Laughter mixed with tears.
Shared memories of firsts and lasts.
Coffee and talk of moving on.
It was like any other funeral-funerals-Sunday when the Dorloo and then the Hyndsville United Methodist congregations said goodbye to their churches.
Both churches were marked for closure by the Upper New York Conference as no longer viable, but tell that to the crowd of church members and friends who waded through the fog for the 7:30am service in Dorloo and then carpooled to Hyndsville to do it all over again.
"I shouldn't have worn mascara," said Sue Davis as she greeted churchgoers at the Dorloo door.
Both churches held Services of Remembrance Sunday, sharing hymns, scripture, and memories.
The Mineral Springs United Methodist Church, which the Conference is also closing, held a lower-key final service.
Only the Warnerville UMC survived the Conference's purge and it's members were among those in Dorloo and Hyndsville; members from the 200-year-old Brimstone Church in Jefferson also turned out in a support of solidarity.
Not all was heavy-hearted, though.
Ryden Collins and Juliette Davis grinned as they helped Matt Wilms ring the bell in Dorloo one final time.
And David Houck, lay leader for both churches for the last 10-12 years, marked his first services as an ordained minister.
"This hamlet has seen and done good things...community is what it's all about," Pastor Houck said. "It doesn't end here. We will persevere."
Kathy Davis was one of those who shared memories of growing up in the Dorloo church.
"It's been an emotional roller-coaster," she said. "There are so many people here who've touched my life...It's heartbreaking to have to come to this point; our memories are many."
Gary Davis said he's almost come to terms with the loss of his church-but doesn't know how he'll feel as he continues to drive by it every day.
In Hyndsville, a breathless Pastor Houck arrived a little late.
"He's here? Thank goodness," said Church Council President John Bates with a laugh. "I don't think people want to hear me preach."
Pastor Houck spoke about how he found true community in Hyndsville and told the crowd-again-that it's not about the building "but those who occupy it.
"Sometimes, we don't like how life changes," he said. "But this is a community where people live the gospel. And that's what it all comes down to."
It's not over yet, though.
Both churches are exploring ways to work together, though they've been told by other churches that have gone through the same thing not to rush the process.
In Dorloo, services this Sunday will be held outdoors, weather-permitting; in Sue and Gary Davis' four-bay garage if it doesn't.
The Warnerville UMC is also hosting a Service of Love and Reconciliation that day.