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.

Holy Trinity in Hull is a great example of a church open to all and has a thriving community. It has a lovely cafe, a small museum dedicated to the fishing community and holds all sorts of community events, does tours explaining the history to people and also has leaflets in other languages. It is the heart of the community.

Heres the things my church ran pre covid (as presumably will do again)
Coffee morning- we are attached to a primary school so parents can have a coffee and a chat after drop off.
English class (as a foreign language)
Parent and toddler group
Cubs
Lunch club
Holiday club - we ran this successfully for a couple of years as a fun club based on caring for others, although we did use bible stories as the basis for a couple of activities. Then some of the more evangelical church members got involved, took over and turned it into "holiday bible club" where the focus was spreading the word of God. Numbers dropped and it didn't run again.

Would you be enticed, as you put it, if you had say, suffered a bereavement?
Might you feel comforted at all?
Personally no, when my husband died the thought of going to a church didn't cross my mind.

One of my friends has become a churchgoer since I met her. She wasn't raised as a church goer and when she started being interested she went to a number of find one which suited her.
I just found the whole thing incomprehensible and struggle to imagine any circumstances where I'd "turn to" a church.

I am finding this thread very interesting though.

As an atheist I visit churches for the history and architecture primarily.

Other reasons I have visited a church is for things like tea and cake if it raised money for the community or a charitable event.

I guess for anything primarily non religious.

one of our local churches used to have a cafe, very basic but very cheap food - soup, baked potatoes etc it was one of the few places I could afford to go with several small DC and they were tolerant of our noise and mess (which I always tried to clear up)
what is your community like?
can you ask THEM what they want?
it might be English lessons
it might be yoga for the elderly
it might be debt counselling/welfare rights support

If I went to a church for a secular event like a baby club or a coffee morning raising money for the local play park I would be most off put if someone tried to 'reach me with the word' no matter how pleasant and well meaning they were.
I certainly wouldn't go back.
Our local methodist Chapel is where I go to vote. The one in our nearest town houses homeless people overnight, and I donate to them for that. They do not preach to the people staying there, or to the people donating. If they did I would not donate. Our c of e Church has regular exhibitions - Christmas tree decorating competitions, patchwork quilt exhibitions, themed art exhibitions. All are secular, the church is open and you go in and look, there might be a collection box out for whatever group is exhibiting, or an honesty box for an entrance charge, there's no one meeting and greeting or trying to get you to come on Sunday. I don't object to donating for the upkeep of a historic building. I wouldn't donate for anything to do with preaching.

I am made very uncomfortable by people who feel the need to convert others. Like we'll have some great realisation that what they believe is true. There used to be a local man with very severe mental health problems who would walk around our local town and tell people all about his rock solid belief in dragons and aliens and conspiracies. People talking to me about God and heaven and their religious convictions make me just as uncomfortable as he did, he believed in dragons just as religious people believe in God.

I think if you want to do good for the sake of doing good, and have baby clubs, yoga classes, food banks or whatever your community needs then absolutely that's a good thing. And if you believe you are getting something intangible back in a next life as a result, and that gain is not costing anyone else anything, then that's a good thing.
If you want to lure in unsuspecting non religious people on the pretext of a coffee morning but once they get there you try to press your views on them, however gently or nicely, then that is not a good thing.

Oh and I meant to say, if I suffered a bereavemebt then no, I wouldn't feel comforted at all. And someone telling me that it's all part of God's plan, or that they're in heaven and we'll meet again, or something along those lines would actually be more upsetting than anything. It would feel as though my grief was being invalidated.

Lots of lovely replies!

Fair enough @sadpapercourtesan

@Firefliess. Yes, have started to put up about local activities and history. Do you mean a door obviously physically open, or one that is open if the handle is tried?

@OhioOhioOhio. That is the downside to what we have done so far. Unlikely to be someone there during the day, owing to small congregation, and some of them do not live that locally. Have put the name of the Minister available, but not really the same as what you might prefer.

@LilQueenie. Yes, exactly, what I am trying to do.
Some churches have candles that can be lit, but I am a bit wary of that. Not sure whether I am right to be wary. I think it would be a different matter if someone was there all the time to keep an eye on things. Like fire!

Will come back to reply to some more, later.
Some of them I need to think more about.

Covid vaccination are the thing I think would most likely entice me into a church right now!

