We guide churches, schools, and any nonprofit in stewarding their properties
While your mission remains a steady foundation, how you live it out may shift—growing, adapting, and evolving.
We're here to walk with you, helping you discern your property assets.
Our Work Began Close to Home
Founded in 1908, St. Austin Catholic Church is a block from the University of Texas at Austin and steps from the State Capitol. For over 115 years, generations of families built our parish through prayerful generosity and devoted service.
It was our turn to discern how to invest in a campus designed for today’s ministry and tomorrow’s opportunities—renewing our parish for the next century.
Three realities made our action urgent and full of promise:
Aging Facilities: While the renovated Church will serve for decades, our school, rectory, and ministry buildings were outdated, costly to maintain, and no longer met our needs.
Financial Capacity: Traditional fundraising alone would take decades to replace key infrastructure.
Neighborhood Growth: As a destination parish, the Austin growth continued to create new opportunities to welcome students, families, and visitors.
It was time to act with faith, vision, and creativity.
Preserving Our Legacy, Advancing Our Mission
The St. Austin community recognized a transformational opportunity that, if done boldly, would define aspirations not yet even considered for the next century. We discerned how to meet our ministry needs, align with nearby missions, and support university students facing a housing crisis.
Without selling any property, a 99-year ground lease transformed our former school and gym site into a 900 bed student housing tower, with 200 beds reserved as affordable housing. Lease income funded 88% of the 125,000 sq. ft. of new ministry, school, and rectory—cementing St. Austin’s presence in Central Austin.
Before
During
After
What was once a quiet corner is now a vibrant community hub.
St. Austin is a place where the community wants to be
—not just on Sundays, but throughout the week.
Who We Serve
Each journey is unique.
We’re working with the following churches and organizations as they discern bold solutions for their sites.
University Presbyterian Church
Austin
-
With a rich history stretching back to 1889, University Presbyterian Church strives to provide an inclusive space for folks from all walks of life to serve Christ.
They offer a warm and lighthearted space for University of Texas students and neighbors from all around to worship together in the heart of the city.
-
UPC had been internally discussing their properties at various times over the last 7 years.
In Jan 2024, Emmaus Projects was brought in to help establish a clear and structured process for advancing the property discernment. Our role was to move the group from ongoing conversations to concrete steps, ensuring that ideas and intentions were translated into actionable outcomes.
-
UPC is in the process of engaging an architect to begin developing design concepts for the southern portion of the church property.
At the same time, we are preparing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for private sector proposals on the northern portion of the property that will be released in Fall 2025.
Visit the project website for more information.
Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish
Madison
-
Serving the Madison, Wisconsin Downtown and Beltline Catholic Community, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish proudly offers opportunities for English and Spanish speakers alike to connect with their faith.
-
The Diocese of Madison has been on a journey called “Into the Deep”.
Beginning in July 2023, the 102 parishes of the diocese began working together in 30 “pastorates'“ or groupings of parishes, each under the leadership of a team of priests (with a few exceptions).
Our Lady of Guadalupe is the result of five locations coming together to form their joint Church community.
-
On June 8, 2025, OLG completed the first phase of discernment and identified the primary location for the parish school, office, rectory, faith formation, and Sunday Masses.
The next steps will focus on addressing immediate needs at these primary locations while beginning to evaluate long-term options for the other sites.
Visit the project website for more information.
Catholic Diocese of Dallas
Dallas
-
The Catholic Diocese of Dallas unites dozens of parishes with a mission to build a more just and loving society and to bring the hope and healing of Christ to all people.
-
The Diocese of Dallas is discerning the possibility of establishing a regional elementary school in the Northern Deanery to meet the growing demand for Catholic education.
One strategy under consideration is how surrounding Parishes might faithfully steward their underutilized property as a potential funding source for the new school. Each Parish will prayerfully evaluate the findings of its own study and determine independently whether to take further steps in this exploration.
-
In February 2025, a request for proposals was issued to the development market for six site locations.
Responses were received in May 2025 and are now undergoing careful evaluation and due diligence before any further decisions are made.
Visit the project website for more information.
St. Louis Catholic Church & School
Austin
-
For over 70 years, St. Louis King of France Catholic Church and School has been devoted to worthy worship, faithful catechesis, and generous service to those in need.
A pillar of the North Austin Catholic community, their mission is to unite God’s people in the sacraments, steward His generosity, and nurture both the mind and spirit of their students.
-
As the surrounding Central Austin neighborhood experiences significant growth, St. Louis is prayerfully discerning how its remaining land might be used to build upon the legacy entrusted by past generations—and to prepare the next generation for the work to which God will call them.
-
A Land Discernment Core Team has been formed, and initial concepts have been shared with Parish leadership.
In Fall 2025, these conversations will expand to include various parish committees, with broader parish and school-wide discernment beginning in early 2026.
