may or may not have been involved. Whether this all sounds new to you, or In case you would like a refresher, the information remains valuable and, thanks to our website, accessible, at www.cbcpindiana.org.
But wait, there’s more! For a limited time – now through the end of this calendar year –CBCP offers individual coaching on fundraising and other financial and property stewardship topics. Just contact me via email (info@cbcpindiana.org) to ask questions, seek direction or talk over ideas or challenges. I can connect you to experts at Partners for Sacred Places and Sacred Places Indiana, and provide suggestions about other resources such as Indiana’s Center for Congregations.
I also strongly encourage you to explore the CBCP website. It’s chock full of resources churches can use anytime to inspire and strengthen their ability to create and sustain community partnerships for ministry and space sharing. Topics are organized into “Tool Kits” populated with how-to information, such as aligning space use with the mission and values of your congregation, and how to create pricing, policies and procedures that protect people and your not-for-profit status, and strategies for fundraising for capital improvements.
My favorite part of the website is the blog section, featuring inspirational stories. Real stories from real churches in Indiana that are sharing space and celebrating new life and capacity for ministry.
For more information or to request assistance contact Linda Buskirk at Info@cbcpindiana.org
By Linda Buskirk, Project Director, Church Buildings for Collaborative Partnerships (CBCP) of the Episcopal Dioceses of Indianapolis and Northern Indiana - May 2026