NEENAH, Wis. — After 150 years, the Immanuel United Church of Christ is closing this month. Leaders cited a dwindling membership, an aging congregation and financial issues as the reasons for its closure.
For many, the church is like a second home. Jody Hoppe was baptized there as a child. She said the news of the church closing is not a surprise to her, but it still hurts.
“There's some sadness,” said Hoppe. “Obviously, this has been a part of my life, my whole life. So, it'll be interesting. I'm not quite sure where I'm going [to church] yet after this.”
Church leaders decided to use the money they have left, and what they’ll get from selling the property to finance various community initiatives. The church will donate to three separate funds: Waldemar Stroetz Fund, Neenah Impact Fund and Immanuel UCC Impact Fund.
The Waldemar Stroetz fund will start with at least $55,000 and will provide annual grants to Advocap, annually.
The Neenah Impact Fund will provide an annual grant of roughly $1,000 to the Ryan Burow Outstanding Business Student Scholarship.
The fund will also provide $2,700 annually, individually, to each of the following organizations: Youth Go, Boys and Girls Brigade, Collaborative Connection, Fox Valley Jail Ministries, Tri-County Dental Clinic and Neenah Lights of Christmas.
The Immanuel UCC Impact fund will receive 20% of the total endowment.
“I feel great about that. I'm happy that it's kind of staying in our community that will support some good and good organizations.” said Hoppe. “I'm happy that it will continue perpetually, that they'll continue to get funds.”
The church has been under the leadership of Interim Pastor Thomas Fritz. He has led the congregation for the past five years and said the decision to close wasn’t an easy one.
“We finally decided that it really wasn't going to be helpful if we just kept going until we ran out of money, because we were already running out of people because the congregation is older,” said Fritz. “There are 69 members and probably 30 of them are 80 or older, so, it was time.”
Hoppe said it will be extra emotional with the closing happening around Christmas. She will cherish many things about the church that she and her family have grown to love, but there’s one thing she will miss the most.
“The people that I've met over the years,” said Hoppe. “The church is the people. We can have it in a building anywhere, but I think the people are the things that you remember.”
The church will officially close on Dec. 29.