Personally, I don't like the idea of calling anything an atheist "church".
I think I understand what you'd like to achieve, and it's a lovely notion.

I will warn you about one thing. If you actually get a brick and mortar
site, you are giving "them" a target.

Good luck.

I suggest you contact the Atheist Community of Austin, in Austin Texas for advice, they have been doing this sort of thing for well over two decades.

Scour the IRS regulations for declaring ‘anything’ a tax exempt religious organization… In a one-time very active Atheist organization in Portland, OR, a guest speaker from the IRS basically described it as impossible for ‘us’ to declare ourselves ‘a church.’ I forget the details, but our fearless leader, an aggressive state / church seperationist Attorney unfortunately had to agree; and the idea had been his..

We ended up with an Atheist Community Center under the formal name of United States Atheists (USA). That worked! Members were married, television shows produced, press conferences given, good deeds done ..and we were ‘tax exempt.’ The problem of declaring Atheism a Religion is the (necessary) contradiction in terms… We should have nothing to do with them. But, on our own - the sky should be the limit!

...but, good luck finding insurance on your headquarters.. As our god-pushing neighbors were known for their threats and propensity to play with fire. Never a serious act, though ~

I think that is a great idea but I'd suggest that you don't call it a church because doing so lends credence to the idea that atheism is a religion, which it is not.

Humans evolved as "herd" animals that formed groups as a strategy for safety. We are instinctually drawn into groups for that reason. When we are a part of a group or community we feel safe and calm.

A sense of community and belonging is the only positive aspects to religion in my opinion.

Imwht a brilliant ideas. I wish you every success. If I lived around the corner and not in Australia I’d be with you shoulder to shoulder.

It’s the most worthwhile project I have heard of for some time.

Atheism is nothing more than lack of belief in any deities; it is not an ideology or broad based belief system so there is in my view practically speaking nothing to cohere a community around. In real life, atheists identify with their families, their hobbies, their political and charitable interests, etc. before they identify with their unbelief in gods, and those identities are quite varied. Indeed, if it weren't for the hegemony of religion in the world, the very concept of atheism would not be particularly useful. We will know we're no longer a theistic society when there are no more people even identifying as atheists, because there's no need to.

Look into Sunday Assemblies, who has already tried this and who aren't doing well.

In my view it would be better to establish a youth / crisis / homeless center open to people of all (or no) faiths and not put the emphasis on atheism. Make it a secular operation that deploys secular and scientific standards of care and operation. That is the real need in the Bible belt -- the absence of public goods that are accessible to all. It would be better for the government to spearhead that but see what you can accomplish on a smaller local scale.

As to building community or communities, do it around substance abuse, homelessness, invisible illnesses, things of that nature that people actually need support around. Perhaps you could have a community of deconverts who support each other in leaving the prevailing local faith. But atheism by itself, in my judgment, won't cut it.

In fact my experience has been that as an unbeliever and introvert what I really need is just some very unambitious, simple, even shallow connections with others. The point is almost more to have face to face contact than what it is about. I play cards with a handful of other old farts at the senior citizens center. Once in awhile I attend charity events or volunteer in some capacity. More rarely we go to activities at a UU congregation that has a lot of atheists in the membership but does not confine itself to atheists.

In other words everything doesn't have to be a "wear your heart on your sleeve" share-fest. It is simple human connection that is the real need.

Sign me up! Except for lack of community, I love where I live. My life is manageable, affordable and convenient. - Signed an atheist in Texas Bible Belt.

I wish you all the best. I live in the Buffalo, NY area, where Center for Inquiry has its international headquarters. We are working to build a sense of community like you are talking about, which many of us miss after leaving religion. Because Buffalo is a decent-sized town, there are already organizations that do the other things.

Don't listen to the haters, either here or in your town or on FB. That's fantastic that you have a like-minded attorney who is helping you! Keep us updated on how it's going.

I did the same thing when our laws only allowed for homeschooling through a church or private tutor with a certified teacher. Easy solution was make my own church.

If you really feel this go for it! Jerry DeWitt does a similar thing in Louisiana and he used to be a Pentecostal preacher. He has preserved the sense of community that so many people need in doing this. I do not know Jerry and never met him, but I listened to many of his talks on You Tube and he was a big influence in me coming out atheist. In general I am against the word "church" for this type of service because it tends to bring atheism back into religious grounds but we all know that "without god" is a simple doctrine to follow. There are no other requirements.

