PACNY Theme For 2013 – Sacred Places
Drive through just about any neighborhood or community and what do we see – churches and places of worship. In many instances they are dominant elements by their scale and size. They tell an important story of the evolution of our communities. In so many ways, our Sacred Places are the heart of neighborhoods – places where so many important events take place.
During the coming year, PACNY will showcase and celebrate our Sacred Places with a services of events, lectures and tours. Our year began with our Annual Meeting held at St. Patrick’s Catholic Church on Tipperary Hill.
In celebration of Black History Month, PACNY will host a special evening at the Barnes Mansion on Saturday, February 23 that will include dinner and discussion regarding the efforts to save AME Zion Church on East Fayette Street. The evening will also include a special presentation by Robert Djed Snead, who will become the Reverend Jermain Wesley Loguen, known as the pastor of the Underground Railroad.
In March, we will be having a special tour of the Basilica of the Sacred Heart. In May, our Annual Awards Program will be held at Temple Concord.
In addition to these and other events, PACNY will hold a major symposium in September to address the challenges and opportunities with the reuse of former Sacred Places. We all know the heartbreak that comes when a church or related building is closed. While we cannot control those decisions, we do believe we can play a role in saving these important buildings and helping shape productive reuses. PACNY desires to take a leadership role in finding meaningful solutions.
