Churches should leave their doors open throughout the week, making use of their facilities for more than just Sunday worship, the Archbishop of Wales says.
Dr. Barry Morgan is scheduled to speak to church delegates Monday at the Transforming Communities and Congregations conference in Llandudno, North Wales, to encourage them to "think creatively" about how their buildings are used.
"A church that is closed Monday to Friday is the worst possible advertisement for Christianity," he said, according to BBC News.
Making the most of church buildings includes opening it up for use as conference facilities, for school groups and for counseling services, among other things.
"We cannot go on locking up our treasures in closed buildings any more. We have to open the doors of the churches physically, as well as metaphorically," Morgan said. "Developing community buildings will involve us in new relationships with our communities and opens doors for us to rediscover and develop a proper and appropriate place alongside others in our parishes across the whole of Wales."
His comments come as many churches across Europe have closed their doors permanently and found new uses, with many transformed into restaurants, entertainment clubs, warehouses, as well as mosques, in order to survive the continual decline in church membership and attendance. Currently, about 30 Church of England churches are closed for worship – or declared "redundant" – each year, according to the national church's Web site. A list of churches is being marketed on the Web site "for suitable alternative use."
"We have seen a steady decline in church and chapel attendances over the past 50 years and, as a consequence, many of our finest historic buildings are being put at risk through a lack of use and investment," said Michael A. Davies, director of Davies Sutton Architects in Cardiff, who has worked on a number of church restorations, according to Media Wales.
“In many cases these buildings are becoming totally redundant and new uses are having to be found, or they are being demolished," he added.
Davies is pleased to hear Morgan's encouragement and believes churches need to maintain a continuous beneficial use for a sustainable future.
“It is often the case that ancient buildings change over time as they outgrow their original uses, and their owners wish to alter them for modern use," he noted. “The key is to adapt these old buildings with sympathetic and flexible uses."
Conference attendees will be introduced to Church in Wales churches that are already adapting, including St. Hywyn's at Aberdaron, Gwynedd, which has been renovated to serve pilgrims making their way to Bardsey Island, as well as local visitors. St. Maelog's at Llanfaelog, Anglesey, built a meeting room above the church for wood and glasswork by local artists, and hosts concerts and classes, as well as worship, as reported by BBC News. And at St. John's in Llangollen, Clwyd, pews were taken out to create a flexible space for intimate or contemporary services.
"It is very important that we use the space we have got," said the Rev. Raymond Smith, vicar of St Mary's Church, which has improved the building for religious services and other uses. "We are a church in the community, for the community and we are involved in the community."
Such added purposes to the churches will attract a greater proportion of the community, said Davies. "It is possible that the congregation will start to grow again."
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Dr. Barry Morgan comments come as many churches across Europe have closed their doors permanently and found new uses, with many transformed into restaurants, entertainment clubs, warehouses, as well as mosques, in order to survive the continual decline in church membership and attendance
This is a sign of death for the Christian in Wales. They even let their church used as mosques.
My, oh my, what a weak congregation
But I believe this also occurs in many churches in Europe.
A thought comes to mind here.
As believers, we know that the Body of Christ represents the church, not the building.
But remember how you looked at it when you were a non-believer. The people are not place you turn to in order to seek God, the building is.
The "Church" as Jesus Christ taught was the body of believers in Him. You err in thinking that God lives in buildings built by the hand of men!!! The temple of the Holy Spirit resides in each genuine believer in Christ!! Do you not remember that Christ said that those who worship God will worship Him in Spirit and in Truth????
REPENT, FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD IS AT HAND!!!!
TUPRBABE,
You are historically challenged like ONline. Yes, the church met in homes and the Roman Catacombs BECAUSE THEY WERE BEING HUNTED!
As soon as they were not hunted, and as soon as it was legal to be a Christian the early Christians BUILT CHURCHES. They built them to reflect their Jewish heritage and their fullfilment in Christ. IN North Africa and Turkey you can find large houses of worship for Christians which were Churches from the 2nd century and onwards.
Again, THE BUILDING IS NOT THE POINT it is WHAT THE BUILDING HAS INSIDE OF IT, which is the place where we Worship JESUS CHRIST IN WORD AND SACRAMENT! Buildings don't matter, it is what they contain and what the building is used for that is important. You, like many Christians, need to remember the Sacredness of Jesus Christ and the holiness of His Word. He is God, and it would be nice if you treated His place of worship with a little more dignity.
Are you like the money changers who would use God's holy house for Flexible uses?
TUPRBABE,
Well said!
I disagree. The 'Church' did not even HAVE set buildings until the conversion of the Pagans, when their temples were converted into 'churches.' Christians met in their houses, or even in tombs (the Roman Catacombs).
Why such a fuss over buildings, when God didn't even command us to build them in the first place? Our BODIES are the temples of the Living God, not buildings made by human hands.
We should never use Churches for FLEXIBLE uses? WHAT? The Church is the house of our Holy God. We should be reverant not because it is a building, but what that building contains; Jesus Christ in the Word and Sacrament.
Most Catholic Churches are always open during the week for Holy Mass, quiet prayer time and reflection. Churches should only be used to edify and adore the Most Holy Trinity, and not be used for auctions, plays and other things that do not give Glory to Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! And it should not be used by non-Christians!!