CINCINNATI — The Crossroads Uptown location in Clifton, housed in the historic Old St. George Church, will no longer function as "a traditional Crossroads site with regular Sunday morning services" after August 6, according to an email sent to church members.
Crossroads has no plans to shut down its operations within the 150-year-old church, however.
Instead, the space will be re-imagined to focus on events and entertainment options like hosting concerts or stand-up shows, the email says.
The re-imagining will "look like big, immersive experiences in the auditorium, weekly ministry events at our building specifically designed for 18-24 year-olds, and a teem freed up to run after them," reads the email.
The email, written by Crossroads founder and senior pastor Brian Tome, cites a need to re-purpose the church's mission within the Clifton community amid shifting generations and their perceptions of the church.
When the Uptown location opened in 2016, Tome says college crowd in the area were millennials, who were more open to church and a traditional Sunday morning model.
"But now, nearly a decade later, an entirely new generation, Gen Z, has arrived and traditional Sunday morning church has proven to not be as effective in reaching them," Tome wrote. "At least nor for those who didn't grow up in a Christian environment."
Those who do prefer weekend services often simply headed the 10 minutes up the road to the larger Oakley location, which is also more equipped with bells and whistles than the historic Old St. George location.
Tome also wrote that "simply walking into a 'church' can be intimidating to our mission field," which sparked a need to re-imagine the Old St. George's space to be more accessible to more people.
The newly imagined Crossroads location will be re-named "The George" and will trade traditional services inside a traditional church structure for a space that aims to be "more enticing for outside bands, comedians and acts to book the facility for an event," Tome wrote.
A spokesperson with Crossroads said the church is working with current employees of the Uptown location to help them find the best places for their talents within the church.
Crossroads acquired the historic Old St. George Church in 2015 and opened the doors to the Uptown location one year later, in 2016.
The church, which was built in 1873, was designed by architect Samuel Hannaford, who also designed City Hall and Music Hall. The attached friary/rectory was added in 1927.
However, in 2008, a large fire broke out within the Old St. George Church; Flames shooting from atop the 190-foot landmark in Clifton Heights could be seen for miles, and many feared that the architectural treasure, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, would be reduced to ruin.
When Crossroads purchased the building, it was long due for a restoration effort and the church obliged; the church's two spires, destroyed in the blaze, were fully replaced with a steel-clad version, fire damage was cleaned and masonry was repaired throughout the building.
