Down South, we called them "Holy Rollers."* :) Sects that seem to have more of this include Pentecostal and Charismatic congregations.
*I think because of the dancing and swaying while praying and "witnessing."
_Not_ St. Vitus' Dance Maru ;)
We had HRs up north also. A church in one neighborhood had a HR congregation long before I was born. I wouldn't call it sad, but more a shame. There was a nice church building, that basically no one touched for probably 60 years. I doubt anyone knows who owns it, or who did. I just realized that it still has an intact roof and the window and doors are still there. It looked in bad shape 27 years ago.
My mother's church couldn't support a full time clergy person. It has a huge house attached to it with a small yard that has set un occupied for 15 years. There is no way to separate the house and the church, to sell the house. They were built at different times, but the house was built to access the church at multiple points, including the common kitchen They can maintain upkeep on it, it's fully furnished for visiting clergy or for any emergency. (I only know this because of the many times I would help mom out up there. There'd be something going on and they needed a strong back. Heck just a tall person. I'd be carrying a couch and on the other end was a sixty year-old man, probably the youngest person in the flock. All these little old ladies asking why they didn't see me in church more often, during services. I'm too polite to tell them what I think.)
The C. church used to have a K-12 school, so they have a dormitory style house that has twenty some bedrooms. Since the school closed 25 years ago only the priest lives in it.
The two other main places in town, the one sold it's residence because it was a separate building. The other was built as a church/residence all at once, it is one building.
I know of two other houses in town that are former churches turned into homes. One of them is really nice.
Kevin T. - VRWC
Sorry for the trip down memory lane. Back from a bike ride and I'm flush with energy.
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