In the heart of Gary, Indiana, there stands a decaying monument once dedicated to the glory of God.   The towering, gothic City Methodist Church opened its doors in 1926.  In its day it was the social and cultural hub of the city, with its large church hall hosting plays, musicals and pageants open to all city residents. 

The church was built as a symbol of decency in the heart of a rowdy, irreligious Gary that was less than 20 years old. 

 

The congregation peaked at around 2,000 members during the 1950s, but by the 1970s, City Methodist had fewer than 200 members, and offerings weren’t enough to even pay the utility bills, much less repair the antique organ, leaking roof and failing boilers. Church leaders attempted to find a congregation interested in the structure, but no group wanted to take on the expense of maintaining the enormous church. 

According to Andy Grimm of the Post Tribune, these days “pigeons and stray dogs take shelter within the church. The lone improvement since the 1970s came a few years ago, when the city, which now owns the property, installed a barbed wire fence around the building.”     

Across 6th Street from City Methodist, Gary Housing Authority has begun a $14 million housing development.  Joseph Shuldiner, one of their consultants, is quoted as having said, “We’re building new housing and … having a vacant abandoned building is not conducive to marketing. Rehabilitating the church would take millions.   

“I can’t think of a use for it that would justify the cost.”

These days, two of the most pressing questions for us all to answer are:

“Does our church’s mission to make disciples of Christ for the transformation of the world justify the cost?” 

“What will it take for us to commit ourselves to the task of serving this present age with faithfulness and relevance?”