The Wired Word for 04262026 - CourtneyR.dev's 2nd Brain

The Wired Word for 04/26/2026 ![rw-book-cover](https://readwise-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/static/images/article3.5c705a01b476.png) 🔗 **Source:** [The Wired Word for 04/26/2026]() > [!note]+ Document Notes > --- > tags: > - #ChurchDecline > - #FinishingWell > - #PracticalTheology > Author: The Wired Word > Source: TheWiredWord_EmailCurriculum > Reference: mailto:reader-forwarded-email/ae4d493aaed97c244cdb17c697822fb4 > date created: {{date:YYYY-MM-DD}} {{time:HH:mm}} > --- > # Title: The Wired Word – Finishing Well in a Time of Church Closures > ## Table of Contents: > - [📝 Summary](#-summary) > - [📖 Main Content](#-main-content) > - [🗒️ Notes](#-notes) > - [🧐 Theological Framework Analysis](#-theological-framework-analysis) > - [🏛️ Historical and Cultural Context](#-historical-and-cultural-context) > - [📜 Scriptural References and Interpretation](#-scriptural-references-and-interpretation) > - [⚖️ Logical and Rhetorical Analysis](#-logical-and-rhetorical-analysis) > - [💡 Practical Theology and Ethics](#-practical-theology-and-ethics) > - [📝 Comparative Analysis & Your Spiritual Background](#-comparative-analysis--your-spiritual-background) > - [🌍 Global and Ecumenical Perspectives](#-global-and-ecumenical-perspectives) > - [🔄 Change Over Time](#-change-over-time) > - [🎯 Author's Goals and Audience](#-authors-goals-and-audience) > - [📖 References](#-references) > - [🗣️ Paraphrase](#-paraphrase) > - [📰 Newsletter](#-newsletter) > - [🧪 Hypotheses](#-hypotheses) > - [📊 Methodology](#-methodology) > - [❓ Questions](#-questions) > - [🔮 Future Research](#-future-research) > - [💡 Implications](#-implications) > - [🧠 Learning Styles Assessment](#-learning-styles-assessment) > - [📊 Accessibility Assessment](#-accessibility-assessment) > - [🌍 DEIB Assessment](#-deib-deib-diversity-equity-inclusion-and-belonging-assessment) > - [✅ Logical Validity](#-logical-validity) > - [🎯 Conclusion](#-conclusion) > --- > ## 📝 Summary: > The piece reflects on the aging and self-chosen dissolution of the Sisters of Charity of New York alongside widespread church closures in the U.S. Using Sister Mary Kay’s story and the biblical concept of *telos* (end/goal), it explores what it means for individuals and congregations to “finish well” — with trust, love, justice, humility, and purposeful closure that fulfills God’s mission even when institutions die. > --- > ## 📖 Main Content: > ### 🗒️ Notes > - **Narrative of the Sisters of Charity** ([NY story](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kpvfwn3vqvg4269awwst88bw?endLexposition=00000_0000D_00002-000l&startLexposition=00000_00000&emphasizeText=Over+the+course+of+209+years%2C+this+order+of+nuns+has+nursed+Civil+War+soldiers)) > - 209-year-old order in New York nearing its end, with no new lasting vocations for ~30 years. > - Historic ministries: Civil War nursing, Titanic survivors, AIDS crisis care, Catholic schools, and founding The Foundling child welfare agency. > - Community now very small (124 sisters, median age 87); many live at Kittay Senior Apartments. > - **Sister Mary Kay as icon of “finishing well”** > - At 87, she maintains a daily rhythm of prayer, silence, Scripture, and “angel card” words like “trust, courage, expansiveness” ([prayer rhythm](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kpvfwn3vqvg4269awwst88bw?endLexposition=00000_0000A_00000-005F&startLexposition=00000_00008&emphasizeText=Mary+Kay+called+this+her+%22listening+post+for+God%22)). > - Lives a ministry of presence: checking on absent sisters, caring for the infirm, “When needed, try to be there.” > - Supports dying sisters like Anna with love, reassurance, and prayerful accompaniment. > - **Decision to dissolve the order** > - In 2023, sisters vote unanimously not to receive new members and to end the order when the last sister dies. > - Initial anger turns to trust; response is worship, singing “Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est” ([dissolution vote](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kpvfwn3vqvg4269awwst88bw?endLexposition=00000_0000D_00002-000l&startLexposition=00000_0000B&emphasizeText=The+Sisters+of+Charity+of+New+York+will+no+longer+accept+new+members)). > - Sisters continue acts of service (e.g., gift bags for migrant children, prayer cards). > - **Wider context: U.S. church closures** > - Axios: ~15,000 churches expected to close in 2025, mostly mainline Protestant and some Southern Baptist ([closure data](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kpvfwn3vqvg4269awwst88bw?endLexposition=00000_0000G_00000-006B&startLexposition=00000_0000E&emphasizeText=According+to+Axios%2C+an+unprecedented+15%2C000+churches+were+expected+to+shut+their+doors+in+2025)). > - Non-denominational megachurches and evangelical forms are gaining influence. > - Closures especially harm rural communities where churches provide aid, childcare, and relief. > - **Key theological theme: *telos* (end/goal)** > - *Telos* can mean end of life, end of era, completion, fulfillment, goal ([definition](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kpvfwn3vqvg4269awwst88bw?endLexposition=00000_0000O_00000_00000-000H&startLexposition=00000_0000H&emphasizeText=It+also+means+%22purpose%2C+aim%2C+goal%2C+culmination%2C+completion%2C+fulfillment%22)). > - Used in Matthew (enduring to the end), John (Jesus loving “to the end”), Romans (end of sin vs. end of sanctification), and Romans 10:4 (*Christ as the culmination of the law*). > - Emphasis on intentional, purposeful endings rather than random collapse. > - **Scripture applications** > - Deuteronomy 31: Moses hands leadership to Joshua, modeling healthy succession and trust in God. > - Matthew 10 & 24: persecution and endurance “to the end” as markers of faithfulness. > - John 13: love “to the end” expressed in footwashing and the new commandment to love. > - Romans 6 & 10: two ends — death as the completion of life in sin; eternal life as completion of life in God; Christ as the goal of the law. > - **Pastoral / congregational guidance** > - “Finishing well” for churches: completing mission, passing on legacy, focusing on holiness and faithfulness rather than survival. > - Edwin Friedman: end-stage