Thoughts about church unity

The leader of the Methodist Church in the United Kingdom has indicated a willingness for the Methodist Church “to go out of business,” reuniting with the Church of England for the sake of the Kingdom (“Methodist Church in UK to go out of existence?” Episcopal Café, February 12, 2010). Of course, the Methodist Church in Great Britain has experienced years of steep numerical decline. The number of congregations has declined from 14,000 in 1932 to 6,000 in 2007 (Ruth Gledhill, “Thousands of churches face closure in ten years,” Times Online, February 10, 2007). Membership in those congregations totals approximately 265,000. Merger with the Church of England appears increasingly likely (Martin Beckford, “Methodists likely to merge with Church of England,” Telegraph, February 12, 2010).

Mainline Churches in the United States are experiencing declining attendance. Regrettably, few, if any, of the mainline Churches will follow the lead of the British Methodists in proposing their own dissolution. The twentieth century ecumenical movement foundered on proposals of structural reunification. People are loathe to surrender organizational power and prerogatives, even when the likely benefit is better stewardship of the resources people have given to do God's work.

On a less macro level, few individual congregations voluntarily decide to close their doors even when they spend virtually all of the time, talent, and treasure given to the congregation on simply maintaining the physical plant and sustaining ministries directed to meeting the needs of the remaining handful of members. Surely, these congregations would do more for God and their members by merging with a neighboring congregation, regardless of whether that congregation has the same denominational affiliation.

Church is about building God's kingdom, not perpetuating a comfy ecclesiastical fellowship for the few. With Sunday attendance in about half of all Episcopal congregations averaging 65 or fewer, the members, clergy, and chief pastors (Bishops) for many of those congregations should consider closing the doors, selling the property, and finding better, more efficient and effective ways to serve God.