"Everything will be just fine, after Cornerstone tugs at our
Finding sustainability for Racine’s struggling Lutheran churches
RACINE - In the past, "sheep stealing" was not uncommon in area churches, said Rev. Mary Janz, a pastor at Racine's Emmaus Lutheran Church.
That is the practice of competing to try to bring members from other churches into your own church, Janz said.
But now with some area churches struggling, local Lutheran churches are shedding sheep stealing in favor of herding together.
Starting earlier this year, members from most of Racine's ELCA congregations (Evangelical Lutheran Churches in America) joined together to discuss the future of area churches. The group is looking at the gifts the churches have and thinking about future partnerships to become one community-minded church instead of a dozen-plus separate churches. Those future partnerships could include mergers and consolidations of the Racine area's ELCA churches, said Rev. Michael Mueller, a pastor at St. Andrew Lutheran Church, 1015 Four Mile Road. But the focus is on working together first, he said.
The struggle
Mueller serves half-time at his parish because of budget constraints, he said, and he has not had as much time for spiritual teaching opportunities. He knows of eight other Racine area congregations in the same situation.
"A lot of us are struggling. We wouldn't be half-time if we weren't," Mueller said. The struggle is a combination of the loss of members and the economic downturn, he said.
Our community has changed, Janz said. Growing up in the 1950s stores were closed on Sundays and people went to church in part because there weren't as many alternatives, she said. The family structure has also changed, she said. Financially her church is also struggling, but her membership is up after recently adding a Hispanic ministry.
Discussions about larger partnerships go back 15 years, said Janz, who has been with Emmaus, 1925 Summit Ave., for 20 years. It hasn't worked in the past, but she thinks it will be different now.
"Because of the financial crisis there are more people who are willing to sit honestly at the table," Janz said.
Recent merger
In 2006, Good Shepard, 5040 Northwestern Ave., joined with Holy Communion, 2000 West Sixth St., to form one congregation together.
Good Shepard Lutheran Church was struggling, said Stephen Samuelson, the interim pastor at Holy Communion. Since the two churches merged, they still have services at both churches. But they now operate under one budget and share resources. The two parishes are doing well, Samuelson said.
That is one example of how churches could work together, Mueller said. Another example is that Emmaus and St. Andrew both offer a Saturday afternoon service that few people attend, Mueller said. Possibly they could combine services in the future to help share resources.
The partnership process
To help figure out what the next step is for the area ELCA churches, representatives from area congregations are working with Sandra Chrostowski, the director of evangelical missions for the Greater Milwaukee Synod., the body which represents 137 ELCA congregations in southeastern Wisconsin.
"We are taking a journey together," Chrostowski said. Leaders in area congregations are meeting with people in their congregations and community to see what area needs are and to see where resources can be pooled, she said. Then they are coming together. Possibly more formal relationships could be formed where congregations merge together, she said.
"We don't know," Chrostowski said about the final outcome. "It's not a top-down decision ... It's about congregations really faithfully listening to one another."