Speaking of Niche Ministries —

Small Church Creates Niche Ministry

Dr. John Jorgenson leads a small congregation in a Plymouth Meeting, a vibrant Philadelphia suburb. Prince of Peace Lutheran Church is uniquely situated across the street from a popular and well-appointed township community center.

The congregation has long been supportive of several regional ministries including a food pantry, prison ministry, and a Lutheran Service Agency serving troubled youth, Silver Springs.

Dr. Jorgenson, who developed curriculum for many years with the Lutheran Church in America, helped the congregation focus additional attention on a gift the small congregation is uniquely equipped to serve—the modern family.

Their emphasis is not the typical route of larger churches who dedicate a large part of a budget to hiring a youth minister. Their program relies on using the resources they have and that unique location in their community.

“No Family Left Behind” began with a congregational exploration of three issues that challenge today’s families.

Bullying was the first issue. Bullying is often viewed as something affecting teens. The congregation discussed how bullying spans all ages and is common even within families.

As they focused separately on bullying among infants, toddlers, school children, youth, families, school, the workplace and among our elderly, they identified other areas they could serve in the small church setting.

Families who deal with Autism and similar health problems often have a difficult time feeling at home in structured church programs.

The Aging often are similarly challenged, especially in the many small churches where the elderly are the majority and ministries among them are often viewed by church management as “dying” and not worth their investment in time and resources.

2×2, along with Dr. Jorgenson as guest blogger, will examine how the No Family Left Behind approach is tailored to small church ministry, working with a regional Lutheran Social Service Agency, Ken-Crest, which serves people with developmental challenges, and with the Community Center across the street.