The Public Value of Sacred Places : Implications for Judicatories , Government , and Philanthropy
Rural Methodist congregations contribute to the health of their communities . These places merit the recognition , support , and investment of denominational bodies , government , and philanthropy .
Denominational Bodies and Judicatories This study shows that rural United Methodist churches provide critical services , whether they serve a rural , mixed rural , or mixed urban community . Impact is not a function of congregation size . Both large and small UMCs contribute to the health of rural communities across North Carolina . This new understanding has implications for the ways that denomination bodies – in this case , the two United Methodist Conferences – may want to allocate funding and make decisions related to rural congregations . It also has implications for how governments engage congregations and faith-based organizations in the context of community-based initiatives and how philanthropy supports congregations and their work .
North Carolina , unlike most other states , has a robust infrastructure of United Methodist-related organizations and internal capacity-building programs . These support all aspects of the larger UMC ecosystem , from clergy serving rural congregations to organizations helping congregations address key issues and challenges in the community . We hope that all of these organizations will be informed and inspired by the study findings , which underscore the great importance of what they do .
Rural Methodist churches contribute to the health of their communities . These places merit the recognition , support , and investment of denominational bodies , government , and philanthropy .
We also hope church leaders will be better positioned to consider community impact when making decisions about the future of individual congregations . Many congregations across the nation , especially Mainline Protestant congregations , are struggling to stay afloat , and many will not survive the next decade . Rural UMCs are no exception to this challenging trend . The COVID-19 pandemic worsened circumstances for many , which we witnessed firsthand as we met with clergy and lay leadership .
This study also suggests that community impact can serve as an important factor in decision-making about closures and mergers , and reduce the number of closures that handicap communities which can ill afford the loss . Before closing any church , we hope that denominational leaders will consider the following :
• Is this church making a significant impact in its community ?
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