Coping with Low Attendance, Large Footprint
The Swedenborgian (Convention) church in San Francisco has attendance problems like many other denominations' churches in the area:
Because its weekly attendance hovers at only about 60, the Swedenborgian Church, an exquisite Arts and Crafts building drafted by noted local architect Bernard Maybeck, supports itself largely as a wedding venue. "It's our bread and butter," says Jackie Guenter, the church's office manager and wedding coordinator, who says that in this less-than-booming economy, it hosts about 50 nuptials a year.
This is from Carol Lloyd's "Its property can become church's saving grace" in the April 24, 2005 San Francisco Chronicle.