WHEN SOMEONE IS dying, most of us know how to offer support. We don’t question their treatment choices. We bring them meals and rake their leaves and shovel their sidewalks. When a congregation closes—or dies—such acts of kindness are no less important. As a Lutheran interim pastor who has led two congregations to “holy closure,” I offer some suggestions for how to accompany a congregation as it ends.
Don’t make a decision to close more difficult by questioning it. A closing congregation has likely tried all the stewardship programs, read all the church-growth books, and revamped its outreach program a hundred times. For any number of reasons, none of those worked. Members feel as though they have failed in mission for God. What they need from the wider church is compassion and a reminder that Christians are people of resurrection who believe that life can spring from death. In fact, sometimes something needs to die so that something else can be birthed in its place. They will struggle to believe that, and you can remind them as often as they need to hear it that closure can be a faithful choice.
Be a good neighbor. The practical and legal details of closing a congregation are endless—and they come at a time when members are emotionally spent and grief-stricken. What a lovely opportunity for a nearby congregation to offer to pack up the kitchen or serve the congregation’s final meal. A local colleague can offer to preach to give the pastor a break while she tends to all the extra tasks of closing. A bishop can dedicate a staff member to check in weekly with the leadership team to offer resources and support. When a congregation closes, it’s a loss for the entire church. Showing up to help bear that grief is the body of Christ at its best.
Offer pastoral care to the elders, who are particularly vulnerable in a time of closing. Congregation closures overwhelmingly displace more elders than any other age group. These are the people who, years ago, were the desired demographic: young, with energy and children. But now, when they are frail and tired, they must find a new church home, leave lifelong friends, and have their funerals in a church other than the one they have faithfully stewarded for years. Homebound members, who are not likely to find new churches, are especially vulnerable to being left behind. In consultation with the closing pastor, colleagues can add homebound members to their own visitation rounds. They can agree to officiate funerals for a specified amount of time or until new church homes are found. Churches can provide space for occasional reunions of those who have been scattered by the closure. Our elders carry the church’s history and story in their bones. In tending to their pastoral care needs, the wider church acknowledges and honors their years of faithful service.
If social scientists are correct about the current dramatic decline in traditional U.S. church membership, then we are going to close many more churches in the future. We would do well to get out in front of this reality, hone our skills of accompaniment, and acknowledge that when a congregation closes—or dies—that loss is shared by the entire church.
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