In the United States, participation in Protestant churches has declined dramatically in the last fifty years. While some congregations are adapting to change, others find themselves facing likely closure. How can churches negotiate healthy closures that invite the re-purposing of their spiritual, material and social resources for new ministry ventures? My project, “From Death to Life: Churches Facing Resurrection”, will address this question by examining congregations that have discerned a call to end their ministry in its current form. Through interviews with lay and clergy leaders, and drawing from my professional life, I am collecting stories about the emotions and spiritual struggles experienced, the leadership tasks employed, and the way all parties in a system can foster faithful fulfillment of ministries that are no long vital or sustainable. My project is uncovering differences between healthy closures, where spiritual and material resources are made available for new ministries, from painful closures that result in compounded losses for individuals and their communities. The research will result in an accessible resource that serves as a catalyst for healthy conversation about closure among lay and clergy leaders.