Photos: Former churches with better missions

Owners of a former LGBT nightclub in Washington, D.C., announced plans to open a new gay club in the former St. Phillips Baptist Church on North Capitol Street, about a half mile north of the U.S. Capitol. The owners plan to operate it as a nightclub “offering entertainment, DJ, and dancing with snack offerings” along with a sidewalk café.

While in Louisville, FFRF’s Director of Strategic Response Andrew L. Seidel visited the Holy Grale, a former church that is now a bar/restaurant with the slogan, “We worship beer.” Instead of “happy hour,” the bar hosts a “holy hour” with drink and food specials. Its website says: “Once a small Unitarian church built in 1905, Holy Grale is now the intimate setting for congregating over esoteric, worldly beers right in the heart of the Original Highlands in Louisville, Ky.”

Linda Allewalt sent us information on the former Calvary Lutheran Church in Louisville that now houses the Noche Mexican BBQ. Built in the 1920s, the space has sat partially vacant since 2015. High-end apartments were built inside the back section of the church in 2018.

Charles Jones sent us this photo and description: The Public House in Springfield, Ore., is now the summer meeting place for the Eugene Atheist Pub Social Meetup. From the website: “The building at 418 A Street is the former home of First Christian Church before being purchased in 2011 by NEDCO and turned into Sprout, a local food incubator. As that endeavor came to an end, Public House was created so the building could continue to be a gathering space for the community — yet refashioned with an updated personality. Public House is now a hub of food pods, a beer hall, an outdoor bar, and a whiskey bar — continuing to be a family-friendly place to gather.”

Dianne Post sent us this image of a former German Presbyterian church near Muscoda, Wis. The church, which is on the State and National Historic Registry, was built in the 1890s. “It was unique since most Germans were Lutheran, but there was no Lutheran Synod nearby that would accept them, so they became Presbyterian,” Dianne writes. “It ended services in 2002 when the dwindling rural congregation could no longer sustain it. After a bruising eight-year legal battle, the people won and it’s now a community center, meeting place, tourist draw, and has hosted family reunions, weddings and has an annual fall festival. Descendants of the original donors and builders, pastors and members remain involved in the 501(c)(3) organization and its community work.”

FFRF Member Roger France drinks a beer from Local Relic brewery while perusing the menu from Immerse Cuisine, both housed in the former Carter Payne Church in Colorado Springs, Colo. The church was built in the late 1800s.

Dr. Roga Hudson of Colorado informed us of this former church in Rocky Ford, Colo., that now houses a gourmet restaurant, Christine’s. The building was built in 1910 as St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, where all services were held in German until 1960. It closed in 1972. After that, it had been an antique store, funeral home and private “getaway” until 2004, when Mike and Christine Laurent turned it into the restaurant.

The Hotel Colonial, where FFRF Co-President Dan Barker stayed in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico, is a former convent.

Photos: Former churches with better missions

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