After 187 years, First Baptist Church in Jackson is closing its doors.
The church has lived in its historic downtown building since it was built in 1872. Now, that building is for sale, and its future is unknown.
Pastor Dallas Flippin said attendance gradually declined after the 1960s, with the First Baptist congregation now averaging around 35 people every Sunday.
As attendance declined, so did the church’s income. Flippin said the decision to close was made last November, and it came down to money.
“The community had to decide,” Flippin said. “Would we be excited and think that there’s a future that we could grow again if we relocated, or is it just that it would keep us alive for a little longer?”
First Baptist isn't the only Michigan church to have closed due to declining funds and attendance.
In the past few years, both Belding United Methodist Church in Ionia County and First Presbyterian Church of Allegan closed for similar reasons.
Flippin said he was aware of the declining attendance when he joined the team around seven years ago.
“They were in a spot where, like a lot of churches, they had been in decline,” Flippin said.
The church’s mission drew him in anyway.
“It was more important for them to have meaningful opportunities to extend to the community than it was to hold on and survive as long as possible,” Flippin said.
One of those opportunities was hosting free dinners every Wednesday night. Flippin said these dinners were one of his favorite things about the church.
“There were some senior adults who were there every week running dishes,” Flippin said. “They’re not getting paid for it. It’s just because they want to make a difference for someone.”
These dinners came to an end last summer after three-and-a-half years when the team began to consider closing the church. Flippin said that around 150 people would attend each dinner.
“It was the celebration of the week every week,” Flippin said.
Talks about closing also led to the relocation of the Jackson Personal Care Ministry, which was in the church for 14 years. The Jackson Personal Care Ministry provides free hygiene products and is now run out of Partnership Place.
Flippin said the spirit of giving lives on in the congregation.
“The kinds of folks that are left here are the folks that loved doing that kind of ministry and loved helping people,” Flippin said.
The last service will be held on April 26. A dinner will be held on April 19 to celebrate the history and mission of First Baptist Church.