functioning of leaders can prolong their message more than prior forceful teaching. > - Henry Cloud: “necessary endings” enable new seasons and futures for members. > - Christopher Steed: small groups, table fellowship, and giving people “significance” and a place in God’s “true story” and “worldwide movement” aid good endings ([ending practices](https://read.readwise.io/read/01kpvfwn3vqvg4269awwst88bw?endLexposition=00000_0000t_00000_00000-0006&startLexposition=00000_0000q&emphasizeText=Christoper+Steed+of+the+London+School+of+Theology+says+that+particular+actions+and+words+can+help+to+make+for+a+good+ending)). > - **Practical reflection questions** > - How to finish well as individuals and congregations. > - How to handle leadership transitions, personal endings, and the grief of closure. > - How to discern when an ending is “necessary” and where God’s goals are still being pursued. > --- > ### 🧐 Theological Framework Analysis > - **Tradition & tone** > - Clearly rooted in **mainline Protestant** / broadly ecumenical Christian adult education. > - Heavy reliance on Scripture, but with pastoral and contextual application rather than dogmatic systematics. > - Emphasis on grace, endurance, communal care, and mission fulfillment over institutional preservation. > - **Core theological issues** > - **Salvation & grace**: classic Pauline framing (freedom from sin, gift of eternal life in Christ). > - **Nature of God**: faithful, accompanying God who is present “in every beginning and every ending,” focused on justice, mercy, and humble walking (Micah 6:8). > - **Ecclesiology**: church as a missional, relational community whose value is in faithfulness, not numerical survival. > - **Doctrinal emphasis** > - Eschatology: low-key, practical; “end” as completion of vocation rather than apocalyptic speculation. > - Strong focus on **sanctification** as fruit-bearing over time. > - Social concern implicit (migrant children, community services, AIDS care) but not framed in culture-war terms. > - **Compared to your background** > - Less overtly charismatic or miraculous; no five-fold or seven mountains language. > - Resonates with your current **UCC/progressive** emphasis on social justice, pastoral care, and institutional honesty. > - More reserved than Bethel/Morningstar in spiritual warfare or prophetic emphasis; more like United Method Dear Class Members, An influential order of nuns in New York has decided to complete its mission when the last sister dies. At the same time, thousands of churches are closing in the United States every year. In response, this installment of *The Wired Word* will focus on what it means to finish well, as individuals and as communities of faith. ![](https://www.thewiredword.com/_img/tww_logo_email.jpg) **Christian Community Makes an Effort to Finish Well** ***The Wired Word*** **for the Week of April 26, 2026** **In the News** An order of nuns called the Sisters of Charity of New York has helped to shape the life of the city for two centuries. Now, it is nearing its end. Many of the order's most infirm nuns live on the ninth floor of the Kittay Senior Apartments, a subsidized housing tower in the Bronx. There, Sister Mary Kay recently watched Sister Anna move toward the end of life. According to *The New York Times*, Mary Kay offered a simple prayer: "Please God, take her home." The ministry and mission of this Christian community has been impressive. Over the course of 209 years, this order of nuns has nursed Civil War soldiers, taken in survivors of the Titanic, tended to gay men during the AIDS crisis, and staffed Catholic schools for generations of working-class families. They opened a child welfare agency called The Foundling in 1869, and it grew into one of the largest in New York. It continues today under leadership outside the order. Unfortunately, the community has diminished in size. No new nuns have entered and stayed in the order for nearly 30 years. Today, only 124 sisters remain, and the median age is 87. They will complete their mission and cease to exist when the last nun dies, and as they move toward the end they are making an effort to finish well. Sister Mary Kay, at age 87, was trying to figure out how to finish a life spent caring for others, and then let go. Waking before dawn, she continued to pray with a friend and then sit with her in 20 minutes of silence. Mary Kay called this her "listening post for God." Then, they would read a psalm or other Scripture, along with a word drawn from a small deck of angel cards: trust, courage, expansiveness. After this, Mary Kay would begin her rounds. A former nurse, she kept her eye on her fellow nuns, noting the ones who did not appear at meals or who had developed tremors in their voices. "When needed, try to be there -- it's as simple as that," she said. "That's how we all were as younger women. It is how I try to be now." One day, Mary Kay stopped to help a sister who was struggling to lift her head. When the sister became afraid, Mary Kay sat with her until it passed. She moved through the day -- tying bibs, straightening blankets, and simply meeting needs as they arose. Melissa Perez, the floor manager at Kittay Senior Apartments, said, "There are a lot of former bosses here. But Mary Kay is in a league of her own." In April 2023, the Sisters of Charity of New York gathered in a hotel ballroom in New Jersey to vote on their dissolution. Sixty years ago, there were 180,000 Catholic nuns in the United States. In the decades since, their numbers have fallen by nearly 80 percent. When Mary Kay joined the order in 1956, it was on its way to 1,400. Now it is less than one-tenth this size. In the ballroom, the leader of the order read a motion: "The Sisters of Charity of New York will no longer accept new members and will complete its mission when the last sister dies." Although Mary Kay had been angry when the proposal was first introduced, she soon realized that trust was her only option. After the order approved the motion unanimously, the nuns began to sing, *Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est* -- "Where charity and love are, God is there." When Sister Anna finally died, Mary Kay told her that she loved her and thanked her for who she was. She said how glad she was