We've got a neighboring town called Falls Church. In Falls Church is a church called The Falls Church, and George Washington apparently attended there at times. Well, around a decade ago, the Episcopal Church, which is the denomination that owns The Falls Church, decided that it believes in welcoming everyone, and that includes gays. Gays could be priests, and a few years later could even get married in the church.
There was a backlash, and a legal battle at The Falls Church. It seems that a sizeable group within The Falls Church did not support this new policy, and they wanted to split off of the Episcopal Church and take their historic building with them. The Episcopal Church said "we're sorry to see you go, but you can't have the building" and the courts agreed.
So this congregation of anti-gay Christians raised a bunch of money, and attracted a bunch of like minded individuals, and they built a nearby mega-church. A whole complex really. The complex includes a medical office building next to the church and a big parking garage.
I never thought I would be going to this mega church, but it turns out that my eye doctor moved her office into the new medical building in January, and so my appointment on Monday had me circling around the parking garage looking for a spot, and then entering the The Falls Church Anglican medical building.
I imagine they don't have to pay property taxes on the medical building, because they are a church. That may be the future of churches faced with declining membership. These real estate deals that get around tax laws and allow them an income stream they wouldn't have with a traditional church.
xoxoxoBruce wrote: