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.
Why did she move? I thought the internet was good enough and you didn’t need physical connection!
We did in fact continue to hang out with our friend groups in the VR community even after the move. Because being in a relationship and being in a community are two different things.
If you had kids and needed someone to watch them, would any of them do it? If you both got sick and needed someone to bring you hot meals, would any of them do it? If your car broke down, would any of them drive you to work?
If your house got destroyed by a natural disaster, would you be able to stay with any of them?
Community isn’t just a friend group. Community is local. It has to be, or it’s just a group of people.
Some of them, yes. Absolutely.
I’m sorry, I don’t believe you. Your Internet friend would travel across the country to drive you to work? Come on.
There are just some functions of community that can never be fulfilled by the internet.
Even if you want to argue it is a community, you can’t tell me it is a full replacement for an in person communal space.
That’s a you problem. We are done here.
It’s like they don’t understand the idea of friendship or something. Would I fly to the other side of the world to help a long-term friend in need that I only know from the internet? Maybe not, but just for practical reasons. Would I do everything I could to help them from this side of the world, like maybe send them money or see if I could find someone more locally who could help them? Absolutely. And if their country got invaded and they became a refugee, I would welcome them into my home.
Sorry, but it’s hard to believe someone would drive cross country just to take you to work. That’s something neighbors do.