When a Church Chooses a Faithful Ending
In one of the most interesting conversations I’ve had on The Last Service Podcast, I sat down with Rev. Nancy Dolan to hear the story of Kirk of the Lakes, a small suburban Presbyterian congregation she shepherded through its final chapter. It’s a story full of grief and courage, complexity and compassion. But most of all, it’s a story of God’s presence; not in the growth curves we’ve been trained to chase, but in the quiet, patient discernment that leads a congregation toward a faithful ending.
I went into the interview expecting to learn about the logistics of closing a church: timelines, votes, property questions, denominational procedures. And those things do show up in the conversation. But what stayed with me long after the recording ended were the pastoral instincts, the spiritual posture, and the slow, attentive leadership that made this ending not only possible, but holy.
Here are the three things that stood out most clearly as I listened to Nancy share her journey.
1. The Relentless Pursuit of What God Is Doing
When Nancy stepped into Kirk of the Lakes, the congregation had already survived decades of decline. They had tried to recapture the past. They had tried attractional models. They had held on with determination and fear. By the time Nancy arrived, they’d also had conflicting expectations of her. Some believed she would “save” the church; others believed she had been hired to close it.
But Nancy entered with no agenda except this: “What is God doing here?”
She listened to stories. She visited people in their homes. She paid attention to the energy in the room, the fatigue beneath the surface, and the tender hopes people barely voiced. She created space for prayer, discernment, and honest conversation.
Her posture changed the entire climate of the church. It kept discipleship at the center of every decision. It reminded the congregation that God had not abandoned them. And it prepared them for the possibility that new life might look like ending well, not extending the inevitable.
This relentless pursuit of God’s activity is something I see over and over again in churches that close well. It’s spiritual work first, practical work second.
2. Pastoral Skills Matter More Than Technical Solutions
One of the reasons I wanted Nancy on the podcast is because she embodies something I’m convinced more pastors need to hear:
Church closures are not primarily administrative events. They are pastoral spaces.
Nancy didn’t show up with a five-point revitalization plan. She didn’t start with strategies or spreadsheets. She started with presence.
She:
listened deeply,
honored the congregation’s fears,
acknowledged grief without being consumed by it,
and built trust through authentic relationships.
At one point in the interview she said she had to “park herself” next to the people who were afraid she’d come to shut the church down. That phrase struck me. She didn’t argue. She didn’t defend herself. She didn’t try to convince them to see her differently. She simply stayed with them until they felt heard.
For churches in transition, the leader’s inner life is often more important than any outward plan. Pastors who can be spiritually grounded, curious, and present often shepherd their congregations into endings that are faithful and life-giving, rather than chaotic and traumatic.
3. Start Early, Discernment Takes Time
One theme I’ve been hearing repeatedly as I talk with pastors and church leaders is this:
Starting too late turns closure into a crisis. Starting early turns closure into discernment.
Kirk of the Lakes began looking at their future long before they ran out of money. They had time to explore multiple possibilities: revitalization, relocation, merging, restarting, and finally closure. And because they had time, the decision felt wise, not reactive.
Even when a neighboring high school offered to buy the building they had the spiritual muscle to evaluate not just what they could do, but what they should do.
Because they didn’t rush the process, they were able to recognize that while they had financial resources, they no longer had the human energy for a sustainable ministry. Money alone couldn’t revive a congregation whose people were exhausted from decades of holding on.
By the time the vote came, it was still sad. It was still heavy. But it was not a failure. It was the outcome of faithful discernment.
A Legacy That Lives On
What moved me most was what happened after the decision. The congregation poured its remaining resources into ministries that continue to bless their community:
sensory rooms for kids with special needs,
mental health programs,
food pantries,
a clothing ministry inside the old preschool,
and even the high school using the sanctuary space for the arts.
Members found new church homes. Leaders found rest. And the building itself became a vessel for new life.
Closing a Church Isn’t the End of the Church
After listening to Nancy, I’m more convinced than ever that closures handled with spiritual wisdom, relational care, and theological depth are not losses for the kingdom. They are gifts. They are testimonies. They are seeds planted in the soil of God’s larger mission.
Kirk of the Lakes is no longer meeting on Sunday mornings. But its ministry is alive in the lives of children, families, schools, and congregations across its community.
And that is something worth celebrating.
If you haven’t listened to this episode yet, I hope you will. It’s a gentle reminder that faithful endings are part of the church’s calling and that God is present in every step of the journey.
