By Rev. Jeffrey B. Cooper II, 6th Episcopal District
Turner Monumental African Methodist Episcopal Church in Atlanta, Georgia, under the leadership of the Rev. Jeffrey B. Cooper, is celebrating a major step forward with GracePoint Senior Living Community. After a long process of planning, meetings, hearings, and community conversations, the church has received zoning approval for the proposed senior affordable housing development.
GracePoint Senior Living Community is planned to include 42 units of affordable housing for seniors ages 62 and older. The units will serve seniors with incomes at or below 50% of the Area Median Income. For Turner, this project is about more than building apartments. It is about using church property to help meet a real need in the community.
The development will be built on land that Turner Monumental has owned for more than 25 years. The land was purchased under the leadership of the late Rev. J.C. Reynolds and the late Hubert Charles Christmas, then Vice Chair of the Trustee Board. Their vision was for the church to grow, expand, and do something significant with the property. That vision has taken time, but it has not been lost.
For years, the land represented possibility. Now, it is moving closer to becoming something that can serve seniors and the community in a meaningful way. GracePoint is one way Turner is continuing the work and vision of those who came before us.
The zoning process was not easy. There were meetings, questions, concerns, and several public steps along the way. It required patience and persistence. Members of Turner showed up, prayed, supported the effort, and helped make clear that this was more than a land issue. It was a ministry effort.
GracePoint connects directly to the church’s call to serve “the least of these.” Affordable housing continues to be a major issue in Atlanta, especially for seniors. Many seniors are dealing with rising costs and uncertainty about where they can afford to live. Turner Monumental wants to be part of the solution.
The Reverend Cooper has shared that this project is part of Turner’s larger commitment to serve beyond the walls of the church. The goal is not just to hold property, but to use it with purpose. GracePoint is an example of what can happen when a church uses land, legacy, and faith to address a real need.
Now that zoning approval has been secured, the next step is finalizing funding. Turner Monumental and its development partners will continue working to secure the resources needed to move the project forward. The hope is that GracePoint Senior Living Community will be built by 2028 or 2029.
This is a major moment for Turner Monumental. It reflects intense vision, prayer, and hard work. It also shows that ministry can happen beyond Sunday morning and beyond the church building. GracePoint is about housing, but it is also about dignity, stability, and care for seniors.
The journey has been long, but Turner has made it through this important stage. With zoning approval now in place, the church gives thanks to God and continues moving forward.
GracePoint Senior Living Community is beginning to take shape, and Turner Monumental AME Church is grateful for the opportunity to serve God’s people in this way.