First United Methodist Church
Austin
-
Founded in 1840, First United Methodist Church of Austin (FUMC) is an inclusive faith community of Christian believers in the heart of downtown.
Community members share a commitment to engaging conversations, community service, a growing faith, social justice, and Jesus’ commandment to love neighbors.
-
First United Methodist Church is in the midst of a major repair project for their Sanctuary that was built in 1928. As this major exterior renovation is being completed, they began discerning their ongoing call for the future.
In March 2024, Emmaus Projects was invited to join in exploring the evolving dynamics of the downtown neighborhood and to help identify potential opportunities for the remaining land surrounding the Sanctuary.
-
FUMC is spending intentional time dreaming and discerning where God may be calling the Church in ministry for the decades ahead.
Through a series of “Sandbox Sessions” focused on Education, Children, and Childcare, the congregation is engaging in open, imaginative conversations—thinking boldly and freely, without being limited by current finances, buildings, or resources.
Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon
Beverly Hills
-
Serving as a place of connection and community for hundreds of families, Our Lady of Mt. Lebanon is a pillar of faith in in Los Angelos.
-
Emmaus Projects was asked to complete just an initial assessment and outline potential next steps for the church’s property, located at a Beverly Hills/Los Angeles corner.
-
The assessment was completed and recommendations were provided as they continue to discern their next steps.
Riverbend Church
Austin
-
Located in the Westlake Hills area of Austin, where the Colorado River bends under the Pennybacker Bridge, Riverbend Church offers biblically inspired messages about real life issues in real life terms.
They provide a variety of styles of services to help all kinds of people feel right at home.
-
In November 2024, Riverbend Church invited Emmaus Projects to join them in the early stages of exploring how their land holdings might be thoughtfully aligned with and support the church’s ongoing mission.
This partnership marks the beginning of a prayerful and strategic journey to consider how their property can best serve both the congregation and the broader community.
-
A Steering Committee has been formed, and initial high-level concepts have been explored.Tours of comparable projects are planned for this fall, with broader conversations and engagement with the congregation scheduled for later this year.
Congregational Church of Austin
Austin
-
This small yet lively church is known for its welcoming spirit and vibrant music.
For more than 100 years, they’ve been a force of neighborly care near the University of Texas.
-
The Congregational Church of Austin is located directly across the street from The University of Texas at Austin, in a vibrant and continually evolving neighborhood.
As they explore ways to grow the congregation amid limited financial resources, they have begun to consider how their land holdings might support their mission.
In September 2023, Emmaus Projects joined this exploration, drawn by the property's unique size and strategic location.
-
Congregational Church of Austin is in the process of preparing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to invite joint venture proposals from the private sector.
This effort is part of their ongoing discernment around how their property might serve both their mission and the broader community. The RFP is expected to be released in Fall 2025.
Central Presbyterian Church
Austin
-
This downtown church welcomes all visitors as unique children of God.
Formed in 1839, before Texas was a part of the U.S., Central Presbyterian Church has stood strong in their mission to spread the word of God for close to two centuries.
-
In November 2021, Central Presbyterian Church established a Redevelopment Commission in response to the findings of a 2019 Facilities Assessment. The Commission was tasked with exploring how the campus might be more fully utilized in light of ongoing financial and facility-related challenges.
In April 2023, Emmaus Projects was invited to guide the church through a more structured and strategic discernment process—helping to move from thoughtful conversation to practical next steps, with the goal of aligning property use with the church’s long-term mission and sustainability.
-
In July 2024, the Redevelopment Commission presented their recommendations for Session consideration. A key area of focus is the possibility of collaborating with a neighboring property, should there be alignment around a shared vision for the future.
University United Methodist Church
Austin
-
UUMC has been sharing the unconditional love of God and justice in action in the heart of Austin and throughout the world since 1887.
With deep emphasis on inclusion, UUMC warmly opens their doors to people from all walks of life.
-
University United Methodist Church is located in the heart of a vibrant and rapidly evolving neighborhood surrounding The University of Texas at Austin—now home to more than 40,000 residents.
As the church continued to explore its future vision and calling in this dynamic context, Emmaus Projects was engaged to assist in that discernment, drawn by the property’s unique size, location, and potential to serve the church’s mission in new ways.
-
The project began in August 2025 and is currently in its early stages. Initial conversations are focused on clarifying the church’s long-term vision, understanding the surrounding community’s needs, and identifying opportunities for faithful use of the property.
Stakeholder engagement and preliminary site analysis are now underway.
"As we began discerning our parish’s needs for the future, Emmaus Projects helped us answer questions we didn’t even know to ask.
They approached the process with care, focus, and a deep knowledge of Catholic parish mission and operations.
We are grateful."
Fr. Drew G. Olson
Pastor, Our Lady of Guadalupe Parish