Quote from: albrecht on January 20, 2020, 06:08:49 PMYou pretty much nailed it. I grew up with more than half of my midwest childhood church experiences in a basement. Pot luck meals, Sunday school, etc. It wasn't Catholic, so no "funny business" with a priest, though.
It is more a Midwest deal, though happens elsewhere to an extent but maybe no basements. Especially Scandinavian Lutheran churches. It is cold and relatively easy to dig so there are basements. Folks gather for coffee etc in the basement after church. Group meals, fundraisers, cooking classes, social events, youth events, charitable organizing, and even, depending on place, things like AA etc are held there and ladies often hang out there to gossip, cook, and what-not. Sort of the female version of a small town's barber shop for men in the gossip or news regard. Nothing nefarious.
I'm likely explaining it poorly. K_Dubb or others might do it better justice.
