• Latest

Churches fight to stay open as attendance dwindles

December 29, 2024
UPC Extends Deadline for Parliamentary and Local Government Nominations to July 18

UPC Extends Deadline for Parliamentary and Local Government Nominations to July 18

July 15, 2025
Museveni Urges Kampala Residents to Vote NRM for Effective Service Delivery

Museveni Warns Against Misuse of PDM Funds

July 15, 2025
VINAStech Advert

Over 102 Cleared to Contest for Parliamentary and LCV Seats on UPC Card

July 15, 2025

Salaama Road Construction Project to Be Completed by December, Contractor

July 15, 2025

CIU Granted Charter, Attains Full University Status

July 15, 2025
Museveni Urges Kampala Residents to Vote NRM for Effective Service Delivery

Museveni Urges Kampala Residents to Vote NRM for Effective Service Delivery

July 15, 2025

Why Amb. Michael Katungi’s Ascension Into Elective Politics Embodies a Glimmer Of Hope for Uganda’s Future Governance

July 14, 2025

DP Youth Issue 7-Day Ultimatum to Electoral Commission Over Disputed Polls

July 14, 2025
Who Was Prof George Kanyeihamba?

Who Was Prof George Kanyeihamba?

July 14, 2025
Uganda Mourns Legal Icon: Justice George W. Kanyeihamba Dies at 85

Uganda Mourns Legal Icon: Justice George W. Kanyeihamba Dies at 85

July 14, 2025
Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari Dies at 82

Former Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari Dies at 82

July 13, 2025
Traffic Penalty System Over Public Concerns

Traffic Penalty System Over Public Concerns

July 13, 2025
  • About Us
  • Internship
  • Contact Us
Tuesday, July 15, 2025
Parrots Media
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • News
    Museveni Urges Kampala Residents to Vote NRM for Effective Service Delivery

    Museveni Warns Against Misuse of PDM Funds

    Over 102 Cleared to Contest for Parliamentary and LCV Seats on UPC Card

    Salaama Road Construction Project to Be Completed by December, Contractor

    CIU Granted Charter, Attains Full University Status

    Museveni Urges Kampala Residents to Vote NRM for Effective Service Delivery

    Museveni Urges Kampala Residents to Vote NRM for Effective Service Delivery

    Why Amb. Michael Katungi’s Ascension Into Elective Politics Embodies a Glimmer Of Hope for Uganda’s Future Governance

    Trending Tags

  • Climate Change
  • Business
  • Science and Technology
  • Sports and Entertainment
  • Business
  • Others
    • Education
    • Lifestyle
    • Religion
    • Opinions
  • News
    Museveni Urges Kampala Residents to Vote NRM for Effective Service Delivery

    Museveni Warns Against Misuse of PDM Funds

    Over 102 Cleared to Contest for Parliamentary and LCV Seats on UPC Card

    Salaama Road Construction Project to Be Completed by December, Contractor

    CIU Granted Charter, Attains Full University Status

    Museveni Urges Kampala Residents to Vote NRM for Effective Service Delivery

    Museveni Urges Kampala Residents to Vote NRM for Effective Service Delivery

    Why Amb. Michael Katungi’s Ascension Into Elective Politics Embodies a Glimmer Of Hope for Uganda’s Future Governance

    Trending Tags

  • Climate Change
  • Business
  • Science and Technology
  • Sports and Entertainment
  • Business
  • Others
    • Education
    • Lifestyle
    • Religion
    • Opinions
No Result
View All Result
Parrots Media
No Result
View All Result
Home RELIGION

Churches fight to stay open as attendance dwindles

Churches around America and the world are struggling as attendance drops

Parrots Media by Parrots Media
December 29, 2024
in RELIGION
0
0
SHARES
2
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on X

By Our Reporter,

WORLD REPORTS

During the final Mass at the All Saints Parish in Buffalo, New York, on a warm Sunday in July, the priests encouraged the few parishioners who came to take comfort in holy scripture.

https://parrotsug.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/PARROTS-UG-ADVERT.mp3

“For everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven,” the passage read.

ADVERTISEMENT

On Earth, many parishes are accepting that it’s time to sell their properties. As the person leading renewal and development for the Diocese of Buffalo, Father Bryan Zielenieski is one of many religious leaders across America who have closed houses of worship in recent years.

READ ALSO

Police Urge Vigilance Amid Ongoing Terror Threats

Journalists blocked from Martyrs Day Venue

Father Bryan Zielenieski talks about church closures and the fall in attendance in the Diocese of Buffalo, New York. ABC News

“We essentially went to half of what we used to back in the early 2000s,” he told ABC News. “We lost about 100 parishes.”

Zielenieski expects he’ll need to shut down another 70 churches in what the Diocese is calling its “road to renewal.” It’s a very biblical name for the challenge facing churches: People just aren’t going as much as they used to.

On average, more than half of the diocese’s churches today are baptizing fewer than one person a month, and 59% of them are spending more than they take in, Zielenieski noted.

“It’s my job and role to not just pray about the situation, but to then look at the hard data and say, where does the church need to move?” he told ABC News.

In the late 1940s, nearly 80% of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue, mosque or temple, according to Gallup. Today, just 45% say the same, the analytics company noted, and only 32% say that they worship God in a house of prayer once a week.

St. Anne’s Catholic Church Buffalo turned into a mosque after it was sold to the Muslim community at $250,000

In 2019, before the COVID-19 pandemic, America was losing as many as 1,000 churches a year.

Some former churches are being converted for businesses or residential use. One old Methodist church in Atlanta, which was down to about 60 members when it closed, was sold to a luxury real estate developer seven years ago. Now, it’s become a series of 3,000-square-foot condos.

Some of the oldest churches in the world have even turned into bars and nightclubs.

