Summary
Churches across the U.S. are grappling with dwindling attendance and financial instability, forcing many to close or sell properties.
The Diocese of Buffalo has shut down 100 parishes since the 2000s and plans to close 70 more. Nationwide, church membership has dropped from 80% in the 1940s to 45% today.
Some churches repurpose their land to survive, like Atlanta’s First United Methodist Church, which is building affordable housing.
Others, like Calcium Church in New York, make cutbacks to stay open. Leaders warn of the long-term risks of declining community and support for churches.
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As churches decline we’re losing what is, essentially, a free communal space. Church was a place where people built community.
We need to replace it with something, not just cheer because a shitty religion is dying.
That “community” is a judgmental indoctrinating shithole that destroys people.
Good riddance.
Okay, but that community also kept me from being homeless as a child. I got to eat food when otherwise I wouldn’t.
We need to replace it, we can’t just let community die with nothing in its place.
Yes. Schools and libraries.
Neither my local library nor school has a weekly get together where we all hang out and talk.
Also, uh, not everyone has kids. Do they not deserve community?
Bullshit. Libraries have book & game clubs. They host speakers, authors, and musicians. They offer short classes in typing, office software, graphics software. All of it is free of charge. You could easily spend 4-5 nights a week hanging out at a library chatting of you wanted.
My little library that serves the 1200 people spread out over seven villages in my county doesn’t have any of that.
Do you think I’m lying? Or am I just too stupid to know what the little library connected to the elementary school offers?
Perhaps you could meet the people who work in the library and try to organize something with them? Community gatherings need a push to start happening and people willing to organize them. If you miss these oportunities, create them, it’s not that hard and it’s very rewarding.
