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Diocese, Cathedral Sign Five-Year Lease to Share Office Space Downtown

Bishop Baskerville-Burrows and Dean Lesesne announce that the diocesan and cathedral will share space on Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis beginning in early 2022.

Bishop Jennifer Baskerville-Burrows and Dean Gray Lesesne announced today that the Diocese of Indianapolis and Christ Church Cathedral have signed a five-year lease to share office space at 54 Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis. The move will take place in early 2022. 

“We’re excited about this opportunity because it provides the chance for my staff to collaborate with the cathedral and the cathedral staff to do all of the great things we do in our diocese … all of the programs, the worship, the opportunities to think about how to be beacons of Christ for the whole diocese, but to do it together, right here on the circle,” Bishop Jennifer said in a video announcing the news. 

“We’re looking forward to having the bishop and her staff join us to be a convener, to be a worker for peace and justice and equity with all sorts of important prayer and service activities right here in the center of Indianapolis,” Lesesne said in the video. 

The diocese’s standing committee and executive council endorsed the move, which will not have a significant effect on the diocesan budget, at a joint meeting on Saturday. 

The Rev. Dr. Paul Jacobson, rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Muncie, member of Executive Council representing the Edge Neighborhood, said he welcomed news of the move. “The proximity to Christ Church Cathedral and its dean and staff, as well as the downtown community, will provide more opportunities for creativity and collaboration as we as a diocese continue to grow into our mission to serve as beacons of Christ,” he said. 

The bishop and other diocesan leaders emphasized that leaving the Indiana Interchurch Center, where the diocese has had offices since 1967, would not mean the end of its ecumenical relationships, but rather provide opportunities to work with new and existing partners across the region. 

“This move demonstrates the priority we have of being the people of God on mission, in the Episcopal way, flexible and adaptable to the changing culture and needs around us,” said the Rev. Holly Rankin Zaher, rector of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Evansville and member of Executive Council representing the Confluence Neighborhood.  “I’m excited to see what new connections and ways we can live out our mission as we shift to a new space for our offices,” 

In their announcement, Bishop Jennifer and Dean Lesesne said that free parking would be available to visitors to the new offices. More details will be available early in 2022 as the schedule for the move from the existing diocesan offices is pending.

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