Revive Community Commons works with congregations, neighbors and communities to transform underutilized historic sacred spaces into vibrant community hubs.
RevivE
By establishing community spaces in historic sacred buildings, we help to preserve, restore and maintain these lovely buildings, and bring new life and meaning to their traditional role as community gathering places.
Community
We believe well-connected communities are a vital part of a healthy society, and beautiful historic spaces make wonderful homes for community life. Accessible places enable new communities to form and existing communities to flourish.
Commons
Common spaces are where community happens. The hubs we help to create are safe, inclusive, intergenerational and multicultural. Here, people can host and attend events, conduct business, receive services, meet with friends and more.
Revive Community Commons is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to creating community hubs in partnership with historic places of worship. Revive was founded in Portland, Oregon in 2015 by Lauren Moomaw, then the Program Director of Taborspace at Mt Tabor Presbyterian Church, to expand this successful program model to other historic churches and their neighborhoods.
Our mission is to preserve historic sacred spaces, support neighborhood resiliency, and create spaces that are safe and supportive of multicultural, interfaith, and diverse populations.
In pursuit of this mission, we:
- partner with religious organizations who agree to provide all-inclusive, multi-denominational space;
- facilitate communication between congregations, building stewards, neighbors and other parties so that each space makes sense for its place, needs are addressed and diverse ideas are heard;
- preserve and rehabilitate buildings that are at risk of loss due to gentrification, redevelopment, or lack of funding;
- institute programming that transforms stagnant space into revenue-generating space;
- breathe life back into what were once active community gathering places.
The community hubs we help to establish are permanent neighborhood places for people to congregate, host and attend events, conduct business, receive social and health services, engage with music and art, enjoy recreational activities, socialize with old and new friends, share knowledge and resources, and more.