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New owner plans worship services and a ‘Center for Social and Environmental Justice’ at historic St. Paul Episcopal Church
Summary
During citizen comments at the Sept. 23 council meeting, speakers said the former St. Paul Episcopal Church has changed hands, invited the mayor and council to an Oct. 5 service, and outlined plans for an assembly hall-based Center for Social and Environmental Justice.
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — At the Sept. 23 regular session of the Newport News City Council, two speakers in the public-comment period described recent activity at the property identified as the former St. Paul Episcopal Church and outlined plans for worship services and a community-focused center.
Roberto Bridal said he has completed purchase of the old St. Paul Episcopal Church and invited Mayor Philip Jones and the council to the congregation’s first service on Oct. 5. He told the council that volunteers and contractors had been working to prepare the property for worship and community activities.
Alan Tanner, who spoke after Bridal, described the property’s historic significance and said he has begun establishing an assembly-hall program he described as the National Center for Social and Environmental Justice. Tanner said he approached a local community member, Matthew Stauberg, about naming the assembly hall after Stauberg’s parents (Isabel and Robert Stauberg); Stauberg preferred the space be used for a Center for Social Justice and for programming addressing homelessness and related community needs. Tanner said the center will bring charities, faith organizations and universities together to study and address local social and environmental justice issues.
Why it matters: The comments signal local nonprofit and faith-based redevelopment activity at a historic church property and outline plans for community programming that the speakers said are intended to address homelessness and broader social-justice issues. The council did not take formal action on the comments during the meeting.
What the meeting record shows
- Roberto Bridal (public commenter) stated he is the owner of the former St. Paul Episcopal Church and invited the mayor and council to the church’s first service on Oct. 5; he said contractors and members were preparing the property for worship.
- Alan Tanner (public commenter) described plans to establish the National Center for Social and Environmental Justice in the church’s assembly hall and discussed naming considerations involving Matthew Stauberg. Tanner described the center’s mission as bringing charities, faith groups and universities together to address homelessness and other social and environmental justice concerns.
- The council did not make any formal decisions or take action related to the property during the meeting; the remarks were recorded under citizen comments.
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