It’s not so much gradual population decline that has eroded attendance at Flin Flon area churches.
It’s broader societal trends.
People today feel less connected to past traditions, including organized religion. They have more demands on their time and participate less in structured gatherings.
And if an individual does believe in, and wish to connect to, a divine force, well, attending a Sunday morning service is just one of many ways to do that.
Some residents welcome the decline of the church and its influence, citing what they consider to be outdated beliefs and the propensity of some Bible thumpers to become annoyingly self-righteous.
That’s fine. Those folks are entitled to those viewpoints.
But as we watch our local churches struggle with attendance and uncertain futures, it should be noted that whatever beef you may have with organized religion, these buildings – these groups of citizens – help form the foundation of our community.
When it comes to caring for our most vulnerable residents, churches fill in gaps that no other entity can. Whether it’s providing meals and gifts to the poor at Christmas, or offering the destitute a supportive social structure, churches are so much more than the content of their Sunday sermons.
Having interviewed numerous residents who have endured tragedy, I can tell you that a good percentage of them believe it was their church family, more than anything else, that helped them find the courage to go on.
Churches aren’t perfect. There’s a lot of politics going on behind closed doors, and not everyone in the pews espouses the sort of love and forgiveness you might expect of a churchgoer.
And, yes, it’s true, some religious people seem to think their faith gives them licence to trample over the opinions of others, to behave in whichever way they wish because “all will be forgiven come Sunday.”
But none of that should detract from the valuable social role that churches play in Flin Flon and area – and have played since the birth of our community.
The Reminder covered the struggles of local churches in an extensive September 2014 piece. The article painted a picture that has not changed in the ensuing two years: “Greying faces. Empty seats. Slower-to-fill collection baskets. All speak to an uncertain future for organized religion in a community that has traditionally held faith in high esteem.”
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church and St. Mary’s Ukrainian Orthodox Church are symptomatic of the problem. Since 2011, both churches have closed due to rising costs and dwindling attendance.
Parishioners from a few of the remaining churches have openly wondered what the long-term future holds for their chosen places of worship. No one knows the answer for sure, but it is highly likely that more of our churches will be forced to fold in the coming years.
Let’s hope that when and if that happens, those churches may find ways to amalgamate with other churches, ensuring some strength in numbers for the religious community going forward.
For me, the true value in our churches lies not in the Sunday sermons and hymns, but in the benefits that churches provide to our residents – and the social fabric of our community.
Local Angle is published on Fridays.
