Wake Forest Baptist Church to close following membership vote
Wake Forest Baptist Church announced Sunday it will be closing, after members voted to dissolve the ministry.
Wake Forest Baptist Church was first organized when Wake Forest College moved to Winston-Salem in 1956. The church says the decision is due to a declining and aging membership, limited financial resources and a new rental policy imposed on the church by Wake Forest University.
The university said it regularly evaluates lease agreements and that it notified the church in November of 2021 its fee structure would be changing for independent groups and organizations. Interim pastor Rayce Lamb said after holding services on campus for 66 years for free, they were told they'd have to start paying $2,500 per month.
"Are we called to stay in this space and pay this monthly rental fee to do the ministry here, or could that money be used in better ways elsewhere," Lamb said, explaining the question the congregation was facing. "It became clear that there were better ways to use our assets going forward that would still make real impact."
Lamb said the legacy of the church is through its work towards justice, from civil rights activism to caring for AIDs patients, to LGBTQ advocacy. And even if the members no longer meet together, he's sure their mission will continue.
"It's going to be missed, but the great thing about the city of Winston-Salem is we are not the only progressive church doing the work of justice in this community," Lamb said. "I have no fear the students of Wake Forest University, the faculty and staff of this institution will continue to hold not just leadership of the university but Winston-Salem accountable."
Lamb said the church will continue to hold worship services in Davis Chapel on the Wake Forest University campus through the end of this year. He anticipates them officially closing in early 2023.
"We recognize we still have some work left to do in order to die well," he said, "and show that churches can die well and continue to make an impact beyond the life of that community."
Lamb plans to start a series this Sunday on the stages of grief, and said grief is a holy process.
"Everything around us might be changing, but God remains."