Churches appear to be the latest thing on the real estate market. They make highly sought-after living spaces, especially if someone’s already converted the ecclesiastical into the domestic, property agents say. One Roof editor Owen Vaughan says there will always be a market for quirky spaces with a sense of reverence. Some are converted into Read more
An English organisation says most churches can have a viable future. There are provisos, however. For instance, congregations must be willing to engage with their communities. Sir Paul Britton (pictured), who chairs the grants committee for the National Churches Trust (NCT), says England’s “splendid inheritance of churches is under great threat from dwindling congregations, probably Read more
Members of a Taranaki church are devastated after thieves stole a quarter of the iron they fundraised $28,000 for, before it could be used to fix the leaking roof of their rural church. Continue reading
The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Papua New Guinea and Solomon Islands (CBCPNGSI) opened a new building in Port Moresby last week. The new building has two blocks. ToRot Block (Building A) has a conference room with a capacity of 100 people, 25 workstations and 11 living rooms. Mazzuconi Block (Building B) has a fireproof archive room, Read more
A historic convent building in Newton has found a new life as a bookshop. And another former convent in Grey Lynn has just been sold for $4.1million. Warwick Jordan who runs Hard to Find Bookshop needed a new home for his 90,000 books. His shop was in Onehunga but the building was sold and the new Read more
A number of unused churches in New Zealand are on the market and many will be transformed into homes. Buyers are attracted by the big spaces and the unique architectural features of the buildings. In many cases, the former churches are protected by their heritage status which means they cannot be demolished or significantly altered. Here are Read more
Modern community churches need to be more than places of worship, a visiting American church builder Mel McGowan says. He was in Christchurch last week to assist the Presbyterian Church and Union Churches with its rebuild programme. 10 out of 34 of their congregations in Canterbury have been unable to use their main halls of worship since Read more
From the Johnsonville Uniting Church: During August, Sunday morning worship services have focused on The Word. On 5 August, the focus was on Spirited Conversations. The following is one of the spirited conversations, held between Anna Gilkison and Kathy Stirrat during the service. Introduction (Anna) Church is Wherever God’s People are praising. At the Methodist Read more