LAKE PLEASANT — Declining membership and financial strain are taking a toll on The National Spiritual Alliance (TNSA), which is celebrating the 150th anniversary of spiritualism’s arrival and the founding of Lake Pleasant in 1874.

As a result, TNSA Vice President and acting CEO David James recently informed members that Tabor Thompson Memorial Temple at 2 Montague Ave. will not hold services during the winter beginning Nov. 1.

This announcement comes ahead of an Aug. 24 celebration of the 150th anniversary of the village of Lake Pleasant. According to “Spirit and Spa,” a 2003 book that tracks the history of Lake Pleasant, the Montague village is perhaps “the oldest continuously existing spiritualist community in the United States.” Since the mid-19th century, families and individuals would come to Lake Pleasant to congregate and camp during the summer months until permanent housing was created, after which people lived there full-time to practice spiritualism. Spiritualism is based on the belief that departed souls can interact with the living.

Today, only James and one other individual who reside in Lake Pleasant are part of the TNSA.

Within the past year, several TNSA board members have left for different reasons. Now, there are three board members remaining. A vote on July 20 by five general members of the alliance and the remaining three board members adopted a resolution to shut down services at Tabor Thompson Memorial Temple and discuss options in the spring.

“TNSA effectively closes Nov. 1, 2024, to have the water shut off, pipes drained, propane shut off, to allow the board of directors to research options to reopen as a church, a community center or other alternative in the spring of 2025,” the resolution reads.

In his letter to members, James said he feels “heartbroken” by the prospect of shutting down this winter.

“I meant that sincerely,” James said in an interview regarding the situation.

He is cautiously optimistic that a decision will be made to reopen as a community center or church, noting that he does not feel that this is the end, “although it could be.”

James explained the decision came in the wake of a decline in TNSA membership, a lack of attendance at on-site events and a lack of physical maintenance at the Tabor Thompson Memorial Temple, where services are held. TNSA currently has about 12 members compared to roughly 250 at its peak.

Since the spring, James said TNSA has modified the time and manner of its traditional services. These services act as an opportunity for people to donate to TNSA, with the funds being used to cover the cost of maintenance and rent for the temple. Less participation from members and declining donations have created an uncertain future for the alliance.

This is not the first time that TNSA has encountered problems pertaining to maintenance of the temple. James noted that services were shuttered during the COVID-19 pandemic, putting TNSA in financial hardships. James explained he’s sent “dire straits” messages to alliance members previously about the lack of participation in temple upkeep. The few members who have participated experienced burnout and found the work unsustainable.

“There were just a few people who were doing all the work, and a couple of them essentially burned out,” James said. “It wasn’t viable to have so many of the tasks in such few hands.”

For James, there is a level of pressure to maintain TNSA and the temple from his close relationship to the late Louise Shattuck, whose family was deeply involved in Lake Pleasant and spiritualism for decades.

“I see myself sort of as a caretaker of their legacy,” James said.

As the location where Shattuck’s family and hundreds of other spiritualists would gather over the last 150 years, this anniversary celebration of Lake Pleasant feels “tarnished” in a way, James said.

“I have mixed feelings,” James said. “It’s tarnished because we need to be transparent now that we’ve taken the path that we’ve taken, which is to close for the winter.”

Although the upcoming change has created a new atmosphere around the 150th anniversary celebration, James hopes that a reminder of the legacy of Lake Pleasant and spiritualism will inspire interest for both new and existing members. He said some people in the area are not familiar with Lake Pleasant or its history, despite living nearby, and he sees this as an opportunity to educate people about the village’s history.

“That’s what we’ve been hoping for on this, the 150th anniversary, because anniversaries that end in double-zero or five-zero are a big deal,” James said about the promotion of the anniversary. “This was a golden opportunity to showcase and it still is, so we absolutely intend to do that.”

The Lake Pleasant 150th Anniversary Block Party Celebration is an all-day, free event on Saturday, Aug. 24, from 1 to 9 p.m. in the walkable village center. Live music, vendors, a farmers market and other family-friendly activities will be offered, culminating in a time capsule ceremony and illumination of the Bridge of Names. Sponsors include the Montague Cultural Council, RiverCulture, Beck’s Automotive and Renaissance Builders.

Erin-Leigh Hoffman can be reached at ehoffman@recorder.com or 413-930-4231.