Why Would Anyone Want To Live In A Church???

I have always wanted to live in a Church.  Many years ago, my Grandmother would to take and arrange flowers at the local Catholic Church for their Masses.  I remember going with her one day, and being spell-bound the first time I ever saw the inside of the Church - it's grandness, the mesmerizing colors in the glass windows, the beckoning stairwells to the choir loft and bell tower. For a 6 year old, it was an amazing place, full of wonder and adventure - even some 30 years later, old Churches still give me a warm feeling, and take me back to my childhood.

Now that I am married, my husband and I have been looking to move away from the city.  I had been scouring the Classifieds for Houses for Sale, when oneday, I came upon a Church for Sale.  I was shocked~!  Why would a Church be for sale I wondered.  Who would want to buy one?  I thought I was the only 'crazy' person who ever had a fleeting thought of living in one. Oh, how wrong I was.  Doing web searches, I found that there are hundreds of Churches for sale, and just as many people wanting to live in them, or renovate them.  I had struck gold~!!

The first time I mentioned to my Husband that there was a lovely little Church for sale, he was convinced that I had finally lost my mind.  When I started to tell him about the popularity of Converted Churches, he still wasn't convinced, and couldn't imagine the interior ever being turned into a comfortable home.  Thus, my challenge began. I was on a mission to convince my Husband that we could find a church and make it a wonderful home.  I began researching and reading everything I could on renovating these wonderful buildings, and making sure I could get as many 'after' interior shots as possible, so that the Husband could understand what I was talking about and envisage my dream.

The good news is that my Huband is not totally against living in a Church anymore, although he has one major stipulation that there are no graveyards on the grounds - I tell him they would be the quietest neighbors we will ever find - he is not always amused with my sense of humor.

I have learnt from talking to people, that there is a difference of opinion on Church conversions.  Some are against the idea of a “House of God” being used for any other purpose.  Personally, I think converting old buildings to a new use is the best way to ensure their survival.  With the decline of Church attendance and demographic changes of recent times, it seems that there are many more vacant Church buildings that will likely fall into disrepair, unless deconsecrated and adapted to a new use, whether it be residential or commercial.  It breaks my heart to see any old building falling into decay.