First Christian Church should be saved

I read with sadness the March 25 article, “Group still aims to save church despite passage of deadline.” It strikes me as shortsighted that First Christian Church, which is almost a century old, would be demolished in order to build another parking lot for Physicians' Clinic of Iowa. I am extremely disappointed in St. Luke's Hospital for not being a better steward of a building that is a community treasure.

Rather than being the leader in saving and re-purposing the church, St. Luke's is condemning this building to an untimely and unnecessary death. Acts of nature, such as the floods endured in 2008, wreak destruction to historic structures and for the most part are unavoidable. However, St. Luke's plan to demolish this church is avoidable as well as irrevocable.

First Christian deserves more time in which to find supporters who will purchase and re-purpose the building. In fact, St. Luke's could be that supporter. St. Luke's could change its goal from demolishing this beautiful building to finding a new purpose for the church.

St. Luke's stated mission is, “To give the health care we'd like our loved ones to receive.” I urge St. Luke's to provide similar compassion and care to preserve the health and life of First Christian for another century.

Susan Enzle

Iowa City