General

Rural Churches And Hope

On our recent road trip to Ohio we stopped along a rural US Highway and I took photographs of several old churches. 

Some of you may remember my blog on The Old Church At Freeport.  The churches that I shot on this last trip are located on that same highway. 

What was my fascination with these old churches?  Probably the fact that they have survived in spite of declining members and maintenance money. 

At least two of the churches that I have photographed along that road are no longer in service, one of them being that old church at Freeport.  One of the churches was listed in the regional organization as having only 70 members.  That doesn’t seem like a lot of financial support for maintaining older buildings.  Utilities and insurance on uninsulated frame buildings in a rural area could be outrageously high.  And the fewer members there are to share those expenses the higher cost to each member. 

I doubt converting any of these churches into other uses would be successful because of their location.  There doesn’t seem to be enough of a customer base for shops, restaurants or multi-family dwellings among these farms and country homes. 

Yet, somehow, these churches survive.  For the most part these churches are maintained.  Worn out shingles have been replaced with metal roofs. You know the utilities are hooked up when you see those electric candles light up in the windows at dusk.  

Those signs of maintenance spell out hope to me. 

Hope that those churches will survive another decade or more. 

Hope that those members will keep the faith and continue to gather together for worship. 

Hope that the area itself will survive and even thrive. 

Hope.  A powerful force.  A force given to me by the faithful members of those old surviving churches.