Non christians and churches. What do you like about them please. ?

[lightand]

Our church[not Church of England] is a rather bland converted building.

We have opened it up[pre covid] on a weekday, and is open to all. We would like to encourage non Christians especially to wander in. Sit? Browse? Think? Pray.

What would you like, or like to think, was in the Church for you? What would you find helpful/useful.

Thanks.

My partner had to come to church with me due to family event but discovered the hidden secret of faith suppers and lots of cake! This also worked for my sister who regularly attended a baby coffee morning at her local chapel as the cake was second to none.

Seriously though, I think the times I've seen non Christians coming into church most successfully is when there is a reason to come in, such as a group, course or event. The door of a church can be a barrier to many. It's an alien environment that people don't know what to expect inside or that it's a place for them. one church my parents were at ran a thrift shop two mornings a week that was really successful, people came for the clothes, then stopped for a tea as people were friendly, eventually they had regulars who came in for the companionship. The door to the main church was left open providing a quiet space.

I agree. Food is actually quite a draw!

*The door of church can be a barrier to many"
This is exactly what we are trying to break.
The building, although bland in itself, has been refurbished, including using the common practice now of having church doors see-through, so that people can at least see inside, even if they dont actually go in.

A thrift shop. That is an idea.

Also, it's useful to look from the outside. I once went to church with my ex mil and sil. They found it a full time job finding me the right place in books and realised there was prayers they just knew off heart. After my ex mil said she was off to speak to the priest as she hadn't realised how off putting it was. I was brought up going to chapel but even I found a different denomination uncomfortable

Yes, this is what I am interested in. How we are perceived and what we should change.I am also aware that we are largely women, though not sure that can be changed overnight.

Our church runs a Shared Table event for the community once a week in normal times (it's still running, but much reduced during covid). We set the main church up with chairs and tables, there is free tea, coffee, biscuits, soup and bread on offer, people to chat to, a small play area for children.
Alongside this, we also have people from various charities who will come in and hold one to one advice sessions if people have issues with housing, immigration.
We also run a community minimarket on the same day, where a local charity sources food for us from supermarkets, markets, manufacturers that is surplus to needs or slightly out of date and would otherwise be destined for the bin. People are able to buy ten items for £1. We can also give out food parcels to people in need of them.
Most of the people who attend are not Christian, but some of them have started coming to services on Sundays.

I agree it’s good to give people a reason to come in, what about a parents & kids morning, a book club/book sale, an art class or just a general coffee & cake morning encouraging people to get to know other people who come in?

Obviously all once things are more back to normal!

Coffee and cake? A place to sit?

Thanks for all the ideas!

Keep them coming!

Honestly? As a non-believer the only interest I have in religious buildings is the history & architecture.

When I had small children I felt uncomfortable going to mum & baby groups held in church halls, not exactly sure why - and many were held in such halls as they are part of the community in small villages. Thinking about it the uncomfortable feeling was usually where the groups were associated with the religion, rather than just in their buildings.
I now (well pre-covid) attend a bridge club in a methodist church hall and until writing this I'd never even thought about the fact, to me it was just where bridge is.

I guess what I'm saying is that I'd access non-religious activities in religious buildings where the building is just the location, but wouldn't want to access religious activities.

I understand that Chasingsquirrels.

Concerts are what get me through the door of a church, that and if it looks old and interesting and I’m on a country walk.

I don’t know whether your acoustics would be right for music, though, from how you describe the building?

I am not sure that they are right either.
Though could probably get a group or two to try them out to find out for sure.
I know with younger people, some join bands and then stay with that church.

Sadly, our building is neither that old nor that interesting. It is however in a village that is walked through and cycled through.

Can I ask WHY you want non-believers to access the space? Genuine, not trying to be goady.

Thinking about the religious spaces I've been in over the last, say, 30 years.

Methodist Hall - for bridge club as mentioned above, and when ds1 was a baby the weekly HV-run post natal group was there.

MIL's funeral, at her church.

Friend of a friend dad's funeral, in a new build church, no idea of denomination.

Church in my mum & dad's village which has an annual "Festival Of Light" in Nov/Dec where village groups, businesses etc put up & decorate a Christmas tree. They have a tombola, mulled wine etc and you can wander round and look at the trees. We used to go most years when the dcs were small & more recently I'll go cos it is a really amazing church building with some fantastic architectural features.

Local Mum & baby club at a local Baptist Hall, which then moved to the village hall.

My cousin's wedding was in church, about 16 years ago.
I can't think of any other church weddings I've been to as an adult.

