The doors of a Claudville church could close as early as next summer, according to Mike Hayes, a member of Hatcher’s Chapel United Methodist Church.

The church has been in existence more than 100 years, he said, and explained it started in a building known as “the old Hatcher’s School.”

Then, a circuit preacher would stop in to serve as pastor, Hayes said. What is now called “the old church” was built around 1910, when the church was chartered, and that building served the membership well until 1953, when a new building was constructed, he said.

Several additions have been built through the years, according to Hayes, who added the church also has experienced fluctuating membership.

The number of members “would get down low sometimes, but not as low as it is now,” Hayes said.

Most of the time, it would bounce back, but Hayes said he worries that won’t happen this time.

He attributes the low numbers to a number of factors, from the deaths of several members to the fact that some people don’t seem to go to church anymore.

“We’ve lost more to death in the last 10 years than what we’ve got” now, Hayes said of the estimated 35 members on the books.

Less than half, or around 10 people, generally attend Sunday services, he said.

Now the church does not have a pianist, Hayes said, and explained after a long-time pianist died, the remaining members got together and “we had one coming from Pilot Mountain N.C.”, he said. But then, one of that person’s family members became ill and the church now is back to square one.

“And we don’t have any young people,” Hayes said, and added membership dwindled in the ladies group until they eventually disbanded.

Church members made efforts to attract new members. Some of the current members “tried to get out and visit people,” Hayes said, and added those efforts were not successful because many people nearby weren’t brought up in a church. The church doesn’t own a van, and cannot transport members to services.

The one bright spot is their pastor, which Hayes said “is a wonderful pastor. He’s a retired elder in the Methodist church. He comes, I guess just because he feels sorry for us,” Hayes said, chuckling.

“If people come and hear our pastor, they’d want to come back again. He’s that good,” Hayes said.

Sunday service is at 10 a.m., in the church that is located at 268 Hatchers Chapel Road, Claudville.