COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KOAA) — Once filled with the sounds of praise and community, Payne Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church now faces a quieter reality. As the oldest African American church in Colorado Springs, it has stood as a spiritual anchor for more than 150 years.
However, Senior Pastor Charles Wright told News5 the changes in attendance have been "extremely concerning" over the past five years.
“There are literally cases of 35% to greater than 50% decline from what it used to be,” he said. “Typically, we have maybe five to seven children in regular attendance, but it varies. The vast majority of our population is seniors. We’re aging out of a denomination entirely, and that’s not uncommon for most churches.”
Declining church attendance isn’t a problem exclusive to Payne Chapel AME in Colorado Springs.
A 2025 Gallup poll found that the number of young adults with no religious affiliation now nearly matches the number of Americans who identify as Protestant, which is the country’s largest religious subgroup.
54% of Gen Z Americans identify as Christian, and 34% of Gen Z identify as non-religious, according to Gallup.
Wright believes the reasons for declining attendance are complex but largely reflect cultural shifts.
“The vast majority do not see the relevance of how church fits into their life,” he said. “So instead of actually looking to the church for solutions, we look to the world, social media, and so many other areas because we have access to them now.”
He says reviving attendance starts with reconnecting with younger people and reaching their parents, too.
“In my day and age, we weren’t actually given a choice," Wright said. "Children are only going to be able to go where their parents take them. So it’s not just the case of how to get the children, but reaching those millennials.”
Wright said he understands why people walk away from the church because he once did.
“It was 30 years ago that I was in this community as a young man," Wright recalled. " A very gainfully employed individual that answered His call but did everything in my power to run from it and justified it. I had everything I needed, but it wasn’t until sometime later that I was able to see how immature I really was, and the responsibilities I needed to step into," Wright said.
A mentor brought him back to the church. Now, he's trying to do the same for others: meeting people where they are.
"I must do the works of him that sent me while it is day, for the night cometh when no man can work, John 9:4," Wright recited while connecting his favorite scripture to his current situation. "[My] daddy said it this way, 'Do the very best you can in the here and now because this may be the only opportunity that you have.'"
Those efforts, he said, include live streaming Sunday services and using social media platforms to create faith-based conversations outside the walls of the church.
“It’s necessary. We’ve got to figure out those things," Wright said. "We’ve got to reengage on a greater level with the community. Making a difference by becoming relevant in the lives of young folk. Because if we don’t figure it out, us seniors that are sitting in the pews, will age out to the extent that there’s nobody around to carry on.”
The church still holds regular Sunday services starting at 9:45 a.m., but Wright says the long-term future is still uncertain. Options on the table include merging with other congregations, renting out parts of the church to offset expenses, and expanding outreach and programming.
Despite the uncertainty, Wright remains rooted in scripture as he reads Psalm 107:1 aloud during an interview with KOAA.
“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever," he said.
Whether Payne Chapel’s story continues for another 150 years may depend on how deeply those words resonate with the next generation.
This story was written by KOAA News5 Consumer Reporter Kierra Sam. Have a story? Send an email to Kierra.Sam@koaa.com.
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