Church attendance post-pandemic? Spirituality/manifestation/crystals/etc.? (live, working)

[carolinebsox]

Hello!
My name is Caroline and I am a journalist with UNC's Media Hub. I'm currently working on a story about decreased church attendance/involvement in organized Christianity. Have you stopped attending church as frequently as you used to? Have you gotten more into alternate forms of spirituality, like manifestation, crystals, etc.? Maybe you know of a local church that is struggling to keep its doors open or keep numbers up. I want to hear from you! Please comment on this post or reach out to me directly if you'd like to chat, either in person or over Zoom.
[email]carobsox@live.unc.edu[/email]

[Tarheelhombre]

What are the largest churches in the Triad by attendance?

[Jowel]

Originally Posted by carolinebsox

Hello!
My name is Caroline and I am a journalist with UNC's Media Hub. I'm currently working on a story about decreased church attendance/involvement in organized Christianity. Have you stopped attending church as frequently as you used to? Have you gotten more into alternate forms of spirituality, like manifestation, crystals, etc.? Maybe you know of a local church that is struggling to keep its doors open or keep numbers up. I want to hear from you! Please comment on this post or reach out to me directly if you'd like to chat, either in person or over Zoom.
carobsox@live.unc.edu

Sure, I'll share what I am willing to.

I haven't attended as frequently as I used to because I am in an area where the churches don't align with my personal beliefs as much as when I lived in a different area. I find some churches have gotten involved in more unsavory political activities that have no place in the church (for example inviting our current Lt. Gov. to these churches to go on political rants and holding beliefs such as theocratic Evangelical Christian Nationalism that are inconsistent with my own beliefs and are hateful towards certain people rather than focusing on how to help our neighbors in need, which can be done through other means, some of them also faith based). The recent split of the United Methodist Church is another example. Some churches that I thought I knew, I no longer know and I feel that they are no longer the same place and spiritual refuge that they once were. That is sad to me, but that is how things are at this time.

I don't even know what "manifestation" is nor do I have any religious connection with crystals. That sounds a bit out there for me, but perhaps it means something to someone.

I hope that you will share where the findings of your research will be posted (and hopefully with no paywalls). Take care.

[UnderTheLiveOaks]

You're putting your thumb on the scale a little by mentioning alternative religious traditions, but not mentioning one of the fastest-growing religious trends in the country: None.

My family stopped attending church for a while during COVID, but have started again. I know a number of people from our church who never started back because they weren't particularly invested in the spiritual aspects of religion anyway. They mostly went for community and tradition, and found they could spend their Sunday mornings in other ways.