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Developing and Preserving Houses of Worship
A new synagogue has been approved for the Orthodox Jewish community in Toms River. Khal Bnei Yisuschur (KBY), located at 1767 Whitesville Road and 186 Jumping Brook Drive, will serve as a shul and a residence for Rabbi Ozer Babad. This is the first synagogue sanctioned since Toms River revised its zoning laws in 2021, reducing the minimum acreage for houses of worship from 10 acres to 2 acres. This approval follows years of zoning challenges and regulatory changes.
In Waterbury, Connecticut the former Sacred Heart church property and four buildings at 13 Wolcott St. has been acquired for $950,000. The purchase includes a 13,791-square-foot church, a 7,858-square-foot rectory, a 33,642-square-foot elementary school, a 12,462-square-foot convent, and 2.5 acres of land. The church building is planned to be used to address homelessness, utilizing its large basement with a kitchen to provide shelter and food for families, especially during winter with proximity to the Greater Waterbury Interfaith Ministries' soup kitchen across the street.
Paces Ferry United Methodist Church, a historic part of the Buckhead neighborhood in Atlanta, was recently saved from closure and potential redevelopment by a group of local investors. Established in 1877 and standing since 1896, the church faced closure in 2023 due to financial struggles and dwindling membership. The church's land, which includes a cemetery and one of Atlanta's oldest trees, was at risk of being sold for redevelopment, sparking concern among the community. The investors aim to maintain the church’s mission.
Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church and Ramona United Methodist Church in California will begin sharing the Methodist Church sanctuary this August. The churches are not merging, they will share the sanctuary and meeting spaces and collaborate on activities like Bible studies, youth ministries, and community service projects. The partnership allows both churches to maintain their denominational identities while sharing resources and ministry efforts.
Affordable Housing Projects
The Hanson Place Community Plaza is now open, next to the Hanson Place Seventh-day Adventist Church in Fort Greene, Brooklyn. The 13-story building offers 104 affordable, mixed-income housing units and 22,000 square feet of community space. The project features sustainable design elements, amenities, and terraces with views. The community space will support healthcare services and local nonprofits and is a collaboration between state government and the faith community.
IMPACCT Brooklyn, in partnership with the New York City Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), offers a way for New Yorkers to receive alerts on upcoming affordable housing projects by signing up for their mailing list. Their latest project transformed an empty parking lot into the 811 Lexington Avenue Senior Residences, providing 64 affordable housing units for seniors.
A proposal to build 44 new workforce housing units at Christ Episcopal Church in Portsmouth, New Hampshire has received an endorsement from the city's Technical Advisory Committee. The project includes a four-story building with 44 affordable units and the renovation of the church's first floor into office space for Haven, an organization dedicated to preventing sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking. The lower level of the church will be converted into a childcare center, and the church will relocate to the existing rectory building on site.
Religious Diversity Across the Globe
The U.S. Religion Census reveals the most religious, and religiously diverse areas in the United States. Catholics are the single-largest religious group across America, present in diverse regions from New England to Hawaii, and from the Rust Belt to South Florida. While Catholics are the most widespread, Protestants collectively outnumber them, but are divided into over 300 denominations. Check out more of the statistics and maps here.
A Pew Research Center survey revealed that many people in East Asia are leaving organized religions at high rates, yet continue to maintain spiritual beliefs. The survey, conducted in Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Vietnam, found significant percentages of adults identifying as having “no religion,” ranging from 27% in Taiwan to 61% in Hong Kong. However, many unaffiliated individuals still believe in God, spirits, and ancestral offerings. The study highlighted that when religion is measured by beliefs and practices rather than affiliation, East Asia appears more spiritually active.
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