We get it. Talking about church closure is tough. Whether you’re clergy, laity, or an institutional leader, the ending of a ministry isn’t exactly a hot topic of conversation around the ecclesial water cooler. Before you know it, an innocent question about church closure can open the door to conversation about the topics that many of us would rather avoid: church decline, uncertain futures, and even *gasp* the decline of Christianity in America.

But beyond being a little uncomfortable, in certain contexts, talking openly about church closure might feel unsafe. For clergy, talking about closure may have consequences for their job prospects and livelihood. For faith communities, discussing closure may bring up so much anxiety that it distracts from the good work you’re still doing. And for denominational leaders, conversation about closure may be perceived as rocking the boat in systems that already feel precarious.

We at the Good Friday Collaborative believe that talking about the taboo topic of church closure actually makes it a little less frightening. We believe that having a safe space to ask questions about ministry endings is essential for courageous leaders who want to do the work of closing well.

We want to answer your questions!

To that end, we’d like to introduce our blog series “Asking for a Friend…” Think of it as a church closure advice column for all your pressing questions about concluding ministry. Curious about an aspect of ending ministry, but you don’t want to admit you don’t already know the answer? Want to know what someone else has done? Curious about what not to do? Then Ask for a Friend! Send us your tender, touchy, taboo or questions about church closure, and we’ll give you our best Dear Abby response. 

Here’s how it works:

1. You send us your question! Feel free to comment or DM us via the Good Friday Collaborative Facebook Page, email us at goodfridaycollaborative@gmail.com, or, you can even submit anonymously using this form!
   
   

2. We answer the question! Our team will review your question, put together our best thoughts, and post a response on our blog.  No need to worry!  Unless you expressly state otherwise, we’ll never give away any identifying information about the person or ministry that submitted the question.

So, what are you waiting for? Ask your question! Odds are, you aren’t the only one wondering. And we’d love to help.