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.
What do you think the closure of a congregation teaches Christians about resurrection?
Lorrin: The closure of a congregation reminds us that grief and loss are real, but they are not the end of the Christian story. When a congregation closes, a particular ministry ends, but the church lives on. Those who are involved with that ministry go on to find new ways of serving God and being church together. For Christians, this is a reminder that while the pain, grief, and loss are very real, just as they were on Good Friday for followers of Jesus, the joy of resurrection can be found in the new life that happens when faithful followers of Jesus find new communities of faith and are able to live into their giftedness in new ways.
Sara: There are so many glimpses of resurrection in congregational closure, if we allow ourselves to be people of the resurrection. Jesus did not die to save church buildings, and the Spirit is not limited by bylaws! Sometimes in congregational ministry we equate “resurrection” with “trying a new program” without letting things die first. In order for new life to begin, there has to be an ending, and the work of resurrection can only be done after death. What are churches called to completely let go of, so that resurrection can occur?
Where have you seen glimpses of resurrection since the closure of your congregation?
Lorrin: I’ve had the incredible privilege of walking with two congregations through their closures. It was hard and holy work and I have seen God at work in the people I served, in their grief, their love, and their faithfulness through hard things. Resurrection has been evident as I’ve watched folks connect to new faith communities and thrive as they serve Jesus in new ways not possible in their former congregations. I’ve watched kids enter youth groups and connect with others their own age. I’ve seen little kids grow up to be faithful followers of Jesus in their own ways, and adults who were tired of working as hard as they could to keep the lights on and the lawn mowed gain new life as they were freed for service in other ways.
Resurrection for one congregation looks like their monthly gathering at the community center, where they sing together and pray for one another, catch up on life, remember the past, and bring food for the local pantry as a way of serving.
Sara: It has been a joy to see church members actively engage in other congregations. Before we closed, I connected them with like-minded congregations in the area, so they could have a starting point in their visiting. They were welcomed and included, and it was a great reminder to me that we are One Body of Christ.
Before closing, the congregation also gave many of our sacred items to a Spanish-speaking congregation that was being planted in the area, and the financial resources that remained were dispersed to denominational organizations we loved. So I know that the legacy of that church is continuing, not just through the spiritual work, but through the tangible resources as well!
What would you want to tell pastors who are nearing congregational closure?
Lorrin: If you’re a pastor who is walking with a congregation through discernment about what is next or you are leading the journey through the grief and loss of closure, I want you to know you are doing holy and hard work. It’s likely that you’ll face accusations of unfaithfulness, people may question your authority, your call, or your ability to serve, but know that God has called you and gifted you, and you are the right person to walk with your community right now, and I am praying for you.
I also want you to know that you aren’t alone - others of us have walked this road before and are happy to accompany you on the journey - that’s what we at The Good Friday Collaborative do. I know I wished for someone to walk alongside me as I served - someone to hear the pain when people called me stupid or took out their anger by destroying my possessions. I just wanted someone to see and witness the grief of these people, and to tell me that it wasn’t my fault and I wasn’t alone. And so I hope that you, if you find yourself on this journey know that you aren’t alone in this hard and holy work - that God is with you, and that we can support you too.
Sara: You are not alone! It can feel lonely, and sometimes it’s easy to second-guess yourself or your own faith. You are not giving up on the Church, and this is not a failure. Many of us have walked this road, and just as God was with Jesus at his death on Good Friday, so is God with us now.
To work with Lorrin, Sara, and the rest of the Good Friday Collaborative, contact us for a free conversation. Wherever you are on your journey, resurrection is coming!