@Chasingsquirrels. Good question.
This is where I have become a bit muddled.
We decided to open the building mid-week, in the first instance[only opened it a few weeks ago, pre this current lockdown] as a House of Prayer.

But the more I think about it, although that may work for some Christians, I think personally, my heart lies more in the wants and needs of non-Christians. So I am personally a bit torn.

Not sure if it can be done for both, or it should be done for both, or quite what to do.

I do have quite a lot of say on the matter, as we are a small congregation, and they are letting me try things out to see what works best.

I think we need to know what the wants and needs of non-Christians are, as opposed to presuming we know already.

Art

Interesting. And actually something we could do quite easily. Thanks.

I am not artistically minded, but there are plenty of people around here who are. And it would sure liven up the building.

I would second the question about why you want to get non Christians in? You've said you are concerned about the wants and needs of non-Christians, in which case I think you need to look at the needs of the community and then offer your space accordingly. Is there a need for a toddler group/foodbank/yoga space/book swap? If your aim is just to make use of the building to serve your community, then offering what your community actually needs is pretty straight forward, and people will come.

I'm not trying to be goady, but my personal story is that I used to be a Christian, and worked for a church for a while, so spent plenty of time helping at kids clubs and international cafes etc. Overwhelmingly these activities were run with a desire to reach people with "the word", not simply to meet their immediate and material needs. I truly understand that as a Christian you feel a real and heartfelt belief that sharing Jesus IS what people need, but for a non-Christian it can feel very disingenuous and unloving to be someone's project. Now as an agnostic, I'm happy to go into a church for a class or event (it's only a building). But I avoid any situation where I feel someone is just trying to find an opportunity to "reach" me.

I understand GreenBeeSW.
Yes, to reach people with the word, as you put it. But it is more than that. Even if someone never becomes a Christian, which lets face it, is quite likely, somewhere it helps people along the road of life is still something worthwhile to do.

The building wouldnt and isnt pressurised[currently closed because of covid]. It is left open, with no one in it, during the day so people can come and go as they please. The building has to be shut at night for insurance purposes.

I go into churches if I am interested in the historical features of the building or its contents, from a cultural or academic point of view.

There is nothing Christians could do to entice me into a bland, modern church, and I would find it weird and inappropriate if they were to attempt it.

Would you be enticed, as you put it, if you had say, suffered a bereavement?
Might you feel comforted at all?
Just interested, well very interested really, in what would make someone come in.
I dont want to waste anyone's time or money at the church. Other things we could be doing instead if it is all a lame idea.

If I'd suffered a bereavement I'd be seeking comfort from those who know and love me. I'd find it sinister and, again, inappropriate for anyone to take advantage of my vulnerability in grief to try to "entice" me into a belief system that doesn't mean anything to me.

Just leave non-Christians alone. They don't want to be lured in.

That someone takes you on board and welcomes you so you don't have time to feel uncomfortable.

Mainly o go into churches that are beautiful or full of history. Or occasionally if I'm sightseeing somewhere and it starts raining.

If a church isn't old and beautiful then I might go in if it contains information about what's on in the local community, or local history. A door that's open rather than closed helps too.

@GreenBeeSW

I would second the question about why you want to get non Christians in? You've said you are concerned about the wants and needs of non-Christians, in which case I think you need to look at the needs of the community and then offer your space accordingly. Is there a need for a toddler group/foodbank/yoga space/book swap? If your aim is just to make use of the building to serve your community, then offering what your community actually needs is pretty straight forward, and people will come.

I'm not trying to be goady, but my personal story is that I used to be a Christian, and worked for a church for a while, so spent plenty of time helping at kids clubs and international cafes etc. Overwhelmingly these activities were run with a desire to reach people with "the word", not simply to meet their immediate and material needs. I truly understand that as a Christian you feel a real and heartfelt belief that sharing Jesus IS what people need, but for a non-Christian it can feel very disingenuous and unloving to be someone's project. Now as an agnostic, I'm happy to go into a church for a class or event (it's only a building). But I avoid any situation where I feel someone is just trying to find an opportunity to "reach" me.

yes this (also an ex christian) I feel comfortable enough in churches and church halls due to my background but hate it if people see me as someone who needs to be 'witnessed' to. I remember taking DC to various toddler groups in church halls, and I must say, disregarding the cake, I really, really appreciated the older women who would make the tea.

I'm not religious but I am spiritual and love churches. I feel peace in them, a closeness to something bigger than all of us. The feeling of people gathering for the same reason and a coming together which is sadly lacking in communities.