Closing Thoughts Resources
Closure and Legacy Ministry Resources
David Schoen, Minister for Church Legacy & Closure, dschoen@ucc.org
UCC Church Building & Loan Fund
BLOGS
Building a Legacy: Learning, Discerning, and Leaning In by Charlie Kuchenbrod
“Innovation Now! Center for Transformational Leadership Newsletter”(This Blog will be referred to throughout the Closing Thoughts
Conversation Series and will be updated over time)
Who is this Series For? When Should Churches Start Thinking About Legacies?
Completing Ministries Faithfully and Well
Affirmation of faith. Does God ever yearn for a church to complete its ministry?
Fruitfulness. Locked up assets; releasing locked up assets
Theology Of Legacy ChurchesVital Signs and Statistics Blogs by David Schoen
Completing a Church’s Mission: the Vital Work of Closure & Legacy
Covid & Church Closures (Part 2)
Stronger Together: Consolidations & Mergers
A Guide for Being Smaller
Scary Stories from Church CemeteriesFor more Church Closure and Legacy blogs in Vital Signs and Statistics – UCC CARDD,
search for Cafferata, Irwin and/or SchoenMinistry of Ending, Chelsey Hillyer from the Young Clergy Women International
UCC RESOURCES
· Facing Your Church’s Uncertain Future: Good Practices for Courageous Conversations & Faithful Decisionsoffers guidelines and resources for discerning, discussing, and making decisions concerning your church’s future, including closure and legacy.
· Living Legacy: Church Closure and Legacy offers narratives, guidelines, inventories, and resources for leaders in congregations considering concluding their ministry and seeding new ministries.
· Necessary Endings: A Manual for Church Closure, Pennsylvania Southeast Conference, UCC
· Protecting Your Vacant Church Property, Insurance Board,
BOOKS
· Toward the Better Country: Church Closure and Resurrection, G. Irwin, Resource Publications, 2014
· Ending with Hope: A Resource for Closing Congregations, B. Gaede, Alban Institute, 2002
· The Last Pastor: Faithfully Steering a Closing Church, G. Cafferata, Westminster John Knox, 2019
ECUMENICAL RESOURCES
· Leaving a Legacy of Mission and Ministry: A resource for the closing of a congregation, Evangelical Lutheran Church of America
· Sacred Stories: Continuing a Congregation’s Legacy of Ministry, Christian Church Foundation, Disciples of Christ
VIDEOS
Videos on Frontline Faith, Online Learning Platform of the UCC
Completing Your Church’s Mission, David Schoen
Ministering in a Closing Church, David Schoen, Rev. Barbara Breland, Rev. Chris Mereschuk
Closing Thoughts with David Schoen, watch for future videos
Videos on Church Building & Loan Fund Vimeo page
The Last Pastor: Faithfully Closing a Church, Gail Cafferata
Ministry in Times of Church Discernment and Closure, Gail Irwin & Jonathan New
Facing Your Church’s Uncertain Future, Quentin Chin & Dave Schoen