In an unexpected development, the First United Methodist Church (FUMC) of Mission Valley has decided to abandon plans to sell the historic Point Loma United Methodist Church property to developers for affordable housing.
The shift comes after a recent meeting between the FUMC task force overseeing the initiative and Bishop Dottie Escobedo-Frank, who represents the California-Pacific Conference (Cal-Pac) of the United Methodist Church. Bishop Escobedo-Frank formally requested that FUMC relinquish control of the Ocean Beach property to Cal-Pac, with the goal of restoring a ministry presence in the community.
On the morning of Saturday, March 1, the FUMC Church Council voted in favor of moving forward with the Bishop’s proposal.
Further details on the transition and future plans for the site are expected soon.
“restoring a ministry presence in the community”. When the value of having a ministry in your neighborhood outweighs the value of selling the property, it makes me wonder they are thinking about the neighborhood. Do they see us as a bunch of heathens who can’t find the lord amongst the handful of other churches in OB? Or do they think their ministers are just better at saving us all? LOL
They are providing necessary ministries out of the building, including food distribution to the community. Different churches meet different needs. This one has been serving many needs of the community while perhaps you weren’t paying attention. I think the community appreciates that having the presence is more important than the money, in a time when most would just take the money.
Perhaps you could be more specific about “ministries out of the building?” And also the “food distribution.” Where and how is that done?
I think the Bishop did not like the idea of the bad publicity s#*$-storm that the Rev Trudy seemed to be actively courting. Super good and very surprising news for the community. They had to admit openly that they had paid nothing for the property, and that they had already sold “the Parsonage,” a residence up the hill on Saratoga, for $1.8 mil. So they were able to cash in which did seem to be their main concern.
I wonder if the Bishop would willing to share some of that 1.8 million for the Ocean Beach site?
After it was basically a gift from the former Point Loma United Methodist Church parishioners who donated over the years to pay for the parsonage.
Ha, ha, thanks for the chuckle, Mike. I think there was a song named That’ll Be the Day.
A guy can dream can’t he? ;)
The Andrews Sisters, 1949.
Too bad that $1.8 million wasn’t used to bring back the “In Between” to help young people.
This is truly excellent news for all of Point Loma! Interesting the property and parsonage cost the United Methodist Church absolutely nothing and they have come out ahead on the sale of some part of it. It is my sincere hope the Ocean Beach Historical Society and other community groups will be able to use the property, as well as another church group. Kudos to the church!
Excellent news! A big win for Ocean Beach, and especially those of you who devoted your time and energy to preserving this building and the community programs based there.
Miracle on Sunset Cliffs Boulevard! Yes, Virginia, there is a God.
It did NOT cost the church “nothing” – from the 70s and for the in-between and the parsonage the parishioners of PLUM paid an addition to tithing for YEARS in order to cover the cost of the parsonage. (Just like additional roof work and other “special projects” for the building. My grandmother (died 2017 at 93) was secretary to the minister there in the 70s before going to seminary and coming back to work at the inbetween, and I grew up with that church and youth group, and my daughter was baptized there. So ,,,, I know my history. At least from a parishioner perspective, the church didn’t get the parsonage “for free”.
When PLUM was put under the umbrella of the FUMC San Diego, the parsonage deed was assigned to them (free and clear). A short time later the leadership of FUMC sold the parsonage. They basically profited off of the years of tithing made by PLUM congregation. If things were fair the FUMC should have to dole some of that profit back into Ocean Beach site for restoration and maintenance.