All Saints Church, Riverside.

However, another Atlanta church is taking a different route. Pastor Jasmine Smothers is saving the city’s First United Methodist church from closing with what she says is a “God-sized” plan.

The most profitable thing they own is their land, and she’s using it to build more than 300 apartments in the high-rent city — most of which will become affordable housing.

Pastor Rev. Jasmine R Smothers, lead pastor at United Methodist Church , Atlanta.

“It’s literally going to change the landscape of Atlanta in more ways than one,” she told ABC News.

Smothers said the project will give the church the resources to help people and to continue its ministries.

“In the words of one of my friends, this ain’t your great grandma’s church,” she said.

At Calcium Church outside Syracuse, New York, Pastor Milton LaSalle recently acknowledged to his small-town church that, after 171 years, they’re in financial trouble. On a good Sunday, LaSalle has 35 regular members — most of them are in the sunset of their lives. The church hasn’t been forced to close or sell it’s land, the pastor says.

“The aging of the church here, of course, is seen all over America. That makes it harder in a lot of ways. For instance, we lost five of our members last year to death,” he told ABC News.

All Saints Church Buffalo to be closed. Churches around America and the world are struggling as attendance drops. ABC News

LaSalle said he’s confident Calcium Church will be able to stay open, but noted that they’ve had to make cutbacks.

They still hold clothing and school supply giveaways, parishioners told ABC News. Parishioner Jeannetta LaSalle expressed the importance of the church in her life, saying that her fellow churchgoers are like family.

“It gives me purpose to get up in the morning,” she told ABC News.

In Buffalo, Father Zielenieski also noted how people turn to the church for comfort in times of crisis, like in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

“There’s a sociological principle or idea out there that when times are good, people forget God,” he said. “When times are challenging, they go to God first.”

However, Zielenieski highlights the danger of taking the church for granted.

“We’ve never asked the question, how is it going to be there and how is that going to stay?” he said.

The sale of the All Saints Church in Buffalo will close in the coming weeks. The priests told ABC News they have language in the deal that prevents the new owners from turning it into a place that encourages people to sin.

SOURCE: ABC NEWS

Tags: All Saints Church BuffaloAll Saints Church RiversideChurch turned into barFr. Bryan ZielenskiePastor Jasmine SmothersSt. Anne's Church BuffaloUS Churches close down

Related Posts

Police Urge Vigilance Amid Ongoing Terror Threats
Religion

Police Urge Vigilance Amid Ongoing Terror Threats

June 6, 2025
Journalists blocked from Martyrs Day Venue
Religion

Journalists blocked from Martyrs Day Venue

June 3, 2025
News

Malawian, Tanzanian Students Jet In for Uganda Martyrs Essay Awards

June 2, 2025
RELIGION

UPC Urges Reflection and Reform Ahead of Uganda Martyrs Day

May 28, 2025
News

Kasujja Warns Against Secularism as UMU Trains Chaplains to Tackle Youth Crisis

May 26, 2025
Uganda Martyrs Essay Competition Expands Across East Africa
RELIGION

Uganda Martyrs Essay Competition Expands Across East Africa

May 23, 2025
Next Post

Put more efforts in starting up small industries - Owobusobozi Bisaka tells believers in Kagadi

POPULAR NEWS

Catholic Priest Speaks Out Against Museveni and Son’s Leadership

Catholic Priest Speaks Out Against Museveni and Son’s Leadership

February 16, 2025

Former IGP Okoth Ogola Dies

February 14, 2025

A Love Beyond Distance: A review of Leonard Kamugisha Akida’s poetic tribute on valentine’s day

February 14, 2025

Besigye Sends Easter Message from Luzira Prison as Archbishop Kazimba Urges for Release of Political Prisoners

April 18, 2025
Brutality at KIU: Students Assaulted by Officials at Examination Hall

KIU Loses Bid to Block Payment of Shillings 46.8 Billion to Housing Finance Bank

March 12, 2025

EDITOR'S PICK

Sheema elderly woman narrowly escapes machete robbers

June 15, 2021

MP Cecilia Ogwal is dead

January 18, 2024

MoH launches distribution of mosquito nets in markets.

June 23, 2021

UPC wants allowances for Intern Doctors Increased

August 2, 2023
VINAStech advert VINAStech advert VINAStech advert
ADVERTISEMENT

About

Parrots Media

A Public Relations and Media Services Company registered and licensed to operate in Uganda and the Great Lakes Region.

Follow us

Categories

  • Business
  • BUSINESS REPORTS
  • CLIMATE ACTION REPORTS
  • Climate Change
  • COMMUNITY REPORTS
  • Education
  • Entertainment
  • FEATURES
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • News
  • News
  • Obituary
  • OBITUARY
  • Opinions
  • RELIGION
  • Religion
  • Science and Technology
  • Sports
  • Sports and Entertainment
  • TOURISM

Recent Updates

  • UPC Extends Deadline for Parliamentary and Local Government Nominations to July 18
  • Museveni Warns Against Misuse of PDM Funds
  • Over 102 Cleared to Contest for Parliamentary and LCV Seats on UPC Card
  • Salaama Road Construction Project to Be Completed by December, Contractor
July 2025
M T W T F S S
 123456
78910111213
14151617181920
21222324252627
28293031  
« Jun    
  • About Us
  • Internship
  • Contact Us

© 2025 Parrots Media | Website Designed and Maintained by VINAStech

No Result
View All Result
  • Parrots Media
  • News
  • Business
  • Science and Technology
  • Sports and Entertainment
  • Lifestyle
  • Others
    • Climate Change
    • Education
    • Religion
    • Opinions

© 2025 Parrots Media | Website Designed and Maintained by VINAStech

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

You cannot copy content of this page