As an agnostic

I don’t know your reasons for not getting ‘out and about’ Anniebach and I won’t pry. I do hope you will soon manage to get back to the fellowship of your church soon,even if you have to request help to get there and back.

It’s wonderful to read about the community social events and cafes etc in old church building where applicable. It reminds me of a fantastic old city church not too far from where I live. I’m sure it’s been understood the points I raised were to do with the time when people are gathered in the church immediately before a sermon. It’s then I feel it’s only respectful to show a degree of silence as the preacher walks in and for a few minutes before. My wonderful old minister requested silence in the church before a sermon. People tended to whisper if there were things they felt like speaking about and that was accepted. I miss him so much but I’m sure at some stage in life I’ll find another church but I don’t think it will be until our final house move when we downsize.The local church will definitely be high on my priority list when selecting where.

Churches are open to the communities . A house service is cosy but I like the fellowship in church with people I know and don’t know. I like the silence too, and the knowledge many before me and hopefully many to come after me will experience this . I want to take communion at the alter with others .

There is silence in the reading room in the library , not the same as the peace in church, not spiritual .

As a Unitarian of the Humanist kind I am in agreement with Cindersdad the original poster. Unitarians use not only The Bible for inspiration but also reputable texts from other religions and secular sources.

I hope that wasn't advertising - it was just to demonstrate how both physical/social and spiritual needs can be met in the same building!

Unfortunately many of the older church buildings are listed and are not suited to some modern day activities. The PCC of our beautiful Parish Church recently managed to install toilets, so are now able to hold more community based events, but the lack of a kitchen continues to limit their offer.

Church buildings in our town host a huge variety of clubs and activities, some connected to the outreach of the church, but many not. Local churches also support a Foodbank, a Community Cafe (that offers jobs to volunteers with a range of disabilities) and a Homelessness charity as well as employing a children's and youth worker and a community development worker. Regular breakfast and lunch meetings (some provided free) are held and transport is often provided.

The buildings are expensive to heat and to insure and their management takes up huge amounts of time. Most have been or need to be adapted in order for them to function better and this is also very costly. The three newest churches in our town don't have or want buildings of their own and one of our oldest churches has recently been sold off due to a decline in attendance.

Cafe at All Saints is a frequent haunt of mine - it is getting more expensive though!

I'm hoping to go back and sample the food!

Thanks Jalima looks really good. Will give a try next time I take a trip to Hereford. I think it's great to use church buildings for the whole community, churchgoers or not.

If anyone lives near or visits Hereford - have you tried this café?

www.cafeatallsaints.co.uk/
All Saints Church has been a focus of Hereford life for over 800 years. Its dramatic twisted spire dominates the skyline, and the medieval interior is an inspired meeting of the sacred and the secular: we aim to serve the human need for physical and social as well as spiritual nourishment.

Unfortunately, we only had a coffee there but the food looks excellent.

ga - sounds like how it should be done. Certainly chimes better with the central message.

I appreciate many of the beautiful church buildings in the UK, but I'm heartily glad that in more and more places the churches are getting out of the buildings and into the community.

I'm glad to see beautiful church buildings being used for functions other than religious services - some have cafés, some have children's activities, holiday clubs, craft mornings, some have suppers, dining clubs etc.

These activities are not going on at the same time as services of holy communion, evensong etc.
There is a time for both.

I think many people are "spiritual" without necessarily accepting any religious doctrine. Personally I don't need a belief in a supernatural being, but I love the architecture and beauty of old churches, I respect those who have a religious faith as I think we all need support and meaning in a life that can be very difficult at times. Not being religious does not mean opting out of caring or responsibility for others. I am often awestruck by beauty, enjoy people and their company and regularly meditate, rather than praying, and try to live a good life whilst accepting that this life is all there is (as far as I know!)

I think its lovely that the church can come to the people.
The last place I worked in had a church service in the home once a month, and it meant so much to so many of them.

My church meets in a home and so we don't have a minister or a building to pay for. We don't have a collection for our 'church', but we all pay into a community fund by standing order. When we meet each week we pray, argue about discuss whatever is topical in Christian thinking, talk about the week behind and the week ahead, tell the children a story and sing modern Christian songs. We grapple with bible readings and sometimes we even come to a shared understanding about the meaning of what we've read. On one Sunday a month we meet instead at a local care home and sing hymns with the residents then we share a Sunday tea in our homes, inviting others to join us.
Sometimes we cry when we're together, oftentimes we laugh; we drink tea and eat cake at almost all our meetings. We often join in with events held by the more traditional churches in town and our meetings are open to anybody who wants to come. This means that people from all faiths or none have engaged with us over the years with interesting results.

I appreciate many of the beautiful church buildings in the UK, but I'm heartily glad that in more and more places the churches are getting out of the buildings and into the community.

I've always thought that if you needed peace and quiet you should be able to create that for yourself simply by being quiet yourself and ignoring whatever is going on around you. It shouldn't be something imposed on you, because some people will just be thinking about their shopping list, or trying to signal something to the person next to them without anyone noticing.

Having said that a lot of people started turning up ten minutes later ?

I moved from that parish two years ago Vicki, I so hope to attend the church in this parish this year when I can get out and about again.

Lazigirl, that’s funny. The social aspect is so important but spending a few minutes in contemplation when you enter a church is not so bad. Our old minister insisted on silence for 15 mins before he walked in to do his sermon. People eventually said they felt happier as it gave them time to reflect and think about why they were there.

Annibach, sounds lovely. I hope you get a lot out of both Services, I’m sure you must do.

The social aspect of the church is very important to many people as it gives them a sense of belonging. There is good evidence that churchgoers live longer, perhaps because of this. When asked. why I didn't attend our local church I replied that I didn't believe in God. That's not a problem was the reply, probably half the congregation don't either!

Elegran, I agree with you. I am in total acceptance of the social aspect and friendships formed within church groups and meetings. My point concerns the actual minutes before the Bishop, pastor, minister, priest, whatever title bestowed, walks into the service,often to the same hubbub as if it was a night at the theatre. To me walking into church is a time for quiet reflection and to listen to the music,whilst taking in the spirituality of the occasion. The chatting and catching up can wait for an hour or so until the sermon has ended.

A parish church here as got it right, in my opinion, services which are very ‘book of common prayer ‘ and family services where there is laughter and guitar playing followed by coffee and biscuits.

I have no problem with the tea and cakes; I just struggle with the investments and the vestments!

Do you think that Christ would agree with you, Vicky? The Christ who fraternised with publicans and sinners and turned water into wine when the booze ran out at a wedding he was at? All those lonely people who go nowhere except to church on Sunday, should they sit in silence and not join their friends in a cuppa and a chat afterwards? Should no-one enjoy their visit to God's house? "Rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven!"

(I am not sure I will get any reward in heaven, as I can't claim a lot of true belief, but I don't think that God (if he exists) expects us always to be solemn in his presence.