that they had met, and then said, "You can let go. Everything is taken care of." Anna breathed her last, and then the nuns prayed a psalm: "Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord." According to *Axios*, an unprecedented 15,000 churches were expected to shut their doors in 2025, far more than the few thousand expected to open. According to political scientist Ryan Burge, mainline Protestant denominations such as the Methodists, Presbyterians and Lutherans represent nearly all the church closings (Southern Baptists have also been hit hard). At the same time, non-denominational megachurches (and evangelical Christianity in general) are increasing their influence on American life. This contraction, which is expected to continue over the next decade, will leave gaps in communities across the country, especially in rural areas. In such places, congregations are often crucial providers of food aid, child care and disaster relief. Churches that manage to survive are struggling to retain full-time pastors, and many are being forced to move to part-time pastors. Back at the Kittay Senior Apartments, 17 sisters recently gathered to fill bags of trinkets and sweets for migrant children. When the bags were filled, the sisters wrote notes to the children. On one card, Mary Kay wrote: "We are praying for you." Later, reflecting on the end of her life, Mary Kay said, "I'm growing. Learning to give up control." For her funeral service, she chose Micah 6:8: "Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God." Then, before going to sleep, she prayed that she would have grace at the end. More on this story can be found at these links: [Will Sister Mary Kay Turn Out the Lights?](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPqI3kVEdvdyLHZ-2Fb2SwRbHWcIaOsao3GDSpN08qodJc46zbc6ynoQ1lq6f-2FC4ngcv-2FYhZIVApyFHid5GJ-2FWijnI2V4rIT6d-2FaxlwezrQQB8B8RglhGIfQ5Rzuu9SWVQsOI-3D3xfK_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64kcvsRJJca7l6jL1gHMV25ba5Z9RY9o3dpOZPec7zsEOdH-2BpFuHcLhbfs8GyMb0xxq6Um9b0HH4hLrn9zUBhZ2pv1UwJyBnQ-2FNyLIfpriOta1tFwVlIjmWqBDjWuatGbu69VOlrq1ZVgcuE8rjjn9cjnZYX3fRqW2RsNBg4XgU7kB4Z9DB1Yl-2F-2B-2BaD9hoDBaiM6wfLtHMBLFHzvP-2BFowoT0-3D) [*The New York Times*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPqI3kVEdvdyLHZ-2Fb2SwRbHWcIaOsao3GDSpN08qodJc46zbc6ynoQ1lq6f-2FC4ngcv-2FYhZIVApyFHid5GJ-2FWijnI2V4rIT6d-2FaxlwezrQQB8B8RglhGIfQ5Rzuu9SWVQsOI-3DWeKv_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64miOXVoUoNR0ZLqtXPt8E-2Bcdt0mr6-2FDbh96UTyeBInn8FP4sSNPxfQjmYQF7BRHGDJIFdti5OKLTd-2Bu7u1S8rynstmqMQx52vR-2BKhSOOQYyHnUSgNz9RTDfzUjkpJqCQSEeEjY-2BOt-2FM2N5cfjPdZG3VbsUWP0oSIvnypn22YpfsjMMDnSRZE5l-2BthL3heyzQ-2FwMovxGmcADC2gfbaHD6A-2F8-3D) [15,000 Churches Could Close This Year Amid Religious Shift in U.S.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPCEz5gWtnjlMcbibx665XYFOdvIaOjd0vhby4J3d8yVLDrwBbRz2I0pLdynvg26Q66MW90oso4-2FqKaJBF6u0jUW8LKywveN8DpkqhDyIbpTU48mU_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64pVDULhG05A-2BAR2tktAz-2FMwH1KIVSm-2BsLPOJTuDNedzPNwt6NMxbY5AASzT4EuH-2FYm-2FI1-2Fj8Jg-2BhwnVTwd1eBDRZ-2FFu1UeQ9wtBY-2BKK0-2BOTX2krYehqAjWeU6T4-2Bxyz6g8HqNFej7ao98h9dtUqI8OU-2FoC7GXPA2uAcv-2FPATWx-2BW2o7BNLYAdAv-2Bunjk2B-2BRmljkmX1nWnoDAxg1bRzw1nI-3D) [*Axios*](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPCEz5gWtnjlMcbibx665XYFOdvIaOjd0vhby4J3d8yVLDrwBbRz2I0pLdynvg26Q66MW90oso4-2FqKaJBF6u0jUW8LKywveN8DpkqhDyIbpTUDdG6_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64jObrwiZnITuy50FSKey1IwcgGvljgCYG7IIctjNZbVvuzxS-2Bg-2Ft1InLh-2B85iczsNkfeoRShtIlHRgFktnuHsvJ30cqVRNm-2Bcn8TkaMd2LVRIFv8QloFaPUgA-2B5Ve8HC-2B49HVIuN0GHpflR3Oww1UiOuTwYxpyG7J-2BUI5FyzF5r6J76fJVtf-2FKiFaWIvTvnR8T9l2yFGp2NlJV2B1pLLUqc-3D) **Applying the News Story** The Bible has a lot to say about finishing well. In the New Testament, the Greek word *telos* means "end," and it can refer to the end of life, the end of the world, or the end of a significant period of life. It also means "purpose, aim, goal, culmination, completion, fulfillment." Use this story of the end of a Christians community to discuss what it means to finish well, by achieving your goals, completing your mission, and fulfilling God's purposes. **The Big Questions** 1. Where do you see communities of faith closing their doors? What is causing this, and what is the effect on individuals? How can such communities finish well? 2. "When needed, try to be there," said Sister Mary Kay at age 87. What does this mean to you, as an individual Christian? How can churches fulfill this calling, even as they diminish in size? 3. What does it mean for a church to complete its mission? How can it do this gracefully? What should come next? In what ways is "ending well" a part of adapting to change in society, communities and culture? 4. When have you faced the end of a job, a relationship or a significant period of life? What goals did you achieve, and what goals did you fail to achieve? How did this ending fulfill God's purposes, if at all? 5. What does it mean to you, personally, to have grace at the end? **Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope**Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion: **Deuteronomy 31:7***Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and bold, for you are the one who will go with this people into the land that the LORD has sworn to their ancestors to give them, and you will put them in possession of it."* (For context, read [Deuteronomy 31:1-8](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzx8vT-2B4JcJ5j8RqGNYnps4kgq8LPP9LPvynC9u2t1aESDOByHb3TG4Z3HRD4xqbR0bO0k1_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64nSP1uKpKKxy4wS4ZUXPPP2wGIICHyzJ8mNM-2FLXm2yjEUIke-2F5WZ2o3-2BvOENjpZb-2BbjOsxoocUKZRWQ-2B98N7Ulm96FyCURapkR7WqpFyWRDUkuimKeTyp9FlIzdM5rgvUYwu-2FUaO2k16uAhtdtUKVRp8y2si1EjEC7MO-2FGjOsKyRsvk876-2Foz-2FIvV9si6jCOOX2s83Nlmbq-2B-2BSs0XKJ1Ni8-3D).) In Deuteronomy 31, the journey of the people of Israel through the wilderness is coming to an end, and they are preparing to enter the Promised Land. On the plains of Moab, Moses says to the people, "I am now one hundred twenty years old. I am no longer able to get about, and the LORD has told me, 'You shall not cross over this Jordan'" (v. 1). As his leadership ends, Moses says that Joshua will be his successor, and that the Lord will give the people victory over the inhabitants of the land. To Joshua, Moses says, "Be strong and bold, for you are the one who will go with this people into the land ..." He assures Joshua, "It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed" (v. 8). Instead of holding on to power and authority, Moses commissions Joshua to be his successor. He says for him to be strong, courageous and fearless, trusting that God will go before him. > **Questions:** When, if ever, have you ended a period of leadership and turned power and authority over to a successor? Why was this important to do? What emotions did it evoke for you? How was God involved in this ending? **Matthew 10:21-22***[Jesus said] Sibling will betray sibling to death and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.