When a tax exempt entity shuts down, its assets MUST be given to other tax exempt entities, charities, depending on state law. They don't have to be churches, just other 501(c)(3)s. We're in NJ.

I worked with a church whose declining membership sold the building and then started to disburse their money to other charities.

The funny bit: the church people wanted to give $$ to my synagogue, as an acknowledgement of my help to them. They gave money to a similarly-named synagogue, but we didn't get it. When the lawyer asked me to be certain, I said nope, that's not us. That's in another town.

They nicely cut another check.