“Repositioning, Not Retreating”: A Shrinking Denomination Sells Its 32,000-Square-Foot Michigan Office

• The Reformed Church in America is selling its Michigan Regional Center in Grand Rapids
• The 32,000-square-foot building was dedicated in May 1993
• Membership fell from about 105,000 in 2022 to 79,000 in 2024
• Church plants rose from 81 to 99 over the same period

A Protestant denomination is selling its regional headquarters because it no longer needs the space, The Christian Post reported in May 2026.

The Reformed Church in America (RCA) will sell its Michigan Regional Center in Grand Rapids, a 32,000-square-foot building dedicated in May 1993. The denomination said the facility far exceeded its staffing footprint, with high costs and unused space.

The decision follows a sharp fall in membership, from about 105,000 in 2022 to 79,000 in 2024, as the number of member churches dropped from 659 to 579. At the same time, church plants increased from 81 to 99, and their membership rose from 1,853 to 2,446.

Joshua Scheid, moderator of the General Synod Council, framed the sale positively. “This is a hope-filled moment for the RCA. We are not retreating; we are repositioning for a new generation of ministry,” he said. “A right-sized facility will help our staff maintain a right-sized focus for collaborative partnership with our churches as Christ continues to build his church.” He added: “We did not take the proposal lightly.”

Denominational offices built for larger organisations are becoming surplus across many churches as membership falls and staff work remotely. Selling them can release funds for new congregations and ministry.

Jamaican denominations should periodically review whether their headquarters, conference centres and offices match their current needs. Where space is underused, leasing part of a building, sharing with another ministry or moving to smaller premises can cut costs. Clear communication with members, as the RCA attempted, helps a sale be seen as stewardship rather than decline.

Follow Jamaica Homes on Youtube @jamaicahomes and Instagram @jamaica_homes and on Facebook @jamaicahomesnews Send us a message or email us at onlinefeedback@jamaica-homes.com or editor@jamaica-homes.com