* (For context, read [Matthew 10:1-23.](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxEE9arX6m0yHZZAbtNhYaDUxaCB6YMz4vD884oWNrSUMZRWsltTnrZLp78oSKETGadfIN_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64hhn98lxT-2FjCWs-2FVWsMFk4SUffsw6ACkNTE1yG8gPErdmdc2zKf3rnst3vZyROjOAcJt6EkinH6a2OOKrcrWj1zB3tXvNsx-2F5AlGoHkG8uA22EOuGE4zwHzNox7L2WH1Y7-2FejhlhQdoVyMpe61Q-2BQfSAdKYk5aYJZLKOzrhYmrEdaQVhNrxRNxiRs1Ad0mXMVQPHNVDKX6i-2ByTgQCovpGkE-3D)) In the 10th chapter of the gospel of Matthew, Jesus summons the twelve disciples and gives them their mission. He also warns them of coming persecutions -- arrests, floggings and family betrayals -- and says that "the one who endures to the end will be saved." In this verse, the Greek word for "end" is *telos.* Jesus repeats himself in Matthew 24:13, when he once again speaks of coming persecutions and says, "the one who endures to the end [*telos*] will be saved." He also predicts that the good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, and "then the end [*telos*] will come" (24:14). When Jesus is arrested, Peter goes to the courtyard of the high priest and sits with the guards "in order to see how this would end[*telos*]" (26:58). So, *telos* can refer to the end of life, the end of the world, or the end of a significant period of life. It is an intentional end, not a random end. > **Questions:** What endings have been most difficult for you, personally? What gave you the ability to endure? Where did you find meaning and purpose in the ending, if anywhere? How can church communities endure to the end? **John 13:1***Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.* (For context, read [John 13:1-34](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzx-2FyQiqyOLSLAUV1XaJAN8koD3F4eQ-2F8verIUUctEXQXUT1a7HgwQo615KSimPTzMf_BkT_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64nBehdbgg7b86vt4-2FqyOEkcHnAMQZEp-2FkxJxaadLkfexD4LtI1Wq-2BJoBS1yogRHaAkR3arsFyqz5ImqkCB5-2F9r52SQ1FGkMHfN76ZBUW7LExBjh29ry40WM4eIR1PGBNdKm-2FVrJ6Khx7vKDh1ugEyxQ6WtgaHrhLXoNZLChV8e6WZE8ZL3Xr6dk0OgODrmr75NK2o5XCr3IXsO72EmwWr4M-3D).) The gospel of John tells us that Jesus, at the Last Supper, loved his disciples "to the end" -- *telos*. After washing their feet, he gave them a new commandment, saying, "love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another" (v. 34). With this new commandment, he brought his ministry to a satisfying conclusion. Jesus achieved fulfillment with both his actions *and* his words -- he washed their feet, and told them to "love one another." So, what can make for a fulfilling end to the life of a congregation? To "fulfill" is to carry out a duty or a role, and to satisfy a need. We say that a job has been fulfilling when it has allowed a person to develop their abilities and achieve their goals. Sitting at the Last Supper with his disciples, Jesus realized that the Scriptures were being fulfilled in him, and that he was satisfying a need and achieving a goal. > **Questions:** What actions and words have enabled you to experience a fulfilling end to a job, or to a stage of life? How can a church community close its doors and feel that its mission and ministry has been fulfilled? What types of words and actions make this possible? **Romans 6:22***But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the fruit you have leads to sanctification, and the end is eternal life.* (For context, read [Romans 6:15-23](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxr46IW3tP7KA4X-2FYQiKPC7eCTy37Z-2Brsg-2F91CshRo9f-2BTtOkei2d4sUm1V5Q9qRUhiAxV_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64isBFJWPiBihggl9hDOaVmhblEazM1fBoJeDNaj4HjjDc0z35S2JF-2Bir45xXVcbnBWA1gvIKvn-2Fs9-2FxbDuakQHCnwwXWH3JXHEd7vMqtu2Kl6e4hWe8Fgs3GTQB3-2BBq5wjDkgvl3-2BZ-2B8EMZai9zUhBelGnPKk-2BI2Lz0VkEBh0JuWYrr1Vjkv0Fr1sIVWg7hHyvek7vXKzeqZSx7UKlQ4kkw-3D).) In his letter to the Romans, Paul reminds his readers that before their baptism they were "slaves of sin" (6:20), using the slavery language that would have been well known in Roman households. He asks them, "So what fruit did you then gain from the things of which you are now ashamed?" The answer: "The end [*telos*] of those things is death" (v. 21). When a life of slavery to sin is brought to completion, the final fruit is death. In this passage, the word end means completion. On the other hand, says Paul, "now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God ... the end [*telos*] is eternal life." Here, the language of enslavement to God is jarring, especially to those of us who rightly remember the racism and brutality of chattel slavery in antebellum America. Better to focus on being owned by God and "freed from sin" through faith and Christian baptism. When a person is freed in this way, the completion of such a life is holiness and eternal life. "For the wages of sin is death," concludes Paul, "but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (v. 23). End means completion in Paul’s reflections on the paths that lead to death or to eternal life. Later in Romans, Paul is critical of people who do not know the righteousness of God, or who seek to establish their own righteousness. He reminds the Romans that "Christ is the culmination [*telos*] of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes" (10:4). Here, *telos* means culmination or "a goal achieved." Christ is the culmination of the law, the point at which a long process ends. In