After talking with other pastors that have gone through closing processes, they all suggested not putting up the For Sale Sign until after the last worship date. My council president and I planned on following this advice. It would be too emotional, too hard to see that the building is actually for sale. We told this to the realtor when we first started talking to him. He always kind of said, "We'll get back to that."
Last week when I was on vacation and downtown with my family the realtor called because he needed keys, to set up a lock box on the door, and to see if I could be available to give tours. I was on vacation so I was kind of short with him and told him I would talk to him more about this when I was back from vacation. But, he persisted and he asked me about signage. I told him that we already talked about this and that the Council President and I did not want the signs up. He got really pushy and said he already had the signs made. I told him to call the Council President because I was at a museum and I couldn't talk.
On Sunday when we were visiting the congregation I had a member of the congregation introduce herself and told me she drove past Our Congregation on the way to church and saw the For Sale Sign and that it sank her heart. That was the first I heard about it.
Now, a few days latter - our members are starting to see the sign and I am starting to get phone calls about how hard it is to see. I agree. I also got a phone call from the neighborhood newspaper. Awaiting to see what the article is like.
After talking to the Council President she said she really thought about it for a few days before giving him the go ahead. She said she realized that it would be emotionally hard, but that every step of this process is going to be hard. And, she doesn't want it to take a year to sell the building. So, her logic is the most coverage we can get to sell the building, the better. I agree with that too.
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