When congregations decline in numbers, the anxiety this causes can hinder their vision of adaptive options for a hope-filled future. This includes the possibilities of what they might share with a sister congregation. Seasoned UCC interim minister and author/researcher, Rev. Gail Irwin, offers some non-threatening ways to help a declining congregation in: “What Can Churches Share Besides a Pastor?”

• Non-threatening ways to help a congregation declining in numbers begin to think about sharing a pastor (or their building) with another congregation;