Do churches ever go "belly up" or close down? (protestant, baptize)

[wehotex]

Churches have a big advantage by not having to pay taxes like the rest of us. Even with that, have you ever witnessed one that has disappeared due to poor finances or disappearing congregations? What happened to the property? Did it remain in church hands or was it sold into private hands?

[AREQUIPA]

I've seen a few that were left standing and were rented for bin-end sales and some that were turned into flats.

[MontanaGuy]

I've also seen small churches remodeled as homes.

[Huckleberry3911948]

usually sold to another church. not from lack of money but lack of people to do the work.
where are the people, at the mall. consumerism is a dying religion, the mall is the temple its dying.

[Steve Bagu]

I would not refer a church as being belly up or closed down a proper term.

Some churches may have a specific following (foreign nationality).

Over time the parishoners may marry outside of their nationality and gradually phase out their attendence due to the spouse not understanding the language or faith.

In 1930 my parents were married in a Hungarian Church bldg and I was baptized and had my confirmation in the same bldg. Our whole family of 9 uncles/aunts and my cousins and grandfather all went to this church. Grandfather was a caretaker for a while and lived in a basement room.

We all gradually little by little moved away or inter married with English speaking persons and the attendence would dwindle.

I returned in 1971 for a visit and saw the bldg vacant and for sale/rent.

It is sad but true that circumstances will change over many years.

Saw recently last year where a local church bldg was being used by two different dominations.

Why not...they are deserving.

Steve

[ptsum]

Just recently, in Cambridge, Ohio, four of the five Catholic churches that were located there have completely closed down due to a decline in membership and dwindling finances, all five congregations consolidated into one church and the other four buildings have been sold off, so yes, some of them do close down.

[hdwell]

Yes they certainly do. I have noted several parishes closed in Shreveport and many protestant churches have merged congregations.

What seems to be starting up and growing are the ND community mega churches. Other non Christian faiths are beginning except Jewish seems to be declining here. Quite a change from days gone by.

[MontanaGuy]

I remember driving through a remote area of Montana once and seeing this beautiful white church which I stopped and took a photo of. It looked like it had been abandoned for a few years but from the outside it appeared to be in very good shape. It was on the outskirts of a very small town which had gotten much smaller over the years which seems to be happening in many parts of the US because young people move to the big cities where the jobs are when they get out of high school. I'll bet there's abandoned churches like that all over the country.

[Tzaphkiel]

yes, i have seen churches close down. A big church may suffer decline in enrollment, particularly in big cities where neighborhoods change, populations move, and other churches open and woo away members. Also I have seen small churches close, a few core families keep it going, and when they get burned out or move on, the group folds.

[ptsum]

The USA Today reported that the Baltimore archdiocese officials said that the 87-year-old Towson Catholic high school will not open in September. Archdiocese spokesman Sean Cain blames rapidly declining enrollment and growing debt. This is a predominantly Catholic area in the state of Maryland,it kind of makes you wonder what's happening with the Roman Catholic Church in Maryland.