A Church’s Death and Resurrection - A conversation with Rev. Diane Kenaston of Good Friday Collaborative

On the latest episode of The Last Service Podcast, host Matt McGee is joined by Rev. Diane Kenaston, co-founder of Good Friday Collaborative. Their organization supports churches facing the sacred but painful work of concluding their ministries through closure, merger, consolidation or relocation.

Having personally led a congregation through the merger process, Diane brings a pastor's heart to helping churches find hope in the midst of grief. She shared her story of shepherding a historic St. Louis congregation to complete its existing ministry and birth something new through a merger with another church.

"This was a congregation founded in 1910 as an all-white church in a segregated neighborhood," Diane explained. "Over the decades, they wrestled with what it meant to stay and integrate as the community changed drastically around them."

Faced with dwindling attendance, finances, and exhaustion, church leaders faithfully chose to complete their existing life cycle and merge. But first, Diane guided them through an intentional discernment process and series of "legacy services" to grieve, celebrate, and mark the ending well.  

"We wanted to say thank you, I love you, I'm sorry, and I forgive you," Diane said. "It's the same things individuals need to say before death - congregations need that too before their metaphorical death and resurrection into new life."

Navigating A Closure With Grace

While every congregation's journey is unique, Diane believes most churches go through similar stages when closure becomes apparent. Drawing on her experiences and those of other "last pastors", The Good Friday Collaborative outlines five key stages:

1. The Quiet Wondering stage when uncertainty and anxiety first arise about the church's viability, though often unvoiced.

2. Naming and Normalizing that the church may need to make dramatic changes without shame or stigma. 

3. Intentional Decision-Making to discern the best path forward through a discernment process grounded in prayer.

4. Planning for Final Ministry by tending to logistical and pastoral needs like staff transitions, building sales, archives, etc.  

5. Leading Final Ministry through closing services, celebrating legacy, grieving losses, and sending the church out to new ministry.  

"A good ending allows the congregation to experience God's forgiveness, say thank you, and know the love they share will continue even if this expression doesn't," Diane said. "It looks like resurrection and new beginnings growing from this metaphorical death."

While church closure is inevitably painful, Diane urges clergy and lay leaders to avoid suppressing or rushing the process out of avoidance. Embracing the emotions and marking the ending well can prevent spiritual trauma.  

"God does not give us a spirit of timidity around death," she said. "As Christians who believe in resurrection, we should approach these organizational deaths and new births with courage."

Pastoral Care For "Last Pastors"

Diane and her Good Friday collaborators are particularly passionate about supporting ministers who become "last pastors" to their closing congregations. Research shows these clergy tend to leave parish ministry entirely due to grief, burnout, or "pushout" from judicatory leaders.

"I had a denominational official tell me he refused to celebrate 'failure' and walked out when closing churches were recognized," Diane shared. "We want to change that narrative of church closure from failure to faithfulness."

The collaborative provides coaching, online courses, and other resources to strengthen last pastors' resilience and discernment during the draining work of congregational exodus. They aim to help these ministers grieve well and hear God's call to what's next.

"Churches are going to keep closing - that's inevitable," Diane said. "But resurrection is possible too if we engage this sacred work with wisdom and care for all involved."

For churches finding themselves in those first two stages of quiet wondering and naming, Diane encourages them to explore The Good Friday Collaborative's materials as soon as possible. The further ahead congregations can start preparing for their conclusion, the more options they'll have for ending well.

"It's our calling to help ministries complete in a pastoral way, honoring their legacies while unbinding them for the new things God will birth from this transition," she said. "There is always new life ahead, even amidst this death."