As church membership across the country declines, faith spaces in London are finding new ways to keep their lights on while also asserting themselves as important landmarks in the community.
A study from the Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) found that one-third of Canada’s 27,000 faith spaces are expected to close this decade, which the institute says will leave a gap in neighbourhoods that hurts both religious and secular communities.
“[Churches] play a really important role as a civic function,” CUI president Mary Rowe told CBC’s London Morning on Wednesday. “They’re where community meetings happen and cultural events happen. All sorts of different kinds of civic uses have taken place in church properties for years.”
“Even if the congregations can no longer afford to sustain, financially or physically, the actual function of the church, we don’t want to lose those civic spaces,” she said.
The CUI study found that beyond worship, Canadian churches are also home to non-profit organizations, community kitchens and food pantries. 84 per cent of the 900 non-profits that use churches in southern Ontario have no alternative places to go, the study found.
On Wednesday, Colborne Street United Church near London’s downtown core was home to a children’s theatre camp, Alcoholics Anonymous meeting and church-run women’s social group.
“It’s partly to be part of the community. It’s a place for people to come together and do what they would like to do,” said church office manager Norma-Jean Greenslade.
However, Greenslade said opening up the space to external organizations is also a way for the church to make money and use vacant space as membership dwindles.
“Majority of churches are having a decline in congregations, which also means a decline in income from donations,” Greenslade said. “Having the available space during the week helps us to be able to keep our doors open.”
London-Middlesex Ontario Alcoholics Anonymous is one of the most frequent users of southwestern Ontario churches, with about 60 groups who meet several times a week, the organization said.
Great Big Theatre Company, a non-denominational non-profit organization, is hosting all of its Ontario summer camps in churches this year.
“We really like the big space. We have a bunch of different rooms and a gym to host our big show at the end of the week,” said camp counselor Jadeyn Lawrence, who is teaching the camp at Colborne Street United Church. “It’s also downtown so it’s very accessible for public transit … [and] it is really close to parks, so we can go for a walk when we need a break.”
Greenslade agreed that part of the appeal for community groups to meet within a church is its proximity to other neighbourhood essentials, as well as the low cost to rent a room.
“We just have a flat rate, and we negotiate with each group that comes in and we meet them where they’re at,” Greenslade said, adding that the church is also the home of a nursery school and quilters group.
The CUI study found other ways Canadian churches have converted their buildings include opening concert spaces, adding art exhibits and building a rock climbing wall.
London’s oldest church, St. Paul’s Cathedral, recently completed major renovations to turn itself into a downtown music and arts centre.
The Diocese of London said that while none of their churches are currently at risk of closing, they do support groups who want to rent space, including the Alzheimer’s Society, a seniors exercise group and dance classes.
It’s important for churches to adapt early, Rowe said, because if not, they’re at risk of being gone forever.
“In hot real estate markets, a church building will be seen as prime real estate to redevelop into luxury housing. You never get the community space back when that happens,” she said. “In less active real estate markets … when there’s no resources to redevelop, you lose churches to neglect.”
“The argument we’re making is that these are assets and they need to be repurposed in thoughtful and imaginative ways because if they’re not, they’ll be torn down,” she said.
Greenslade said the future of churches in Canada hinges on their ability to adapt.
“Churches need to be multi-use. They need to expand themselves into, almost, community centres,” Greenslade said. “Hopefully more churches can do that.”
