The Transformation of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church into Foxtail on the Lake

The Transformation of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church

Lisa Tofano has cherished memories tied to the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church situated on the picturesque Lake Opeka in Des Plaines, Illinois. It was here that she was baptized, confirmed, and ultimately married to her husband, John. However, when they returned to the church last fall, it was not for a religious service but to celebrate their 34th wedding anniversary at its new incarnation: the Foxtail on the Lake, a vibrant restaurant.

The metamorphosis of the once-closed church into a dining establishment was no small feat. It required an extensive 18-month renovation costing around $6 million, which included creating a state-of-the-art 3,000-square-foot kitchen. David Villegas, a managing partner at Foxtail, expressed that he had felt “a bit nervous” prior to the restaurant’s opening in November, particularly regarding how former parishioners would react to this significant change. Yet, for Mrs. Tofano, the essence of a church lies more in the community it fosters than in the structure itself. She remarked, “A church is more about the people than the building.”

The Rise of Vacant Places of Worship

Across the United States, the number of abandoned churches and other houses of worship is alarmingly on the rise. These often architecturally distinctive structures have become attractive prospects for business owners seeking unique venues. Eileen Lindner, a sociologist and Presbyterian minister, who previously served as the editor of the Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches, highlighted a troubling trend: she anticipates that as many as 100,000 Protestant church properties could close by 2030. This figure potentially represents close to 20 percent of all existing Protestant churches, marking a significant increase from the previous decade.

The wave of closures is primarily attributed to a notable decline in church attendance, a trend exacerbated by the Covid pandemic. There’s also a growing disaffection among younger adults towards religious affiliations. This decline has been evident for several decades; in the late 1940s, a robust 76 percent of Americans reported belonging to a church, synagogue, or mosque. However, by 2020, that figure had plummeted to just 47 percent, according to Gallup polling.