and , finally , to the dissolving and merging of congregations , some centuries old .
In Reading , between 1980 and 2010 , the number of evangelical Lutherans decreased by 20,000 members , and United Church of Christ membership dropped by nearly 16,000 . After the 1950s , white families moved to the suburbs at a high rate , and those who continued to come back to the city to worship were frustrated by parking and other logistical issues . Additionally , as congregants aged , the steps and staircases of old churches made them inaccessible and depleted church finances as expensive investments were made in elevators and other ADA-compliant infrastructure .
The changing demographics in the city also played an important factor in the evolving landscape of sacred places . From 2000 to 2020 , Reading ’ s Hispanic population grew from 37 % to about 67 % according to US Census data . Denominational membership shifted with those demographics . Of the historically significant church buildings the interns surveyed , 23 % founded by non-Hispanic white congregations are now home to a primarily Hispanic congregation , and many other historic congregations now hold bilingual services .
The interns also discovered that most people who regularly visited the church buildings were not attending a service . They were there for childcare , food distribution , club meetings , and other social services . With declining numbers of congregants , some churches became hubs of community activities unrelated to worship . Several churches commented that while higher attendance at weekly service was healthy , the churches ’ missions were focused on helping the community first . New Journey United Methodist Church , for example , did not have the numbers to continue religious services , so it disbanded and created a nonprofit organization called New Journey Community Outreach to continue serving those experiencing food insecurity and homelessness within the city . There have been a handful of churches that are no longer offering worship at all : they have either closed completely or been repurposed as wedding and event venues or social service agencies .
When the Community Foundation surveyed congregations on the help it could provide , many said the foundation could offer resources for sacred places , such as guidance on how to create partnerships , find funding , and become ADA compliant . Many congregations have
vision but need help to move toward that vision .
The Community Foundation aims to provide that help by partnering again with Partners for Sacred Spaces in 2024 to host the New Dollars / New Partners training program . Several churches — spanning denominations , locations , sizes , and missions — will focus on building capacity so they can better serve their communities as anchor institutions . It is the hope of the foundation that Berks County will be home to these historic sacred buildings and the important community programs they nurture for many more years .
Emily Smedley is the Environment and Energy Program Officer at Berks County Community Foundation . Heidi Williamson is a Principal at FlyAway Ink Creative .
Organ at St . John ’ s German Lutheran Church , top . Interior of Olivet Reformed United Church of Christ , above .
Opposite page : Interior of Grace Lutheran Church , top right . Exterior of Life Church Reading , bottom left .
20 SACRED PLACES • SUMMER 2024