Rural California church sale brings $125,000 to nearby congregation

The sale of a small, rural Church of Christ in Riverdale, Calif., has provided more than $125,000 for the work of the nearby Hanford Church of Christ, also known as the Twelfth and Grangeville church.

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Heritage 21 Foundation, which offers resources and assistance to struggling churches, helped facilitate the sale of the Riverdale building at 3210 Henson Ave. and the transfer of the proceeds.

In 2021, with only a few older members remaining, the Riverdale church made the decision to close its doors. Minister Henry Ramirez soon reached out to Heritage 21 after seeing an ad in The Christian Chronicle, said Blair Bryan, the foundation’s chairman.

The process, which officially began last April, involved several challenges related to the state of the property and the church’s legal records — issues common to smaller church building sales, Bryan added.

Among the hurdles were missing property records, suspended corporate status, an unresolved lien and a termite infestation.

But with Heritage 21’s guidance, the Riverdale church recently sold the property with a six-figure profit to pass on.

“This collaboration between the Riverdale Church of Christ and Heritage 21 turned a complex and tough situation into good stewardship and a cause for rejoicing,” Bryan said. “This would not have happened without the courage of the Riverdale members to face reality and finish strong, and without the willingness of Heritage 21 to diligently pursue solving numerous challenges to a successful resolution.”

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