Before the Resurrection Transitions and Endings in Quaker Meetings and Churches by Emily Provance

How do Friends' meetings and churches adapt to changing or shrinking communities? A smaller or older meeting is no less valuable to God than a larger one, but the "more is better" messaging of modern culture tells us otherwise. This book weaves together logistical suggestions with eternal spiritual principles to help meetings right-size their institutions. Whether a group is altering its committee structures, restructuring entirely, selling a building, or laying itself down, the steps are essentially the same: recognizing the need for change, discerning the will of God at this time, caring for one another, and stepping forward into a new thing. Friends are a resurrection people. We know there will always be a renewal of life. But resurrection is not the same as resuscitation. How do we best make space for what God may do next?

Emily Provance is a Quaker traveling minister from 15th Street Meeting in New York City. She is an associate of Good News Associates.

Paperback
Pages 150
Published: March 2025