Morning constitutionals at affordablehousingaction.org occur often and usually take place among houses in a leafy neighbourhood. A fair number of churches dapple this leafy neighbourhood, and many have not survived.
Behind the rear of a church in the car-choked lane, we noted a sign on a parking spot for ‘the Bishop’. Was there a Bishop still in residence at an edifice that was a relatively grand church, but hardly a cathedral? To help us out with our query we consulted the order of service(s) posted by the front entrance.
Alas, our literacy skills do not extend to Vietnamese. More than 200 languages are spoken in Toronto these days. And some faith groups have found Toronto’s churches suitable sites for worship.
To consider another fate for church buildings in Toronto, we had merely to cross the street, where a church has been recently converted into condominiums. This produced a twinge of sorrow for the vanished congregation. It was accompanied with an acknowledgement that the new condos looked to be interesting places to live.
How are surviving congregations managing here and further south? Charity and shelter still play an important role. Sustenance and shelter have become difficult for many, including the post-WWII baby boomers who are unable to easily manage a more and more costly existence.
Here’s a take on how some churches are managing in the United States, courtesy of Senior Program Director and Lecturer, Rutgers University, and where our Canadian selves might find inspiration. Read more in The Conversation: Affordable housing in God’s backyard: Some religious congregations find a new use for their space
