Reframing the Conversation about Church Endings
How can we reframe our conversations about closing, merging, changing, or doing church “differently"? Rev. Libby Howe frames change — even hard change — through the lens of hope and holy imagination.
The Stained Glass Cliff
Who falls off the “stained-glass cliff” when leading a dying church? When young, new or female clergy take over a struggling congregation, they often face the exhausting task of closing the church.
Resurrection Hope: Church Closure and a Faithful Future
Pastor Lorrin Radzik preaches resurrection — even after closing two churches. For courageous leaders, death is not the end of our story.
When Christmas isn’t Joyful
That Advent wasn't joyful. There would be no new ornament for the Christmas Tree --- until we saw THE BIRD.
A Sending, Not an Ending: Pentecost and Church Closure
Church closure is not the end of the Spirit’s work in a community. Good Friday Collaboration co-Founder Chelsey Hillyer remembers Pentecost as a sending, not an ending.
Rebirth through Church Merger
Can struggling churches experience new life? Diane Kenaston remembers her baptism — and a rebirth through church merger.
Struggling Churches
It’s tricky to talk about struggling churches. We need to both name reality and reflect God’s continued presence. These faith communities are doing their best to follow God into an uncertain future.
We are searching for terms that are both accurate and neutral. So what should we say?
Resurrection in Closing Congregations
Good Friday Collaborative was born out of a desire to offer support and insight to clergy and congregations in the process of closure. Our name points to the reminder that all resurrection requires death, and that death is not to be avoided at all costs.
And at the same time, we are people of the resurrection! Two of our collaborators led their congregations’ final services on Easter Sunday, and offer reflections on what that was like for them.
Lent, Lasts, & Other Holy Things
Can last things be holy? What can we learn as we navigate last things and encounter scripture anew?
Dying Churches
Is it possible to say “Dying Church” and “Congregational Hospice” without stigma? Unfortunately, those phrases are rarely used that way. Fear transforms “dying” and “hospice” from neutral descriptors to stigmatized terms.
Becoming Dust: Ash Wednesday in Dying (and Thriving) Congregations
In a culture consumed with prolonging youth and liveliness, even the word “death” is taboo, as we have been taught to defer to euphemisms that might avoid the discomfort of that reality. Yet no matter how much we cling to signs of life, death is just around the corner., which is why it is so incredibly vital to name:
I will die. You will die. We will die.
Closing Churches: What (Not) to Say
I wasn't sure what to say and what not to say. All I knew was that I felt punched in the gut when a denominational official told me that my beloved church had “Failed.”
Celebrating Advent as a Closing Congregation
When a congregation is about to close, here are some DOs and DON’Ts for your last Advent.
So You Think Your Church Might Close?
Good Friday Collaborative’s Diane Kenaston offers 10 practical actions any leader can take if you think your church might close.
Asking for a Friend…The “Bigger Picture” of Church Closure
In this installment of the Good Friday Collaborative’s advice column “Asking for a Friend…” Jay in the UK asks about the bigger picture of church closure.
A Prayer for Remembering Saint Congregations
This All Saints Day prayer from the Good Friday Collaborative recognizes "saint congregations," legacy churches that have closed, merged, or concluded visible ministry.
Remembering Saint Congregations on All Saints Day
This year, as we remember individual saints on All Saints Day, we at Good Friday Collaborative invite you to join us in remembering saint congregations: Those communities that have made room for you to experience love, to find formation, and to build relationships with those who taught you what it meant to be a person of faith. Even if the church no longer worships together. Perhaps especially, then. Every good work accomplished through those congregations continues to live in you.
Denominational Resources for Closing and Merging Churches
Denominational resources for church closure and merger include congregationalist and centralized polities. Read more from Baptist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Methodist, Presbyterian, Unitarian, Reformed, Anglican, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), United Church of Christ, Catholic, Quaker, and uniting churches.
Church Closure in Five Stages
As we at Good Friday Collaborative resource clergy and churches who are concluding ministry, we have noticed five distinct Stages of ministry endings that most communities move through. While every church has their own unique story and process of ending, these general Stages can help make sense of the natural work of endings.
Asking for a Friend…Call for Questions!
Have a question about church closure or merger? Submit your anonymous question to Good Friday Collaborative's holy closure advice column, "Asking for a Friend!" Our church closure experts will respond via our blog and newsletter.