The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do. Then the word of the Lord came to me. –Jeremiah 18:1-6
The future of unused churches sometimes remains up in the air. Sadly, some of them will end up unused from time to time. Old churches that once were part of the urban landscapes have become shut down. What was once the focal point for religion and other community gatherings have turned globally into buildings with no attendance?
So, what does one do with this? It’s either sell off these churches in Springfield VA which they can no longer afford or find an option that will fill them up once again. Churches that closed are often bought as private homes, turned into a business, or sometimes bought by another church. As a member of a closed or closing church, do you want the structure turned into a pub or demolished to make way for a parking lot? Instead of closing or tearing down a church completely, is there another way?
Some people stick with the big “No.” These old churches should only be saved for congregations – they don’t want it to be turned to some wine bar or a bookstore. Maybe because they have many good memories inside these churches.
What can you do with an old church? Depending on their size, old churches can be costly to heat in the winter and keep cool in the summer. If it’s old, it might take a lot of work and even more money to upgrade electrical systems and plumbing. Nevertheless, for some individuals, there are a lot of inventive uses for abandoned churches. Do you think it’s a good idea for old churches to be repurposed, or should they only be used for religious services? There are numerous buildings with great architecture and many of them are closed. What should we do with them? You can still make them as a social gathering spot. Check out how the House of God has been repurposed below.
-Old churches as bookstores
-Old churches as Airbnbs
-Old churches as co-working spaces
-Old churches as restaurant/wine bar/reception hall
What’s more saddening is that these old churches will be torn down. For some, they are okay with these churches being refitted. But only for “community” uses. It all depends on the real purpose of continuing a certain church to still stand the test of time. Others will surely give a sign of disapproval if it was turned into a wrestling hall or a pub. It would also be nice to still have a sharing space for the congregation to worship on certain days.
