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letters | old south church makes fiscal decision

Sale of psalm book essential for church to fulfill its vision

RE “CHURCH votes to sell historic psalm book” (Page A1, Dec. 3) and “Church torn over future of precious asset” (Page A1, Nov. 30): The Old South Church has a long and storied history of striving for righteousness, justice, and peace. Our vision for the future is to embrace this past and continue to listen to God as we engage in service, mission, and social justice. For our message to be heard and our service to be impactful, it is vital that we remain a centrally located urban church. Our open sanctuary is the most important asset we have.

Having a sustainable future in this building requires difficult choices about how to fund it. As painful as it is to sell meaningful items such as a Bay Psalm Book or Paul Revere silver, it is needed to move our congregation toward fulfilling our collective vision. I am grateful to members of Old South who have ensured that this decision is considered from all perspectives.

However, those who state that this is hasty or unnecessary have not been paying attention. We have been discussing how to put the church on a sustainable funding path for decades. Lay leadership and ministerial staff have discussed potential financial solutions with internal and external experts, and all agree that this is the best course for our church.

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Tom Grant
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The writer is a member of the Old South Church Board of Trustees.