Misión Hispana El Buen Pastor

Children from Misión Hispana El Buen Pastor. Photo by Mary Bolton

By Jane Suitt

Misión Hispana El Buen Pastor in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, is one of the fastest growing new church developments (NCD) in the PC(USA). Each Sunday an average of 125 worshipers are in attendance. Four years ago, 10–15 people attended worship. The attendance of many families is irregular on Sundays due to changes in work schedules. Approximately 90 different adults participate on Sundays and/or Wednesday night bible study, with an average attendance of 45 adults and many children. This is a congregation of young large families. Instead of conforming to a pre-existing model, we believe that El Buen Pastor is building a new NCD model that meets the needs of a changing world.

The six-year-long coming together of the nine area PC(USA) congregations and the broader Forsyth County community, with the partnership of General Assembly and Salem Presbytery, is cause for celebration in itself. The steering committee is working to build reciprocity with the other Presbyterian churches within the presbytery. We build bridges by sharing the stories of the wonderful things happening in this congregation and by sharing in ministry. Many of the supporting churches go on mission trips to Latin America. There they see firsthand the reasons immigrants are leaving their homelands to come to North Carolina. El Buen Pastor provides opportunities for the supporting churches to continue to serve Latino neighbors here in this community. [Read more]

Working together in Paterson

The United Presbyterian Church of Paterson, N.J., is ultimately the result of a merger of three churches in 1991 and 1992. The Rev. David B. Thornton has been the pastor there since January 1999. Paterson, designed by the late great statesman, Alexander Hamilton, is the oldest industrial city in the United States. It was also famous about a century ago for its silk industry and was home for as many as eleven Presbyterian churches at one time. Now, the Silk City has a relatively small Presbyterian presence and only four churches. United is the largest of the four, continuing by the grace of God to do its mission with a population of about 110 adults and approximately 20 youth. This urban church has not been sitting on any past laurels, but continues to achieve in various areas of service and mission. [Read more]

Spiritual Vitality Through Cooperative Ministry

Many small churches are enhancing their ministry and mission by working cooperatively.  This resource provides guidance to churches and presbyteries that are considering cooperative ministry.  The discernment process and initial organization are described.  A Bible Study to undergird these processes is included as well as five models of cooperative ministry.

$3.00 • PDS #2331608001

Reaching out in Foley

Members of the First Presbyterian Church of Foley, Minnesota. Photo by the Rev. Allen C. Jergenson

First Presbyterian Church of Foley, Minnesota, is a church experiencing spiritual renewal and growth because it claimed its missional niche. First Church has been served by its pastor, the Rev. Allen C. Jergenson for 17 years in a big aging building in downtown Foley, a community of about 5,000 residents. Its church home was inaccessible to its members with physical disabilities. This smaller membership congregation explored a variety of options such as merging or yoking with another church to stay near its downtown location since it was “dying at its current location.”

Five years ago, the church decided rather than renovating its building, it would build a new handicap-accessible building about one and a half miles away from their original site. This site was next door to a new family housing development. In choosing its new location, the First Church thought its mission would primarily be focused on reaching out with new families living next door but it ended up refocusing its mission back to serving older adults living in downtown Foley. The population of Foley was slowly growing because retirees from other communities were moving in. [Read more]

Pastor advocates ‘speedboat ministry’

Because they are able to adapt and change quickly, small churches are frequently better able to respond to community needs, an innovative small church pastor told 100 people attending the Small Church Luncheon at the 218th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) here June 23. [Read more]