15,000 Churches Will Close This Year. Each Could Be a Home for Civic Revival

Hollie Russon Gilman and Ryan Eller wrote for The Chronicle of Philanthropy on how churches could revitalize civic life.

Churches can, and should, be civic third places. In a deeply polarized nation, we need more “third places” — gathering spots outside the home and workplace where people connect, converse, and contribute to civic life. Much has been written about the country’s loneliness epidemic and how people feel atomized from one another. Places of worship, especially in rural communities, are uniquely positioned to meet this need.

Central Appalachia shows us what’s possible. From churches hosting food security programs to serving as polling sites or cultural centers, these spaces are being reclaimed as public goods. One church, for example, moved its worship services to an abandoned car dealership and donated its former downtown campus to over 30 community organizations. Another initiative installed solar panels on churches, schools, and grocery stores — projects that spark conversation about sustainability, opportunity, and stewardship.

Repurposed churches aren’t just holding community events; they’re becoming civic infrastructure for democracy.