I've lived in my neighborhood for over 20 years. Recently it stuck me how many changes in churches there have been over that time. It been really busy in the last 2 years or so. As best as I can reconstruct, here's what happened.
Now's here's what happened in the last 2 years.
What's the only constant in my neighborhood I can think of: a chapel run by the Fathers of the Society of Pope St. Pius V.
I'm trying to make sense of what it means. A few random ideas:
Any thoughts?
- Baptist church closes. Building stands empty.
- An independent church relocates. An independent Bible Baptist moves in.
- A store front independent church relocates out of the area.
- A Roman Catholic Church in the area is consolidated with two others into a new parish.
- A Reformed church closes. A Presbyterian Church in America congregation moves in.
- An independent church pastor retires. The new pastor renames the church.
Now's here's what happened in the last 2 years.
- A Harvest Bible Chapel opens in a store front.
- The church in #6 consolidates with another independent church. As best I can tell, the pastor is now gone.
- A sign appears outside of #1 above that an independent church is moving in. I haven't seen any announcements on services, though.
- An Orthodox Presbyterian church consolidates with the other one in town. The Bible Baptist from #2 above moves to their building.
- An Evangelical Lutheran Church in America closes. An independent church moves in.
What's the only constant in my neighborhood I can think of: a chapel run by the Fathers of the Society of Pope St. Pius V.
I'm trying to make sense of what it means. A few random ideas:
- More evidence of the decline of the old mainstream and RCC
- New denominations are coming. (Harvest and Calvary come to mind here.)
- More independent churches will be the norm.
Any thoughts?
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