RICHMOND — The Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia has launched a search for new office space in the wake of an impending sale of two buildings on Baptist Theological Seminary at Richmond’s campus, where the organization has been housed since its inception in 1992.
The seminary’s sale of a portion of its campus to a private school in Richmond, announced Jan. 18 as part of a new business model adopted in 2011, includes Virginia Hall, where the CBFVA occupies two offices on the upper level. BTSR has provided the space rent-free, though the CBFVA makes a small annual gift to the school as an expression of appreciation.
The CBFVA will relocate its offices by this summer, said field coordinator Rob Fox.
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Though the sale has been anticipated, the timetable was accelerated to this June when Veritas Classical Christian School, the purchaser, asked to close the deal earlier than planned.
“I am currently exploring space and partnership opportunities with a handful of churches in the Richmond area,” said CBFVA field coordinator Rob Fox. “Our CBFVA advisory council is assisting me with this process. CBFVA is seeking to secure a partner that shares passion for God’s mission. We are also committed to keeping costs for overhead and office space at a minimum, so that we can focus our resources upon God’s mission and ministries locally and globally.”
Based on details of the sale, Fox said his organization likely will need to relocate by this summer.
BTSR president Ron Crawford said the seminary continues to value its relationship with the CBFVA, despite the new developments.
“We have enjoyed wonderful partnerships with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship of Virginia, the Hymn Society of the United States and Canada and others,” he said. “We hope we can continue to share space with these partners. As the sale of property is happening faster than we anticipated, we need some time to sort through our options and talk with our partners about what a shared future together looks like.”
Two top elected CBFVA officials also affirmed their organization’s “vital” partnership with the seminary.
“It’s been to the great benefit of CBFVA to work on the campus of BTSR and in such close proximity to the faculty, students and staff of this wonderful seminary,” said moderator Jennifer Clatterbuck, minister to children and families at West Main Baptist Church in Danville, Va. “So of course it’s with a bit of sadness that we see this arrangement come to an end. However, we’re deeply supportive of any decision that is best for the overall health and longevity of the seminary.
“One of the great things about CBFVA is that we’re a fairly small and flexible organization, so we’re confident that we’ll adapt as we find a new location to house our offices and we look forward to continuing our great partnership with BTSR,” she added.
Dennis Sacrey, immediate past moderator and a member of the group’s coordinating council, said the change “by no means diminishes the strength of our relationship with BTSR.”
“We always have viewed and will continue to view BTSR as a vital mission partner,” said Sacrey, church administrator at Fredericksburg (Va.) Baptist Church. “We are grateful for that continuing relationship and are excited about future possibilities of collaboration.”
About 350 congregations partner with the CBFVA, which has an annual budget of a little more than $154,000.
Robert Dilday (rdilday@religiousherald.org) is managing editor of the Religious Herald.