Ask someone why a congregation would share its facilities with an outside group or organization, and you may get the answer, “It’s all about the money.” Congregations need operating funds, and rental income is an obvious source of income, correct?

Ever think about the good your congregation does for the community – even when you aren’t trying? Yes, we know that congregations are critical parts of every community’s safety net. As the Boston Globe reported, with thousands of refugees needing assistance, it is often faith communities that organize the food, shelter, clothing, and other assistance that is needed. Those are the obvious ways congregations help.

The landscape of religious and spiritual practice continues to change dramatically in the United States. Not nearly all spiritual gatherings take place in traditional congregations, nor is spiritual care provided only by clergy. The fastest-growing portion of the American religious population is those without religious affiliations, often called the “nones.” As the Pew Research Center has reported, they increased from 16% in 2006 to 28% currently. The impact of this disaffiliation is reflected in declining church attendance, congregation closure, and the renovation of traditional religious buildings into recreational centers, housing, and other community structures. Perhaps you have seen this shift in your congregations and neighborhoods.

Ash Wednesday marks the start of the Christian period of Lent. Christians often receive a sign of the cross in ashes on their forehead and tend to wear that mark with pride throughout the day. It’s generally one day out of the year where the lines between secular society and personal belief are blurred, where people can recognize other Christians in their workplaces, play groups, or gyms.

Nobody really knows how many there are or how much all that real estate is worth, but the buildings owned by religious congregations are a formidable physical presence in virtually every American community. Elsewhere in the world, they are no less present – from grand cathedrals and temples to humble shrines and improvised shelters. People of faith build physical places in which to gather. The National Congregations Study reports that nearly 90% of US congregations meet in buildings they (or their denomination) own.

What happens when religion leaves the congregation? From coffee shops to living rooms, people engage with religious texts, sermons, and traditions wherever they can access them. Religion cannot be confined to a physical space.

As COP 28 opened in Dubai, the international community was called to focus on combatting climate change. Doing so is critical for the sake of those alive today, and also for those born tomorrow. Given that reality, it is important to ask what the role of religious communities might be.