on Congregations( EPIC), Gallup, Pew Research on Religion, and the National Congregations Study. Taken together, they show a long-term restructuring of religious life in the United States: declining participation, smaller congregations, and uneven recovery following the pandemic.
What do these national patterns look like on the ground? On Germantown Avenue, the changes are measurable and uneven. In the original research period, culminating in 2014, the number of congregations along Germantown Avenue ranged between 83 and 93— about 10 faith communities per mile. By 2025 – 2026, only 42 of those congregations remained. Seven buildings now house new congregations, and two entirely new congregations have formed— bringing the total to 51, or 6 per mile, a significant loss.
Uneven Loss, Unequal Impact The losses were unevenly distributed. Those most vulnerable to closure were the smaller, independent congregations, reflecting EPIC’ s 2025 data showing that the smallest congregations experienced the deepest declines between 2020 and 2025. Black congregations rooted in local relational networks were among the most affected. For the communities in which these smaller faith communities were located, their loss represents an erosion of a specific, hyper-local religious life that is not easily replaced.
Other types of congregations had closed as well. A decade ago, there were three megachurches on the Avenue. Two are still very active, but one that had occupied the historic Market Square Presbyterian Church( in the prosperity Gospel tradition of the early 2000s) closed and moved to an affluent community in New Jersey. Two of the eleven historic mainline Protestant churches that served as neighborhood anchors closed, and a third is hanging on, struggling to maintain its imposing 200-year-old structure with a small but hardy faithful remnant of members.
The pandemic was disruptive for congregations on Germantown Avenue, especially for those already at risk. Virtually all congregations lost members and income. Participation patterns also shifted since the original study and the pandemic exacerbated these trends. Dwayne Grannum, chairperson of the board of megachurch New Covenant, noted,“ The numbers are just not the same as they were before the pandemic.” These disruptions forced congregations to confront questions of identity, mission, and for many, their very existence. Clearly, things were changing, prompting us to ask, what is being preserved and transformed? And where does sacred continuity reside on this historic street— in stone, in song, in name, or in gathered body? On Germantown Avenue, religious continuity is not always defined by the sacred places that remain, but can be tied to persistence of practice and relationship.
Adaptation and Renewal Congregations are adaptive and quickly learned new technologies during the pandemic as most pivoted to online worship. Five years after the pandemic shutdown, many maintain hybrid worship, although in-person worship is greatly preferred as relatively few participate online, reflecting the national trends found by EPIC. Those who attend worship in person are much more engaged in the life of the congregation.
Beyond technology, adaptation led some of the oldest congregations on the Avenue to do more than simply survive the pandemic, but also to thrive. New mission projects were started, and new uses of historic sacred buildings were imagined and developed. Those who used the challenging pandemic years not to hibernate but to re-engage their community generated a synergy that carries them forward.
In the earlier study, Germantown Mennonite Church( GMC) had been using part of its space to house a homeless family, but that program was closed during the shutdown. Coming out of the pandemic, GMC decided to focus on young adults in the community. Linking with other congregations, members developed a multi-church youth group, which not only provides much-needed social connections for students who had been isolated, but also monthly serious conversations on sexuality. They linked with a youth theater organization as well. The fellowship hall became rehearsal space and the sanctuary a theater for performances for Yes! And... Collaborative Arts. The building buzzes with the energy that theater uniquely brings through the classes, workshops, and four summer camp sessions for kids from kindergarten through 12th grade. GMC has also formed a partnership with Tikkun Olam Synagogue— which shares space and sometimes worships with GMC. The congregations share values too and have partnered in advocacy for immigrants. The Rev. Jay Bergen of GMC admits that finances are a struggle:“ A constant source of stress, but not panic.” GMC’ s building is getting the attention it needs to shelter its growing programs. The bookends of Germantown Avenue are the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill( PCCH) and Al-Aqsa mosque. Despite the challenges of the intervening years, both remain vital and engaged in their communities.
Al-Aqsa reflects a broader shift along the corridor: the growing Muslim presence within what was once a predominantly Christian religious landscape. There is a new active masjid in a commercial building that once housed a small Evangelical congregation. At another masjid on the Avenue, Germantown Masjid, the imam has developed businesses and housing around the mosque, furthering the community impact that they started during the original study.
PCCH continues to function as a neighborhood anchor in Northwest Philadelphia. Like many mainline Protestant congregations, it has fewer members than it did in 2010. Yet it does not live under a shadow of decline— quite the opposite. Despite challenges posed by leadership transitions and the pandemic, it has expanded its role as a community hub, growing the programs it houses that serve multiple generations, from a preschool program for over 80 children to a wellness center for older adults that attracts 150 to200 seniors each week for a highly diverse offering of classes and experiences. The Rev. Ellen Hensle of PCCH described the congregation as being in“ a time of life and liveliness.” Now is a time“ of dreaming and planning,” she said, to improve sacred places so that they can“ continue to be a place of connecting every day of the week, as God wills for all people.”
Taken together, the mosques, Germantown Mennonite, and the Presbyterian Church of Chestnut Hill illustrate a broader pattern on the Avenue: religious presence is more than just the numbers of worship attendees. It appears in adaptation, expanded community engagement, and increasing religious diversity.
SACRED PLACES • SUMMER 2026 13