And in answer to your question - yes, a door that is physically open is much more enticing than one that's openable if you try the handle. I wouldn't do that unless I was attending an event I was sure was happening, not out of general curiosity.

@MariaAngustias. Sounds lovely just reading it.

@ImNotWhoYouThinkIam. Thank you for those ideas. Interesting what you said about the holiday club. You are echoing what several others are saying about not getting too preachy, or not at all preachy.

@Chasingsquirrels. Totally agree about finding a church that suits. Would urge anyone and everyone to do that. Not to waste time in one that isnt or doesnt feel right for the individual. That is my opinion anyway.

I'm not religious but love a church, I find faith fascinating and the buildings that house it equally so. Older historic churches will draw me in easily. A 'bland converted building' would get me inside with music and art, something that entices form the door. And a cat. Not practical maybe but a cat in a church works a treat. A church near where I used to live also ran craft/flower arranging/christmas decoration classes which were really popular.

Like some previous posters, I'm agnostic and my interest in entering churches is primarily the history and architecture. But a really good choir helps and hearing the Book of Common Prayer services well-spoken for the beautiful liturgy is a pleasure.

Similar reasons to PP.
Really much the same sorts of reason as I'd visit a stately home/NT/English Heritage property. So your church probably wouldn't be of any particular interest, OP

Our local church is heavily involved in the area’s community arts festival each year, which opens it up to hundreds and hundreds of people.

My work (food bank) was based there for a short while over last summer, in a large modern church hall. I loved the sense of peace and stillness - I had a very difficult time earlier in the year and I’d often come in early to be on my own, sit quietly and have a cry. I felt very safe in the space. I ended up speaking to the congregation later in the year (long story) and the whole experience would ultimately make me more likely to either attend church or just engage with the church community somehow.

Rather niche reply, but there you go!

The village church near us is a community hub - food bank, clothing exchange, toddlers, youth groups, community choir. I think there are many people who go who have other faiths (or none), but it's not about the building, it's about the people.

i am an ex christian (now pagan, but still with some christian sympathies), i have a lot of memories around my home church, and occasionally, when i'm feeling very down i will go and sit in the church yard.. if the porch is open, i love sitting in the little covered porch.

Its quiet, and peaceful, and if i'm there, i just want to sit a while with my thoughts, i've gone inside a few times, mostly to reminisce.. the place is a comfort to me... a place of good memories, laughter and love from my teenage years before my life got turned inside out.

What i dislike is being preached at.. i don't mind the staff coming to talk to me after being left to it for a little while, but i find talk of god or faith intrusive, as my faith is very private and personal and i've reached where i am after a lot of thought and questions.. and most aren't very.. understanding of my paganism.

A competition for local photos, and separately children’s drawings has got me inside local churches. I would be frightened of some denominations that seem quite culty from the outside, but visited even these on the annual heritage day. In September you can collect a map at tourist information and visit historic and modern buildings, some with tea and cake...

I was brought up attending church but haven't done so as an adult.

I always make a point of visiting any churches or cathedrals I come across when in a new place for the sense of peace I feel whenever I am in the building. I have been known to visit the nearest city for this specific purpose at times, particularly after a deeply religious friend passed away. I don't know if I would do this locally however as I appreciate the anonymity of a large church away from home; I'd be concerned that locally members of the clergy/congregation would want to engage with me - if I seek to spend time in a church it's for the solitude and opportunity to reflect.

So - not sure if that answers your question OP - I suspect I'm possibly the type of person you're interested in but I don't think the above is really what you were hoping for! Tea and cake wouldn't influence me to visit the church I'm afraid!

@lightand I love looking around churches and graveyards. If the door is open and I am passing a church I've not been in before I would go in for a look. I'm happy to pop some coins in the donation box to go towards the upkeep.

however I dislike religion and especially things like this:

Would you be enticed, as you put it, if you had say, suffered a bereavement?

I feel religions often prey on the vulnerable. It's grim.

The building and the history,

I don't believe in God but I love a stained glass window:

lightand

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

What the hell. You want to use someone’s grief to get them into your church to ‘spread the word.’ Disgusting to be honest.

I'm a "lapsed church-goer" but still appreciate that our local one runs:

Food bank
Baby and toddler groups
Cafe (ours does a repair cafe)
Choir (secular community songs)
Art exhibits
Fairs

I don't think an empty church open "for reflection" would have much of a draw for atheists. Community events or more sociable, altruistic events would be much more attractive, if you're not someone who prays.