Christ, God reaches the goal that he has been pursuing for years: Righteousness "for everyone who believes" (v. 4). > **Questions:** How is God's work completed, even in a church that has to close its doors? Where do you see signs of holiness and eternal life in every congregation, regardless of size? What are the goals that really matter to God? **For Further Discussion** 1. Rabbi Edwin Freidman, an expert in systemic family therapy, observed in his book *Generation to Generation* that how we function "during the end-stage of our relationships with our congregations can do more to prolong the message we had been spreading than how forcefully we articulated that message in the first place." He was stressing to religious leaders that the end of a ministry can be exceedingly fruitful, a period that has lasting impact. How might this be true for church members as well as for leaders? Where should church members put their energy and attention as the life of their congregation comes to an end? 2. In his book *Necessary Endings*, clinical psychologist Henry Cloud writes, "Whether we like it or not, endings are a part of life. They are woven into the fabric of life itself, both when it goes well, and also when it doesn't. On the good side of life, for us to ever get to a new level, a new tomorrow, or the next step, *something* has to end." Life has seasons, and one season has to end before a new season can begin. When is the closing of a congregation a "necessary ending"? What new tomorrow or next step could lie ahead for members of such a congregation, even in a time of grief and loss? 3. In *Saying Goodbye*, an Episcopal priest describes the heart of any congregation as "that group of parishioners who center in Christ by faithful worship, faithful giving, and faithful support and nurture of one another. They are the heart of the local Body of Christ and he is their center. They are bonded to one another in him." What do you hear when you listen to the heart of a congregation? Why is this message important at any stage in a church's life? How and why is faithful living a more important goal than congregational survival? 4. Christoper Steed of the London School of Theology says that particular actions and words can help to make for a good ending. Small group gatherings should be encouraged, as well as table fellowship modeled on the hospitality of Jesus. What pastors *do* in this period of time is as important as what they *say*. In a world in which people so often feel insignificant and confused about direction, Steed said that pastors can make an effort to "give people significance, and help them to be part of a true story." This includes reminding them that they are part of a "worldwide movement of God, and are trailblazers for the new humanity." It involves a focus on the relevance of the gospel, and how it can "answer the deepest needs of the human spirit." What words or actions do you consider to be important as the life of a church comes to an end? Why is it important to remember that every Christian is part of a "true story," a "worldwide movement of God," and a trailblazer for "the new humanity"? **Responding to the News** Acknowledge the grief that comes with any ending, personal or congregational. But at the same time, keep your focus on the goals that God has for you and your congregation: Be strong, be bold, be faithful, be loving, and in the words of Sister Mary Kay, "When needed, try to be there." **Prayer** God of every beginning and every ending, we thank you for your presence through all of the changes of life. Comfort us in times of loss, and strengthen us in the face of new challenges. Fill us with your Spirit, so that we can complete the work you have put before us as disciples of your Son Jesus Christ. Amen. ****Copyright 2026 Communication Resources**** [Unsubscribe From This List](https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/asm/unsubscribe/?user_id=14323725&data=MdGaHInYO10NaNH7EzgcGDPHoajCKIByTIjnsSnkt6loMDAwdTAwMAigklrfLjFOCB7-xmdvfIzbmYyZCeWkvWlcC5NsD7aNJ4bW-t5eRn1r03EWrodHeSQbGjTUyIBLJHFLF0EEMsbUBAcQU9CTKC6agqZcYhDmMpsxmQ_vrKL3dyL3SJDla77onuMpka5WG3h3gVOa6qzMuuP1rXnwYqnGo1JZ6UYqvacck2rtJLjOZvr1sB3ZPa7aYcRnQoLir_ZepzoncGWndtzrRI3DEdRNevxtkQk4xx5E9fmLucE1C2MNYxYU6-q3FlVmnVQh7WAldOmPXKGWz56uBsXHHPoWms7ghU4dyMwKALbySSgeP1NIlABWDDrKoP4yCeBze1J7gS9BoMJfyPrZd0yQ6Xf9vAZeUd8sqX5ElkNKvbgRbNHt2Jthl15yUEvQ_p9nubnct6udlHyJ0y-8WxN4FXak7aTcN6XQHrBQd_ZpukXM_CkS9BuQVHLfCbZmI9Zv42-aUXB9LgqaJLH7C7850nofJ6iVz8_ro7H1A1pBlZN5_Z1fX78KofuCILPoz-HtSYEI_F4rcsfTyFlbVXM9aAYzmN3eF13Fa1Qz1RlFfH-S490Kxi0VVnZ1TDn5hvAb7SURwTsWMDI=) <div>Dear Class Members, An influential order of nuns in New York has decided to complete its mission when the last sister dies. At the same time, thousands of churches are closing in the United States every year. In response, this installment of The Wired Word will focus on what it means to finish well, as individuals and as communities of faith. <center><img src="https://www.thewiredword.com/\_img/tww\_logo\_email.jpg"/></center> Christian Community Makes an Effort to Finish Well The Wired Word for the Week of April 26, 2026 In the News An order of nuns called the Sisters of Charity of New York has helped to shape the life of the city for two centuries. Now, it is nearing its end. Many of the order's most infirm nuns live on the ninth floor of the Kittay Senior Apartments, a subsidized housing tower in the Bronx. There, Sister Mary Kay recently watched Sister Anna move toward the end of life. According to The New York Times, Mary Kay offered a simple prayer: "Please God, take her home." The ministry and mission of this Christian community has been impressive. Over the course of 209 years, this order of nuns has nursed Civil War soldiers, taken in survivors of the Titanic, tended to gay men during the AIDS crisis, and staffed Catholic schools for generations of working-class families. They opened a child welfare agency called The Foundling in 1869, and it grew into one of the largest in New York. It continues today under leadership outside the order. Unfortunately, the community has diminished in size. No new nuns have entered and stayed in the order for nearly 30 years. Today, only 124 sisters remain, and the median age is 87. They will complete