It isn’t unheard of for a denomination to mothball a ministry that costs too much to run. While we are uncomfortable at the thought of evaluating the value of a church to its community solely by its financial status, it is often that the dollar bill has as much sway in our church board rooms as God does.
Recently the Vatican made a ruling that ten Boston-area parishes would be closed despite the protests from their parishioners over the past six years. The police may be called in to force an end to the standoff that has had round-the-clock vigils to keep the three of the churches occupied. Altogether the Catholic denomination has closed 66 parishes in the Boston area. Decisions are being made for the neighborhood without taking the needs/desires of the local community.
In other denominations it isn’t the officials who call all the shots when to consolidate their franchise locations. The church that I will visit this weekend merged with one of its smaller sister churches this last year. It was a decision that was made at the local level with the pastors, their boards, and their congregations.
Some of the benefits include
- The dwindling church of 50 members no longer feels the pressure of the mortgage, the pastors’ salaries, and trying to keep the ministry afloat.
- The pastors from the closed church were given roles on staff, and salaries, at the new church.
- The congregation has a similar church to attend, as a group, instead of the members trying to find new churches individually.
- The merged church changed its name so that everyone from both congregations could feel they were part of something new.
Some of the inconveniencies include
- Change is hard.
- Not everyone thought throwing in the towel was the change that was needed. What about a change of leadership? Of vision? Of method? There was a reason that the church had dwindled.
- It’s hard to celebrate “a win,” when what this bailout feels like for some is a loss.
- The neighborhood lost its Pentecostal anchor on the corner.
Have you ever experienced a church merger? What was the outcome for you?
