My original church, Our Lady of the Rosary in Niagara Falls, was sold decades ago to a minister who has since grown his congregation and is rebuilding this church. St. George's on Falls Street was purchased for $70,000 just before Easter Sunday by an Anglican bishop from Canada. Ask anyone in the neighborhood about the work of Joann Lorenzo, and they will immediately recognize her home base at this church. This community outreach is now doing the Lord’s work in a community that needs it most.
Buffalo also has examples of churches, once the center of sacraments, now home to trade skill education. Last year, I toured Assembly 160, a fascinating space where talented woodworking craftsmen mentor young aspiring tradespeople. Buffalo even experimented with converting a church building into a small grade school, which later became the King Urban Life Center, a remarkable operation connecting the community with resources far beyond local opportunities.
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Today, I ask my Western New York faith community to imagine the future of their churches. Could a Buffalo Niagara Hostel be located in Niagara Falls? A small resettlement center in a former school? A reuse home builders' supply store in a gym? A museum of religious artifacts? Reimagined athletic spaces? Engineering offices?
The closing of many places of worship is both a curse and a blessing if a thoughtful transition happens. It is a moment for the laity of each faith community to rise to the challenge and reimagine these spaces for future generations.
Guy Zaczek
Niagara Falls