Methuen’s Christian Family Center seeks to buy the building that houses Haverhill’s Temple Emanu-El on Main Street.
Temple President Jennifer Lampron formally notified members in an email Thursday and asked for support to cover any contingencies that may arise as the proposed buyer continues building inspections.
Lampron told WHAV last August, the congregation has been aging and many members lost over the last 30 years due to attrition.
“Younger members have joined, but in far fewer numbers than in previous years. There appears either to be less interest locally in being a member of a Jewish community or fewer Jews in Haverhill or a combination of the both. We see similar patterns in some other religious groupings,” she told WHAV.
In Thursday’s email, Lampron noted 69 of 72 Temple members voted in October to approve selling the 514 Main St., Haverhill building for $795,000. After the building was inspected, the Temple Emanu-El board accepted a revised offer of $780,000, pending member approval. Closing is expected to take place by the end of January, but the congregation plans to continue sharing the building with Christian Family Center for six months. In addition, Lampron said, “All precious artifacts will need to be relocated by the time we vacate the building.”
Records held by the Massachusetts Secretary of State’s office show Christian Family Center, 5 Pleasant St., Methuen is led by Pastor David Feliz Miller, its president. According to its website, it is a “multicultural and dynamic church, focused on impacting our community by transforming families with the supernatural power of God.”
According to the Haverhill Public Library, Temple Emanu-El has been located in the former Union Congregational Church building since 1937. The building was substantially altered in 1950 with the addition of classrooms and a gymnasium.