I see now, how people have come to think of atheism as a religion. We hates it.

your opinion dude, I don't buy it. Sense of community? Haven't you heard that birds of a feather flock together? The brainwashed get together to do shitty stuff under the guise of helping. Spare me from communities like that! Here's a thought, forget the churches, there are plenty of secular organizations that help the needy, volunteer there and really help.

First off, try to resist calling it anything that can be remotely associated with religions/churches, it gives it that wee religious stench in my opinion.
Maybe try something akin to " Assemblage of Free-Thinkers" instead.

...be hung? I too reside in the Bible Belt, Covington, Ga to be exact. I have never had any real problem with being a publically known Atheist? In fact, I have found a few closet Atheists who don't publicize their lack of religion because of family issues. Of course, I have had lots of people want to convert me. But they do see how I agree with them on many basic issues (even though I am a stout, true Independent Progressive Centrist, and not a Republican), I don't try to convert them, I do know the Bible (hence why I am an Atheist), I give to non-christian charities, and I support their right to personally believe.

As a person who was an Atheist long before it was "cool" and accepted, I know there are a lot of new Atheists who still feel they need a church. Organizing the old school Atheists is like herding cats, we are too used to being independent and find the idea of going to a church unappealing.

Check with the IRS as to what status you need to apply for tax-wise. Follow their rules To The Letter!!!
Check with your state & local zoning officials, inmost places there are lots & lots of rules as to "guests" in your home, parking, etc.....never enforced unless neighbors complain........ also after you get in compliance with all of the above, talk to your homeowners/renters insurance people....they will need to write a completely different policy! And consulting an attorney would be prudent as well.

Good luck. I feel fortunate to be able to stay in my small town church community as a nonbeliever, but I know most churches are not so tolerant. I think in most rural communities the "unchurched" hardly have any support group at all.

Kudos! FFRF might have some ideas. It's probably a tribal thing - the idea of community somehow being exclusive to the religious. It also surprises me the churches with all their thoughts and prayers . . . . well, we'll leave that rant for another day.
You have tax exempt stasis? Hope and help does not need to be tied to a church or belief, it helps with marketing but if the need is there it will be welcomed.

“Atheist minister”....”Ordained”....on what atheist site? Are you talking about Humanism or Atheism?

I think you’re right in that a church serves as a community centre as much as anything. I’m a former United Church member (Methodist in the U S I believe.). I was always a sceptic but urnestly wanted to ‘see the light’. We lived in a farming community where the church was the only game in town. We raised our three children making them attend until they were old enough to think about the teachings for themselves. I was seriously losing interest. Our church split over the ordination of gay ministers. Many of the more devout left for the Baptist Church. They were ready anyhow because they weren’t too keen on women ministers either. But my wife enjoyed the other young mothers. It was catching up on family news and comparing children and singing that seemed to keep them in it. If the minister was kind and friendly with some good life lessons to share that was good enough for them. As for the men they weren’t coming out the same. There was Sunday men’s hockey and stouph like that. Seems more men were doing their community work through organizations like Shriners, etc. People just weren’t buying the ‘dogma’ anymore except those still on a spiritual quest or more receptive of magic and make believe. Those that wouldn’t question the Bible.

Yes we need to learn with the milenar experience of churches to create community.
In US I know there are many secular organizations that have experience providing those services, they can help you instead of starting something from scratch

You might want to check out the local Unitarian Universalist meeting house, as they're already a well established entity doing much of what your goals are.

I was ordained by the ULC in September 1969 on my birthday. It cost one dollar in Modesto California with Reverend Hensley, the founded of the ULC!

They have helped With the establishment of many churches using the tax code information they supplied at the time!

The IRS did not interfere if you followed the tax guidelines and membership required, some states have additional legal requirements!

Since the ULC has fracture into two identities, I have just not kept up!

Seems all you need is a letter of good standing from the ULC and ordained by them to be legal as minister, priest, guru, or any title they support,

Universal Life Church has an online present on their web page!

The Original church:

[ulc.org]

The other church:

[themonastery.org]

Both seem viable.

I have married a over fifty couples in the last fifty years.
My last was in Winton California in 2016.

By the way I am not religious in any form or fashion!!!