Question on Churches (Boston, Quincy, Weymouth: private schools, live in, gym)

[Alpha8207]

We were just having a conversation on churches with gymnasiums over in the Christianity forum and a Massachusetts poster said there aren't churches in the Boston area and have gyms as part of their campus.

Coming from the South where, at least in some areas, this isn't that unusual, I just had to ask over here.

Are there any churches in or around Boston with larger campuses that include gymnasiums and the like?

Thanks!

[june 7th]

Stunned.

Simply stunned.

[jayrandom]

Of course I can't prove to you that there aren't any churches in the Boston area that don't have gymnasiums, because I haven't been to all the churches in the Boston area. I don't think I ever will, either, as I imagine there are a lot.

That being said, I have to agree with June, if not in her exact statement than at least in its real intent: churches with gymnasiums are not prevalent in Boston. One might even call them rare. There are certainly churches with schools, and those schools often have gymnasiums, but I have yet to run in to a church with just a gymnasium. I have also not run in to a church that could be described as having a campus (unless you count BC).

There are three main reasons for this:

1) Boston has been around long enough that we have enough churches already--some churches are actually being sold and converted in to other things. Churches didn't have gyms back when they were built here (17th, 18th, and 19th century, mostly) and they're not going to start adding them now, especially becuase
2) Land is scarce, so churches don't really have room to have big campuses like they would in the South, where land is less scarce. In fact, most towns centered on the town church, so churches are often in the densest parts of any given town. Even if they wanted to build a gym, they'd have to raze large sections of the town to do so.
3) Anyway, we don't have many big churches, anyway. Anywhere sparse enough to actually fit a church with a gym would be hard pressed to find enough people to pay for it.

I'm guessing from your responses that you've never been to Boston, is that true? If you've been here our lack of gymnasium/churches would probably be less shocking. It's a great city to visit, with lots of wonderful old great churches without gymnasiums if you ever decide to visit!

[Alpha8207]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

Of course I can't prove to you that there aren't any churches in the Boston area that don't have gymnasiums, because I haven't been to all the churches in the Boston area. I don't think I ever will, either, as I imagine there are a lot.

That being said, I have to agree with June, if not in her exact statement than at least in its real intent: churches with gymnasiums are not prevalent in Boston. One might even call them rare. There are certainly churches with schools, and those schools often have gymnasiums, but I have yet to run in to a church with just a gymnasium. I have also not run in to a church that could be described as having a campus (unless you count BC).

There are three main reasons for this:

1) Boston has been around long enough that we have enough churches already--some churches are actually being sold and converted in to other things. Churches didn't have gyms back when they were built here (17th, 18th, and 19th century, mostly) and they're not going to start adding them now, especially becuase
2) Land is scarce, so churches don't really have room to have big campuses like they would in the South, where land is less scarce. In fact, most towns centered on the town church, so churches are often in the densest parts of any given town. Even if they wanted to build a gym, they'd have to raze large sections of the town to do so.
3) Anyway, we don't have many big churches, anyway. Anywhere sparse enough to actually fit a church with a gym would be hard pressed to find enough people to pay for it.

I'm guessing from your responses that you've never been to Boston, is that true? If you've been here our lack of gymnasium/churches would probably be less shocking. It's a great city to visit, with lots of wonderful old great churches without gymnasiums if you ever decide to visit!

No, I've been to Boston several times. But on business and I never went out and toured churches.

I also want to add that this:

There are certainly churches with schools, and those schools often have gymnasiums, but I have yet to run in to a church with just a gymnasium.

...is true here too. I was just talking to someone offline and said that almost all the churches here with gyms do have private schools associated with the church.

[june 7th]

Originally Posted by jayrandom

I have to agree with June, if not in her exact statement than at least in its real intent: churches with gymnasiums are not prevalent in Boston.

Hey Alpha:





June: Thrilled.

Simply thrilled.

[RemiJP]

I'm from the suburbs of Boston and now live in the city. I've been to many churches in Quincy, Weymouth, Braintree and Dorchester and it's not uncommon for churches in those areas to have a basement meeting space which I guess you could call a gymnasium, which might have a basketball hoop, a small stage, and a kitchen.

[june 7th]

Originally Posted by RemiJP

I'm from the suburbs of Boston and now live in the city. I've been to many churches in Quincy, Weymouth, Braintree and Dorchester and it's not uncommon for churches in those areas to have a basement meeting space which I guess you could call a gymnasium, which might have a basketball hoop, a small stage, and a kitchen.

Hey, Alpha:

June's not hearing "indoor track" "weight room" or "swimming pool" yet!

(And she's sure as hell not hearing "golf course!")







June: Thrilled.

Simply thrilled.

[Alpha8207]

Originally Posted by june 7th

Hey, Alpha:

June's not hearing "indoor track" "weight room" or "swimming pool" yet!

(And she's sure as hell not hearing "golf course!")







June: Thrilled.

Simply thrilled.

hehehee

You crack me up

I hope this one can survive until Monday, maybe everyone is at those churches for the weekend festivals!

[june 7th]

Originally Posted by Alpha8207

hehehee

You crack me up

I hope this one can survive until Monday, maybe everyone is at those churches for the weekend festivals!

Oh trust me, my dear friend: No doubt countless individuals across Massachusetts are attending weekend festivals at their churches, but they aren't swimming, golfing, or running on any indoor tracks at those church festivals!

Operative word: "church"


Thrilled.

Simply thrilled.


(And if this thread can survive until Monday, then even June will give a word of thanks and praise, and she'll do so by actually walking her June 7th self into a non-gym-related church to do so!)

So there!

[Alpha8207]

Originally Posted by june 7th

Oh trust me, my dear friend: No doubt countless individuals across Massachusetts are attending weekend festivals at their churches, but they aren't swimming, golfing, or running on any indoor tracks at those church festivals!

Operative word: "church"


Thrilled.

Simply thrilled.


(And if this thread can survive until Monday, then even June will give a word of thanks and praise, and she'll do so by actually walking her June 7th self into a non-gym-related church to do so!)

So there!

Well, we'll see won't we?

I'm still in shock...there just HAS to be some!