Winnipeg church explores ways to stay alive as congregation shrinks

Every few months Kristen Stoezel gets the chance to mix things up and get messy with religion.

The millennial mom takes her young son, Louis, to "messy church" at the Crescent Fort Rouge United Church (CFRUC). On those Saturday afternoons families from the congregation do crafts, share a meal and talk about Christian teachings.

"It's a great time to get my kids out of the house," Stoezel said.

"I see it as an extra activity rather than replacing church. Although, I have to say, sometimes when we come on the Saturday we don't come on the Sunday morning."

Messy church is just one tool the CFRUC is using to stay alive while congregations across the country shrink.

According to a 2015 Angus Reid poll, about 26 per cent of Canadians surveyed rejected religion, 44 per cent were undecided about their beliefs and only 30 per cent embraced religion. 

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Forging a PATH

CFRUC Minister Irene Greenwood said the number of regular church-goers has been shrinking for years, which means so has the funds they use to keep their large building operational.

Rather than surrender to these factors, the CFRUC created a PATH — the Planning and Transformation Hub.

"It started a number of years ago when we began to realize our numbers were dwindling and our building was going to need much repair," Greenwood said. "We needed to decide if there's a way forward or if we need to have an exit plan for this building."

​Last year PATH held focus groups with their congregation. In the resulting report, members suggested creating a community kitchen, repurposing rooms for things like drop-in medical services and providing low-income housing.

PATH is in the middle of their second phase which focuses on their youth group and reaching out to the surrounding arts community.

'Commitment to shifting community'

Stoezel said she hopes their efforts can keep the community coming into the church.

"I've been coming here since I was born and my dad started coming here when he moved to Canada in 1957. I would be really sad to see this church go," Stoezel said. 

Greenwood said no matter what happens to the physical building, she has hope for her community.

"If we have a commitment to shifting our community, we can be strong," she said.

"Whether we've got the will to do that and the energy to do that still remains to be seen."