Franconia Mennonite Conference plans to relocate its offices from Souderton to Harleysville to further follow through on the Conference’s Vision and Financial Plan.
“We are confident,” executive minister Noel Santiago said, “that this move will help us make the most of the properties we own in such a way to continue to release more dollars for ministry not only here locally, but regionally and globally.”
The conference will relocate to office space on Yoder Road in nearby Harleysville, adjacent to the Mennonite Historians of Eastern Pennsylvania. The new office — most recently occupied by T.H. Properties — measures 3,200 square feet in usable space, a reduction of 5,800 square feet from the current location in the Souderton Center. The conference plans to sublet the second floor of the Yoder Road property.
Henry Rosenberger from the Plains congregation has been a key resource person serving alongside the conference property committee during the planned relocation. Rosenberger said it makes sense for the conference to relocate near MHEP and that having the two offices together provides “a wealth of resources,” which depict “the story of our local faith community.”
The move stems from a recommendation from the conference Vision and Financial Plan team to downsize office space. According to the “Real Estate Recommendations” from the plan team, the “office should relocate and downsize its square footage…”
Meanwhile conference-related ministry Care and Share Shoppes, which currently operates from the other end of the Souderton Center, has been growing by “leaps and bounds and is in need of more space,” Santiago said. Care and Share will occupy the vacated space, along with an additional section of retail area no longer needed by Berean Christian Stores (formerly Provident Bookstores).
Ultimately, the Franconia Conference Vision and Financial Plan team recommended the move “to solidify the financial base of the conference and focus the leadership of the conference on the leadership of ministry, rather than the management of property.”
“It’s a very good decision financially,” Rosenberger said, “and the new facility is properly sized for the conference.”
Santiago also believes the move from Souderton to Harleysville lines up with the plan team’s goal. “The spirit of [their] recommendation is retained in our move outside the center,” Santiago said.