Author Topic: Whats happening to our churches,  (Read 743 times)

Alfred

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Whats happening to our churches,
« on: Jul 22, 2017, 07:54:41 AM »

As a child much like your selves i used to go to church and then congregation were quite large , to day i wonder if churches are in decline due to falling numbers as parishioners are  ageing  and are no longer attending, due to age and other health reasons,  so assuming churches are in decline will the inevitability of some churches being sold off, happen,??


on past t.v. programmes there have been the occasional housing programmes where some chapels were being sold off and people bought  them and renovated them into liveable property  and some conversions make for a roomy spacious living accommodation, even though the out side appearance still retains the chapels silhouette.


so with religion in decline what happens to morals and principles , too, as younger generations are it seems to be turning  away from religion,  and could some churches be replaced by more houses  instead..... being built on the same site,


Q; what are your points of view regarding the present state of religion in decline, and near but almost empty churches  simply not being in favour any more, ??

cheddar-caveman

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Re: Whats happening to our churches,
« Reply #1 on: Jul 22, 2017, 08:59:58 AM »
Religion is not in decline, just Christianity because it has become a weak religion! Islam on the other hand is very much on the increase because children are indoctrinated into it from birth, thus insuring its spread.
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Sheila

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Re: Whats happening to our churches,
« Reply #2 on: Jul 22, 2017, 09:13:23 AM »
Alfred, I don't think we need religion to have morals and principals. 

Traveller

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Re: Whats happening to our churches,
« Reply #3 on: Jul 22, 2017, 09:44:02 AM »
I was just going to make the same point - religion and morality are not connected.

Christianity does appear to be in decline and I think that it is largely because we are free to use our own minds and have decided that it has no real substance.  With the exception of one small village near here which has a number of churches and a very vocal religious population, nobody bothers these days. 

The village kirk here is crumbling away.  When it ceased to be used as a church, it was a thriving auction house for several years.  (I believe that Presbyterian churches do not have to be de-consecrated)

It has been on the market for many years with no takers.  I believe it had permission to convert it to a dwelling(s),  but without adjacent land for a garden, parking etc.. it's not the most suitable. Best knock it down before it falls down. The stone work and slates on the roof alone must be worth a good few pounds.
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crabbyob

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Re: Whats happening to our churches,
« Reply #4 on: Jul 22, 2017, 10:26:12 AM »
the morals of some priests have helped to empty a lot of churches
which has assisted the Muslim to go unchecked...
plus we have grown up, and put childish things aside, including the threat of Hell
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minniemouse

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Re: Whats happening to our churches,
« Reply #5 on: Jul 22, 2017, 10:27:47 AM »
St Martin's Church in the Bull Ring has tombs with stone reclining figures on top depicting the person inside. These are hundreds of years old and are damaged in parts and bits missing.  The onlooker would assume that they're crumbling because of age but the truth is its because over the years the window cleaners have been standing on them to clean the stained glass windows. ::)
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GrannyMac

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Re: Whats happening to our churches,
« Reply #6 on: Jul 22, 2017, 10:59:29 AM »
My friend is buying a flat in what was a church. It wasn't being used much, and needed money spending on it. The conversion is well done, she's leaving a three storey terrace house (very common here but impractical as we age) to move into a beautiful new flat, with a lift, and lovely views.  The builders have retained some of the interesting old features, I think it will be a lovely place to live.




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Alex22

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Re: Whats happening to our churches,
« Reply #7 on: Jul 22, 2017, 12:57:51 PM »
If I drive past the local Catholic church on a Sunday morning the car park is always full, with cars spilling on to the surrounding roads to park.   The influx of Polish people seems to have upped the numbers too, at least in my area.
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peterpensioner

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Re: Whats happening to our churches,
« Reply #8 on: Jul 22, 2017, 05:15:31 PM »
It is also worth noting that the Evangelical wing of the Anglican church (what I used to call the "Happy Clappy" church) is also doing well but they tend to meet in school halls, or set up in non conventional buildings - one near us has just bought a building that was a gym - they still have the squash courts in the building. This type of Christianity appears to be very popular with the younger generation and the congregation tends to be younger.

minniemouse

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Re: Whats happening to our churches,
« Reply #9 on: Jul 22, 2017, 05:26:00 PM »
When my daughter was living at home we decided to go to the local Spiritualist Church to see what it was all about.  We couldn't take it seriously and couldn't look at each other, otherwise we would have burst out laughing which would have been very rude.  Instead we just sat there with our shoulders shaking. 
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Mondays Child

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Re: Whats happening to our churches,
« Reply #10 on: Jul 22, 2017, 06:14:00 PM »
About twenty odd years ago I went through a phase of going to church. I would sit at the very back and most times it was a race between me and the minister to see who could get to the door first at the end if the service as i felt i shouldn't be there really but i usually got caught by one of the elders who wanted the minister to say hello before i left. The minister was very nice and a couple of the congregation but the older people resented someone younger and when one of the elders under instructions of the minister started to get me involved with the services, helping take the collection, helping with Communion they resented this. I found a lot of the congregation very cliquey and the same at churches my girlfriend dragged me to. The ministers son also looked down his nose at newcomers.
Stopped going.
When I moved here I was given some old furniture by a trainee minister from the local church but found out it was a happy clappy type church so wouldn't go.
I don't feel you need to go to a church to talk to your God if you believe.

minniemouse

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Re: Whats happening to our churches,
« Reply #11 on: Jul 22, 2017, 06:26:42 PM »
I find churches like St. Marks in Venice, and similar, although awesome, also distasteful when the money could have been better spent.
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Bee

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Re: Whats happening to our churches,
« Reply #12 on: Jul 22, 2017, 06:59:30 PM »
Fortunately my parents were not religious and so us children were never sent to Sunday School or Church but for something to do on a Sunday afternoon I did attend Sunday School but when I got to 13-14 I started questioning what we were being taught and the Sunday School teachers were not very happy about it and so they expelled me. :)


As far as I know all the Churches in this area are still very well attended but not by me.
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zoony

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Re: Whats happening to our churches,
« Reply #13 on: Jul 22, 2017, 07:31:31 PM »
Same here Bee. Raised RC but, like you, around 13/14 decided I couldn't believe what everybody seemed to take for granted so God and I parted ways..
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sueboo

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Re: Whats happening to our churches,
« Reply #14 on: Jul 22, 2017, 07:36:25 PM »
Me to guys religion not for me.
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