BANGOR, Maine — It was a good day at Grace United Methodist Church in Bangor for Sunday morning service.
There were about 20 people in the pews.
It's double the parishioners the church typically sees Sunday mornings, which has left this dwindling congregation with a tough decision.
On this Sunday after mass, the congregants had to vote on when to shut the 165-year-old church's doors for good.
"We've had wonderful memories here," said Linda Willey Nye, who grew up in this church.
Nye was also married to her husband in this church 40 years ago.
Even the time a bat got stuck inside the church's sanctuary just before the service on her wedding day is now one of those wonderful memories to look back on.
Pretty soon, memories are all that will be left of this church.
"They did everything they could for as long as they could to keep it open," said Nye of the church's faithful parishioners.
On Sunday, these loyal congregants decided to close the church next month after 164 years serving the community.
"It's because of numbers and because of finances that they're going to have to close," said Northern Maine District Superintendent Rev. Dr. Jacquelyn Brannen.
It wasn't always this way.
Brannen said the church can hold 200 congregants. 120 people used to fill the pews on a regular basis and on Easter Sunday, the church would see more than 200 and would have to add seating in the back.
Now, its 10 to 15 loyal congregants can no longer sustain the church themselves.
"It's not a shock to the folks," added Brannen. "Our worshipers will have other opportunities in other churches."
Brannen said this is her first time being involved in the closure of a church.
"This church is particularly important to the life of this neighborhood but with the clientele that we have, Sunday morning worship may not be where they're feeling the most called to be with God," said Brannen.
The church also serves as a food pantry and there's a thrift store in the back of the church.
Both will close in mid-June.
"We're grieving a vital part of this community, and our lives, will be ending," said Brannen. "At the same time, we're people of hope and we know that God does indeed have another plan for these church-goers and for the community that it has served. We leave with both sadness and hope."
"It's so sad for our family, particularly our mother," said Nye.
Nye's mother, at 84-years-old, has seen half the life of this church.
The United Methodist Church's New England Conference will take ownership of the church after June 30. Its trustees will decide the fate of the building.
A celebration of life of the church has been scheduled for a week before it's set to close, on Sunday, June 23.
Congregants invite former parishioners as well as the public to the 2:00 p.m. reception.