Customer Reviews

Ending with Hope: A Resource for Closing Congregations

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Cultural shifts and increasing financial burdens are placing tremendous pressures on small congregations in North America. While transformation or redevelopment will be possible in some cases, many small churches face the real possibility of closure in their near future. Sadly, there is very little helpful guidance for these churches, their leaders, and their pastors as they confront this reality. This book stands in this breach. It provides insight from pastors, denominational leaders, and in-depth reasearch on how congregations can put closure on the table as a potential HEALTHY option for struggling churches. Instead of seeing closure as defeat, failure, or disgrace the authors in this anthology suggest that closing may, in fact, release a congregation's gifted members, spiritual heritage, and real assests for new ministry and new life for all involved. Highly recommended for congregational leaders or for denominational staff working with congregations facing issues of long-term viability.

This is a great resource for congregations that are closing. It has info for urban and rural settings. The examples are recent and relative. Many good contributors and resources referenced. In this difficult task of closing churches, it is so important to reconcile and offer hope to all involved, that is a huge part of what makes us Christian. This book offers ways to accomplish this. Ending with hope is indeed a goal.

When my congregation started to talk about closing I looked for books to help with the entire process and this is one of two books I found on the topic of "church closure". There is so much that goes into the ministry of Ending With Hope and I am glad the Albin Institute sees that something had to be written to help pastors and lay leaders in this ministry. This book helps through most of the process. Starting with how to go through discernment and vote to some of the emotional and spiritual issues that come up, finding new church homes, selling the building and giving away the assets, merging with another congregation... There are chapters that look at the process from different perspectives: member, pastor and synod. Very helpful. At the very least, it will make you feel like you are not alone and that closing a congregation is sometimes that best way to live out the gospel.

As indicated in the book, the author has given some insight into a very problematic situation in some of our congregations today. It has been suggested to me at a very important time and I find the information very helpful.