Churches fight to stay open as attendance dwindles
abcnews.go.com
Churches faced with empty pews are fighting to keep their doors open, while former houses of worship are being converted into bars, clubs and luxury condos.

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.

  • nifty
    27•5 days ago

    Mega churches are still going strong though. There definitely needs to be a way (other than taxes because separation of church and state is impt) to get churches to spend that money back in the community, but instead it just ends up enriching the owners and investors. If there was anything which needed an anti-corruption intervention.

    • @Ensign_CrabEnglish
      28•5 days ago

      Churches should be tax exempt only so far as they are demonstrably charitable. All other income should be taxed. The taxes should go to fund abortion and gender affirmation surgeries.

      • Maeve
        3•4 days ago

        The “charities” can have a hateful agenda, as well. So even there, we’re left dubious. “Render to Caesar (pay taxes), feed the hungry, heal the sick, clothe the naked, minister (take care of) prisoners.” It doesn’t take a religion to fund necessities (like food, health, clothing) through taxes; and it also satisfies most religions’ basic tenets.

    • @Goodmorningsunshine
      7•4 days ago

      Mega churches are still going strong though

      The worst people still go to church and still run them. I guarantee you 99% of every mega church’s attendance is MAGAts and 100% of their pastors are.

      • Maeve
        4•4 days ago

        The small country church by my house is filled with cars bearing "Trum*” tags.

    • @[email protected]
      6•5 days ago

      There isn’t a true seperation of church and state at this point. There are plenty of fundamentalist politicians, and churches and religious organizations donate (bribe) politicians as much as business orgs do. If they are going to donate to politicians they should be taxed.

      There have been plenty of laws passed attempting to force xtians bullshit, it usually gets challenged and removed but it constantly happens.