their mission and cease to exist when the last nun dies, and as they move toward the end they are making an effort to finish well. Sister Mary Kay, at age 87, was trying to figure out how to finish a life spent caring for others, and then let go. Waking before dawn, she continued to pray with a friend and then sit with her in 20 minutes of silence. Mary Kay called this her "listening post for God." Then, they would read a psalm or other Scripture, along with a word drawn from a small deck of angel cards: trust, courage, expansiveness. After this, Mary Kay would begin her rounds. A former nurse, she kept her eye on her fellow nuns, noting the ones who did not appear at meals or who had developed tremors in their voices. "When needed, try to be there -- it's as simple as that," she said. "That's how we all were as younger women. It is how I try to be now." One day, Mary Kay stopped to help a sister who was struggling to lift her head. When the sister became afraid, Mary Kay sat with her until it passed. She moved through the day -- tying bibs, straightening blankets, and simply meeting needs as they arose. Melissa Perez, the floor manager at Kittay Senior Apartments, said, "There are a lot of former bosses here. But Mary Kay is in a league of her own." In April 2023, the Sisters of Charity of New York gathered in a hotel ballroom in New Jersey to vote on their dissolution. Sixty years ago, there were 180,000 Catholic nuns in the United States. In the decades since, their numbers have fallen by nearly 80 percent. When Mary Kay joined the order in 1956, it was on its way to 1,400. Now it is less than one-tenth this size. In the ballroom, the leader of the order read a motion: "The Sisters of Charity of New York will no longer accept new members and will complete its mission when the last sister dies." Although Mary Kay had been angry when the proposal was first introduced, she soon realized that trust was her only option. After the order approved the motion unanimously, the nuns began to sing, Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est -- "Where charity and love are, God is there." When Sister Anna finally died, Mary Kay told her that she loved her and thanked her for who she was. She said how glad she was that they had met, and then said, "You can let go. Everything is taken care of." Anna breathed her last, and then the nuns prayed a psalm: "Out of the depths I cry to you, O Lord." According to Axios, an unprecedented 15,000 churches were expected to shut their doors in 2025, far more than the few thousand expected to open. According to political scientist Ryan Burge, mainline Protestant denominations such as the Methodists, Presbyterians and Lutherans represent nearly all the church closings (Southern Baptists have also been hit hard). At the same time, non-denominational megachurches (and evangelical Christianity in general) are increasing their influence on American life. This contraction, which is expected to continue over the next decade, will leave gaps in communities across the country, especially in rural areas. In such places, congregations are often crucial providers of food aid, child care and disaster relief. Churches that manage to survive are struggling to retain full-time pastors, and many are being forced to move to part-time pastors. Back at the Kittay Senior Apartments, 17 sisters recently gathered to fill bags of trinkets and sweets for migrant children. When the bags were filled, the sisters wrote notes to the children. On one card, Mary Kay wrote: "We are praying for you." Later, reflecting on the end of her life, Mary Kay said, "I'm growing. Learning to give up control." For her funeral service, she chose Micah 6:8: "Do justice, love mercy, walk humbly with your God." Then, before going to sleep, she prayed that she would have grace at the end. More on this story can be found at these links: <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPqI3kVEdvdyLHZ-2Fb2SwRbHWcIaOsao3GDSpN08qodJc46zbc6ynoQ1lq6f-2FC4ngcv-2FYhZIVApyFHid5GJ-2FWijnI2V4rIT6d-2FaxlwezrQQB8B8RglhGIfQ5Rzuu9SWVQsOI-3D3xfK\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64kcvsRJJca7l6jL1gHMV25ba5Z9RY9o3dpOZPec7zsEOdH-2BpFuHcLhbfs8GyMb0xxq6Um9b0HH4hLrn9zUBhZ2pv1UwJyBnQ-2FNyLIfpriOta1tFwVlIjmWqBDjWuatGbu69VOlrq1ZVgcuE8rjjn9cjnZYX3fRqW2RsNBg4XgU7kB4Z9DB1Yl-2F-2B-2BaD9hoDBaiM6wfLtHMBLFHzvP-2BFowoT0-3D">Will Sister Mary Kay Turn Out the Lights? </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPJjqs9eTHTvMgxKUxOrSDPqI3kVEdvdyLHZ-2Fb2SwRbHWcIaOsao3GDSpN08qodJc46zbc6ynoQ1lq6f-2FC4ngcv-2FYhZIVApyFHid5GJ-2FWijnI2V4rIT6d-2FaxlwezrQQB8B8RglhGIfQ5Rzuu9SWVQsOI-3DWeKv\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64miOXVoUoNR0ZLqtXPt8E-2Bcdt0mr6-2FDbh96UTyeBInn8FP4sSNPxfQjmYQF7BRHGDJIFdti5OKLTd-2Bu7u1S8rynstmqMQx52vR-2BKhSOOQYyHnUSgNz9RTDfzUjkpJqCQSEeEjY-2BOt-2FM2N5cfjPdZG3VbsUWP0oSIvnypn22YpfsjMMDnSRZE5l-2BthL3heyzQ-2FwMovxGmcADC2gfbaHD6A-2F8-3D">The New York Times</a> <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPCEz5gWtnjlMcbibx665XYFOdvIaOjd0vhby4J3d8yVLDrwBbRz2I0pLdynvg26Q66MW90oso4-2FqKaJBF6u0jUW8LKywveN8DpkqhDyIbpTU48mU\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64pVDULhG05A-2BAR2tktAz-2FMwH1KIVSm-2BsLPOJTuDNedzPNwt6NMxbY5AASzT4EuH-2FYm-2FI1-2Fj8Jg-2BhwnVTwd1eBDRZ-2FFu1UeQ9wtBY-2BKK0-2BOTX2krYehqAjWeU6T4-2Bxyz6g8HqNFej7ao98h9dtUqI8OU-2FoC7GXPA2uAcv-2FPATWx-2BW2o7BNLYAdAv-2Bunjk2B-2BRmljkmX1nWnoDAxg1bRzw1nI-3D">15,000 Churches Could Close This Year Amid Religious Shift in U.S. </a><a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPCEz5gWtnjlMcbibx665XYFOdvIaOjd0vhby4J3d8yVLDrwBbRz2I0pLdynvg26Q66MW90oso4-2FqKaJBF6u0jUW8LKywveN8DpkqhDyIbpTUDdG6\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64jObrwiZnITuy50FSKey1IwcgGvljgCYG7IIctjNZbVvuzxS-2Bg-2Ft1InLh-2B85iczsNkfeoRShtIlHRgFktnuHsvJ30cqVRNm-2Bcn8TkaMd2LVRIFv8QloFaPUgA-2B5Ve8HC-2B49HVIuN0GHpflR3Oww1UiOuTwYxpyG7J-2BUI5FyzF5r6J76fJVtf-2FKiFaWIvTvnR8T9l2yFGp2NlJV2B1pLLUqc-3D">Axios</a> Applying the News Story The Bible has a lot to say about finishing well. In the New Testament, the Greek word telos means "end," and it can refer to the end of life, the end of the world, or the end of a significant period of life. It also means "purpose, aim, goal, culmination, completion, fulfillment." Use this story of the end of a Christians community to discuss what it means to finish well, by achieving your goals, completing your mission, and fulfilling God's purposes. The Big Questions 1. Where do you see communities of faith closing their doors? What is causing this, and what is the effect on individuals? How can such communities finish well? 2. "When needed, try to be there," said Sister Mary Kay at age 87. What does this mean to you, as an individual Christian? How can churches fulfill this calling, even as they diminish in size? 3. What does it mean for a church to complete its mission? How can it do this gracefully? What should come next? In what ways is "ending well" a part of adapting to change in society, communities and culture? 