Finding Hope in Church Closures

My Conversation with Rev. Lorrin Radzik

When I first sat down with Reverend Lorrin Radzik, I knew this conversation was going to be different. We had talked a few weeks prior, but this time, we dove even deeper into one of the toughest aspects of ministry—church closures. Lorrin is someone who has walked through the experience more than once, and her story isn’t just about saying goodbye to a dying church. It’s about finding hope and purpose in the midst of endings.

What struck me most about our conversation was how Lorrin approaches something that could easily feel like failure. Pastors are taught to build up our congregations, to nurture them, to help them grow. But what happens when the opposite is true? What happens when a church’s time comes to an end, and you're the one tasked with leading it through that final chapter? That’s a tough calling, and not one many would want to take on repeatedly.

But Lorrin doesn’t shy away from it. In fact, she’s found a way to see the beauty in those final days. We talked about the idea of a “good death” for churches—the concept that just because a church is closing, doesn’t mean it didn’t fulfill its mission. Sometimes, a church has done all it was meant to do, and it’s time to let go. That’s not failure; that’s completion.

Lorrin shared how one of the churches she served had this daycare ministry that, while well-intentioned and meaningful, wasn’t enough to sustain the church itself. The congregation loved the daycare, and it served the community well, but the church was still in decline. The hard reality was that the finances, the numbers, and the energy weren’t there to keep things going. As painful as it was, she had to lead them through the realization that no amount of duct tape or effort would change that.

What I appreciated most was how Lorrin reframed the situation for the people she served. She helped them see that their church’s legacy didn’t end with the closure. The lives they touched, the ministries they supported, and even the memories they created were part of a legacy that would continue in new and different ways. One thing that stood out was when she talked about members of that closed church still meeting to this day. They’ve formed a small community, still praying and supporting each other outside the walls of a traditional church building.

We also talked about the emotional toll these closures take. It’s not just about numbers and finances; it’s about people’s lives, their histories, and their deep connections to these sacred spaces. Lorrin shared a particularly raw moment when she walked into her office one Sunday morning to find her degrees smashed on the floor and her coffee sabotaged. Someone was angry—angry that their church was closing, angry at Lorrin for being the one to guide them through it. That kind of rage can make you question your calling, but Lorrin held onto her faith and continued loving those people, even when it was hard.

She talked about how resurrection is messy and often unrecognizable, referencing how even Jesus looked different post-resurrection. Lorrin encouraged her congregations to embrace the idea that while their church may close, the resurrection of their ministry could look different, unexpected, and maybe even better than they imagined.

This conversation with Lorrin left me thinking about the broader picture of ministry. Communities are changing, attendance is shrinking, and the old ways of doing things aren’t working anymore. But maybe that’s okay. Maybe it’s time for us to stop clinging to what was and start looking for where new life is springing up. It might not look like we expect. It might mean saying goodbye to beloved buildings and traditions. But if we trust in resurrection, we know that God is still at work—even in the endings.

If you’ve ever been part of a church that’s in decline, or if you’re a pastor facing tough decisions about your congregation’s future, I hope this episode and this conversation with Lorrin will give you some comfort. Endings are hard, but they aren’t the end of the story. Resurrection is coming—it just might look different than we expect.

Thanks for reading, and as always, feel free to share your thoughts in the comments or connect with me on social media. Let’s keep this conversation going.