Looking back on a long decline from 1,000 active members a century ago to about 20 today, the lay leader of St. Mark's Church in a Philadelphia suburb understands now why it died. "We didn't really share well" with outsiders, Curt Welty said.

But like a supernova that explodes with light just before it dies, St. Mark's will end by sharing itself in an uncommonly generous way: Instead of selling off its chapel, ... read full story