Is placemaking even possible? Or is place just the given context in which we pursue our mission. In Episode 3 of Season 4, Eric and Sara Joy contend that placemaking is possible and give some ideas of how to go about it as individuals and as congregations.
In this episode, Sara Joy and Eric continue their conversation about place with Chris Elisara at Ormond Center to consider the various ways we impact the places we live, work, play, and worship. Placemaking can sound like an abstract concept, but it is essentially helping our places become places worth caring about. Anyone or any church can engage in placemaking.
Some key questions addressed in this episode are:
1. Is placemaking possible? Place is not just given, we contribute to our places in ways that honor God and in ways that dishonor God every day.
2. Is placemaking Biblical? Part of our calling as humans and as followers of Christ is to bless others through activities like placemaking.
3. Is placemaking ecclesial? Not only is it appropriate for the church to be involved in placemaking. The church has a unique role and perspective on placemaking.
4. Is placemaking scalable? Placemaking can be as simple as putting a dog bowl with water in front of the church or as complex as helping to design a network of sidewalks for the community.
In addition to talking about placemaking itself, we also discover that Chris’s actual job title is ‘Studio Lead for and Senior Fellow for Placemaking’ at Ormond Center. That definitely gives The Embedded Church podcast some street cred.
Access more Show Notes with pictures and resources related to this episode.
More information about this podcast and helpful church and urbanism resources can be found on The Embedded Church website.
Related Resources
Palaces for the People: How Social Infrastructure Can Help Fight Inequality, Polarization, and the Decline of Civic Life by Eric Klinenberg
Redemptive Placemaking Toolkit: Discerning your church's mission in the built environment by Sara Joy Proppe & Edward Dunar (Use discount code EmbeddedChurch at checkout to receive 15% off purchase price.)
Tactical Urbanism by Mike Lydon and Anthony Garcia
Seaside City of Ideas - a documentary film about the making of Seaside, FL and the community design intentions behind this New Urbanist town
Parish Collective - an organization connecting people to be the church in the neighborhood
Placemakers - a group of planners, urban designers, form-based code wranglers, storytellers, advisors and advocates working on making places
Project for Public Spaces - an organization bringing public spaces to life by planning and designing them with the people who use them every day
Proximity Project - a consulting and education firm that helps churches align their mission with their property assets for the flourishing of their neighborhood
Find these Key Terms on The Embedded Church website
- Place
- Placemaking
- Tactical Urbanism
Show Credits
Hosted and Produced by Eric O. Jacobsen and Sara Joy Proppe
Edited by Adam Higgins | Odd Dad Out Voice Productions
Theme Music by Jacob Shaffer
Artwork by Lance Kagey | Rotator Creative