From Rhode Island-When it comes to preserving the nation’s houses of worship there is little doubt, says A. Robert Jaeger, “we are at a critical moment.”
Not only here in Rhode Island — which has seen a number of churches shut their doors in the last few years including the Episcopal Cathedral of St. John — but all across the country congregations and local church leaders have taken the difficult step of closing churches, largely for financial reasons associated with a dwindling membership.
But while the situation may seem dire, there is no need to lose hope, says Jaeger, who heads the Philadelphia-based Partners for Sacred Places.
Jaeger was in town for two days recently at the invitation of the Providence Preservation Society, offering some tips as to what dioceses and congregations can do to keep their local churches from becoming vacant or from being put under the wrecking ball.
At a forum at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church on College Hill, Jaeger observed that the best way of saving a church from being torn down is to keep the congregation alive and vibrant.
That said, even churches that think they have reached the end may still have a future, he says, if they learn to articulate to the wider community how valuable they are — not only in terms of faith, but in terms of the service and economic benefit they provide.
There is, says Jaeger, a “halo effect”associated with having a church in a city or neighborhood. Not only is there direct economic impact that comes from a congregation spending money to repair a furnace or a roof, but there are indirect benefits that come from its members and visitors stopping at area restaurants and shops on their way to a service.
More here-
http://www.providencejournal.com/breaking-news/content/20130723-expert-offers-tips-to-rhode-island-churches-to-avoid-shutting-down.ece
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