Topic: Church Property: A Burden or a Blessing

Church buildings can be both a gift and a challenge, especially for small congregations discerning their future. Join Rev. Joy Fenton-Jones for a time of learning and discussion, as she shares real-world case studies of congregations wrestling with the complex, long-term questions about their buildings. These are not big-budget development projects with quick fixes, but honest, hands-on stories of faith communities doing the hard, hopeful work of imagining what comes next for their sacred spaces. Participants will leave with insights, inspiration, and practical considerations for navigating the “wicked problem” of church buildings in the next generation.

Facilitator: Rev. Joy Fenton-Jones

Rev. Joy Fenton-Jones is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ and serves as pastor of two small congregations in Cuyahoga Falls. Joy is deeply engaged in community-rooted development, particularly through the adaptive reuse of older buildings as spaces for education, creativity, and belonging. She is the founding director of 915 N Main, a nonprofit focused on redevelopment in Akron’s North Hill neighborhood. That initiative, housed in a former church building, brings together immigrant- and refugee-led organizations, artists, and service providers to create an inclusive hub for cultural exchange, advocacy, and community support. Joy also serves as a behind-the-scenes advisor and consultant to several congregations and nonprofit organizations across Greater Cleveland and Akron, helping them navigate the intersection of mission, real estate, and sustainable redevelopment. In Cuyahoga Falls, both of the congregations she pastors are exploring creative building reuse as part of a broader effort to reimagine what it means to be a church that serves and belongs to the neighborhood. Joy is deeply committed to ecumenism, with many of the most interesting projects in NE Ohio happening at denominational intersections. She lives in Northeast Ohio with her spouse, Will, and two delightful kids, and finds joy in hanging out with her boys, family travel, and all the simple, day-to-day stuff that makes life interesting.