Trevor Miller
Looking at population trends in the area and the national trend away from traditional religious services, area churches will see a continuing decline in numbers.
With an increasingly secular, pluralistic society, churches across Canada are seeing numbers fall. Flin Flon is not immune to this.
Taken with the fact that we have about half the population we did at our peak, there are going to be a lot of large churches with small congregations, just as a matter of demographics.
What seems like the way forward would be further resource sharing and amalgamation to create larger congregations where possible.
Trevor Miller is a local writer and essayist.
Doreen Murray
I anticipate there will be more church closures as the years progress. It is inevitable due to the declining population.
We may not need 14 churches when three or four will do, but the writing is on the wall. For many, turning on the TV and watching The Moment of Truth seems to be all the spiritual guidance they need.
What TV cannot replace is the sense of family that the church provides, or the strength and comfort we seek in a time of crisis. Churches play an integral part in our community and to lose even one is sad.
Doreen Murray is a semi-retired businesswoman.
Ken Mansell
The closure of churches in Flin Flon reflects our dwindling population and probably less interest in belonging to organized religion.
We have seen closure of many of our old gathering places, such as Freedman’s, the original Johnny’s, bowling alley, movie theatres, curling rinks, clinics, The Bay store, lots of small grocers and, of course, churches.
Congregations regretfully must face reality and either close the doors or form partnerships. We now have 14 churches that hold services; that’s probably lots and may decrease more yet. Smaller will likely mean stronger.
Ken Mansell is a retired Flin Flonner.