4. When have you faced the end of a job, a relationship or a significant period of life? What goals did you achieve, and what goals did you fail to achieve? How did this ending fulfill God's purposes, if at all? 5. What does it mean to you, personally, to have grace at the end? Confronting the News With Scripture and Hope Here are some Bible verses to guide your discussion: Deuteronomy 31:7 Then Moses summoned Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and bold, for you are the one who will go with this people into the land that the LORD has sworn to their ancestors to give them, and you will put them in possession of it." (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzx8vT-2B4JcJ5j8RqGNYnps4kgq8LPP9LPvynC9u2t1aESDOByHb3TG4Z3HRD4xqbR0bO0k1\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64nSP1uKpKKxy4wS4ZUXPPP2wGIICHyzJ8mNM-2FLXm2yjEUIke-2F5WZ2o3-2BvOENjpZb-2BbjOsxoocUKZRWQ-2B98N7Ulm96FyCURapkR7WqpFyWRDUkuimKeTyp9FlIzdM5rgvUYwu-2FUaO2k16uAhtdtUKVRp8y2si1EjEC7MO-2FGjOsKyRsvk876-2Foz-2FIvV9si6jCOOX2s83Nlmbq-2B-2BSs0XKJ1Ni8-3D">Deuteronomy 31:1-8</a>.) In Deuteronomy 31, the journey of the people of Israel through the wilderness is coming to an end, and they are preparing to enter the Promised Land. On the plains of Moab, Moses says to the people, "I am now one hundred twenty years old. I am no longer able to get about, and the LORD has told me, 'You shall not cross over this Jordan'" (v. 1). As his leadership ends, Moses says that Joshua will be his successor, and that the Lord will give the people victory over the inhabitants of the land. To Joshua, Moses says, "Be strong and bold, for you are the one who will go with this people into the land ..." He assures Joshua, "It is the LORD who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed" (v. 8). Instead of holding on to power and authority, Moses commissions Joshua to be his successor. He says for him to be strong, courageous and fearless, trusting that God will go before him. <blockquote> Questions: When, if ever, have you ended a period of leadership and turned power and authority over to a successor? Why was this important to do? What emotions did it evoke for you? How was God involved in this ending? </blockquote> Matthew 10:21-22 [Jesus said] Sibling will betray sibling to death and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxEE9arX6m0yHZZAbtNhYaDUxaCB6YMz4vD884oWNrSUMZRWsltTnrZLp78oSKETGadfIN\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64hhn98lxT-2FjCWs-2FVWsMFk4SUffsw6ACkNTE1yG8gPErdmdc2zKf3rnst3vZyROjOAcJt6EkinH6a2OOKrcrWj1zB3tXvNsx-2F5AlGoHkG8uA22EOuGE4zwHzNox7L2WH1Y7-2FejhlhQdoVyMpe61Q-2BQfSAdKYk5aYJZLKOzrhYmrEdaQVhNrxRNxiRs1Ad0mXMVQPHNVDKX6i-2ByTgQCovpGkE-3D">Matthew 10:1-23.</a>) In the 10th chapter of the gospel of Matthew, Jesus summons the twelve disciples and gives them their mission. He also warns them of coming persecutions -- arrests, floggings and family betrayals -- and says that "the one who endures to the end will be saved." In this verse, the Greek word for "end" is telos. Jesus repeats himself in Matthew 24:13, when he once again speaks of coming persecutions and says, "the one who endures to the end [telos] will be saved." He also predicts that the good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the world, and "then the end [telos] will come" (24:14). When Jesus is arrested, Peter goes to the courtyard of the high priest and sits with the guards "in order to see how this would end [telos]" (26:58). So, telos can refer to the end of life, the end of the world, or the end of a significant period of life. It is an intentional end, not a random end. <blockquote> Questions: What endings have been most difficult for you, personally? What gave you the ability to endure? Where did you find meaning and purpose in the ending, if anywhere? How can church communities endure to the end? </blockquote> John 13:1 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzx-2FyQiqyOLSLAUV1XaJAN8koD3F4eQ-2F8verIUUctEXQXUT1a7HgwQo615KSimPTzMf\_BkT\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64nBehdbgg7b86vt4-2FqyOEkcHnAMQZEp-2FkxJxaadLkfexD4LtI1Wq-2BJoBS1yogRHaAkR3arsFyqz5ImqkCB5-2F9r52SQ1FGkMHfN76ZBUW7LExBjh29ry40WM4eIR1PGBNdKm-2FVrJ6Khx7vKDh1ugEyxQ6WtgaHrhLXoNZLChV8e6WZE8ZL3Xr6dk0OgODrmr75NK2o5XCr3IXsO72EmwWr4M-3D">John 13:1-34</a>.) The gospel of John tells us that Jesus, at the Last Supper, loved his disciples "to the end" -- telos. After washing their feet, he gave them a new commandment, saying, "love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another" (v. 34). With this new commandment, he brought his ministry to a satisfying conclusion. Jesus achieved fulfillment with both his actions and his words -- he washed their feet, and told them to "love one another." So, what can make for a fulfilling end to the life of a congregation? To "fulfill" is to carry out a duty or a role, and to satisfy a need. We say that a job has been fulfilling when it has allowed a person to develop their abilities and achieve their goals. Sitting at the Last Supper with his disciples, Jesus realized that the Scriptures were being fulfilled in him, and that he was satisfying a need and achieving a goal. <blockquote> Questions: What actions and words have enabled you to experience a fulfilling end to a job, or to a stage of life? How can a church community close its doors and feel that its mission and ministry has been fulfilled? What types of words and actions make this possible? </blockquote> Romans 6:22 But