Two pastors say financial concerns are the reason several Episcopal churches on the Pine Ridge Reservation will close by Nov. 30.

The Argus Leader of Sioux Falls has confirmed that five of the 15 Episcopal churches on the reservation, will close. The affected churches are St. Barnabas Church south of Kyle, St. John's Church north of Oglala, St. Alban's Station north of Porcupine, St. Timothy's Church south of Potato Creek and St. Andrew's Church near Wakpamni Lake.

Another, the Church of the Advent, north of Pine Ridge, will switch to station status or have a few services a year, according to the Rev. Agnes Tyon. She also serves St. John's.

She and the Rev. Cordelia Red Owl, who serves St. Barnabas, St. Timothy's and St. Andrew's, say they got a letter last month from the Episcopal Church Diocese of South Dakota about the closures.

The pastors say congregation numbers have been declining, making it hard to pay the bills.

One of the affected churches, St. John's, was in Pine Ridge when it was used as a hospital to treat the injured at the Wounded Knee Massacre of 1890, Tyon said.

St. John's is struggling to pay the electricity, insurance and other bills, she said.

"You think of how many were married and buried there," Tyon said of St. John's. "It's very sad. People knew what they had to do."

Two years ago, the diocese wrote the pastors, telling them they had to get more members.

Tyon said it's hard to attract new members, especially young families.

Membership has dropped to fewer than 10 at two of Red Owl's three closing churches.

In some cases, loyal, older members are dying or families are moving away, she said.

Red Owl and Tyon are at or past the diocese's mandatory retirement age of 72.