now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God, the fruit you have leads to sanctification, and the end is eternal life. (For context, read <a href="https://u14323725.ct.sendgrid.net/ls/click?upn=u001.kR2s0BHA4IMM0a9cQYZVPIPMr3QdAndcnhgARhLxPRBMJBYCTolkbvW-2F0TosyGzxr46IW3tP7KA4X-2FYQiKPC7eCTy37Z-2Brsg-2F91CshRo9f-2BTtOkei2d4sUm1V5Q9qRUhiAxV\_-2FDMt8DmC0b3MPPPEfxHbnxzgfJsbXDNMpwCP9nNwhUmwW6wkyKFLFNgtWOsfoWlqzJWknYznvBlIhQrMvSLcaZdhhbJIKGm-2F5qmCcYPIpJSn2obb9skqJf4MgaypxrLi7oLPa8a7eS7JtzjOXCCX8BHD-2F4cv9wFI-2FUH-2BL75pc25Hbh6RKf8EPZebHASiEu2b1aGXbOqJQ3Dnm6HAk92YmTUDxlFa-2BhUE8RjbTXlUY46lB8LesIzhCJ8S9a4d1WoFUKJnrt-2B09c92mfBR-2FZP64isBFJWPiBihggl9hDOaVmhblEazM1fBoJeDNaj4HjjDc0z35S2JF-2Bir45xXVcbnBWA1gvIKvn-2Fs9-2FxbDuakQHCnwwXWH3JXHEd7vMqtu2Kl6e4hWe8Fgs3GTQB3-2BBq5wjDkgvl3-2BZ-2B8EMZai9zUhBelGnPKk-2BI2Lz0VkEBh0JuWYrr1Vjkv0Fr1sIVWg7hHyvek7vXKzeqZSx7UKlQ4kkw-3D">Romans 6:15-23</a>.) In his letter to the Romans, Paul reminds his readers that before their baptism they were "slaves of sin" (6:20), using the slavery language that would have been well known in Roman households. He asks them, "So what fruit did you then gain from the things of which you are now ashamed?" The answer: "The end [telos] of those things is death" (v. 21). When a life of slavery to sin is brought to completion, the final fruit is death. In this passage, the word end means completion. On the other hand, says Paul, "now that you have been freed from sin and enslaved to God ... the end [telos] is eternal life." Here, the language of enslavement to God is jarring, especially to those of us who rightly remember the racism and brutality of chattel slavery in antebellum America. Better to focus on being owned by God and "freed from sin" through faith and Christian baptism. When a person is freed in this way, the completion of such a life is holiness and eternal life. "For the wages of sin is death," concludes Paul, "but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (v. 23). End means completion in Paul’s reflections on the paths that lead to death or to eternal life. Later in Romans, Paul is critical of people who do not know the righteousness of God, or who seek to establish their own righteousness. He reminds the Romans that "Christ is the culmination [telos] of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes" (10:4). Here, telos means culmination or "a goal achieved." Christ is the culmination of the law, the point at which a long process ends. In Christ, God reaches the goal that he has been pursuing for years: Righteousness "for everyone who believes" (v. 4). <blockquote> Questions: How is God's work completed, even in a church that has to close its doors? Where do you see signs of holiness and eternal life in every congregation, regardless of size? What are the goals that really matter to God? </blockquote> For Further Discussion 1. Rabbi Edwin Freidman, an expert in systemic family therapy, observed in his book Generation to Generation that how we function "during the end-stage of our relationships with our congregations can do more to prolong the message we had been spreading than how forcefully we articulated that message in the first place." He was stressing to religious leaders that the end of a ministry can be exceedingly fruitful, a period that has lasting impact. How might this be true for church members as well as for leaders? Where should church members put their energy and attention as the life of their congregation comes to an end? 2. In his book Necessary Endings, clinical psychologist Henry Cloud writes, "Whether we like it or not, endings are a part of life. They are woven into the fabric of life itself, both when it goes well, and also when it doesn't. On the good side of life, for us to ever get to a new level, a new tomorrow, or the next step, something has to end." Life has seasons, and one season has to end before a new season can begin. When is the closing of a congregation a "necessary ending"? What new tomorrow or next step could lie ahead for members of such a congregation, even in a time of grief and loss? 3. In Saying Goodbye, an Episcopal priest describes the heart of any congregation as "that group of parishioners who center in Christ by faithful worship, faithful giving, and faithful support and nurture of one another. They are the heart of the local Body of Christ and he is their center. They are bonded to one another in him." What do you hear when you listen to the heart of a congregation? Why is this message important at any stage in a church's life? How and why is faithful living a more important goal than congregational survival? 4. Christoper Steed of the London School of Theology says that particular actions and words can help to make for a good ending. Small group gatherings should be encouraged, as well as table fellowship modeled on the hospitality of Jesus. What pastors do in this period of time is as important as what they say. In a world in which people so often feel insignificant and confused about direction, Steed said that pastors can make an effort to "give people significance, and help them to be part of a true story." This includes reminding them that they are part of a "worldwide movement of God, and are trailblazers for the new humanity." It involves a focus on the relevance of the gospel, and how it can "answer the deepest needs of the human spirit." What words or actions do you consider to be important as the life of a church comes to an end? Why is it important to remember that every Christian is part of a "true story," a "worldwide movement of God," and a trailblazer for "the new humanity"? Responding to the News Acknowledge the grief that comes with any ending, personal or congregational. But at the same time, keep your focus on the goals that God has for you and your congregation: Be strong, be bold, be faithful, be loving, and in the words of Sister Mary Kay, "When needed, try to be there." Prayer God of every beginning and every ending, we thank you for your presence through all of the changes of life. Comfort us in times of loss, and strengthen us in the face of new challenges. Fill us with your Spirit, so that we can complete the work you have put before us as disciples of your Son Jesus Christ. Amen. 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