 When two congregations in McMinnville, Ore., formed a cooperative ministry two years ago, the decision emerged from a desire to share a common mission.
Neither McMinnville United Methodist Church nor Trinity Lutheran Church, part of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), was in danger of closing, according to the Rev. Stephan Ross, the United Methodist pastor.
The congregations share meeting space, music and education programs, and mission outreach. They co-own McMinnville Cooperative Ministries Inc., embodying the spirit of the agreement of full communion which The United Methodist Church approved at the 2008 General Conference and the ELCA will vote on next year.
The Oregon congregations "are blazing new trails in ecumenical partnerships," according to the Rev. W. Douglas Mills, General Commission on Christian Unity and Interreligious Concerns.
On Sundays, McMinnville Cooperative Ministries has a traditional United Methodist service at 8:45 a.m. and a traditional Lutheran service at 11 a.m. In between, at 9:30 a.m. in the "great room," is an informal "celebration" worship service with Communion, open to anyone.
"Part of the cooperative ministry plan here is the intention and conviction that we should always have a full-time Lutheran clergyperson and a full-time United Methodist clergyperson," Ross said. At the same time, the staff members, about half from each denomination, focus on different ministries. "We're intentionally evolving toward a team concept of ministry," he explained.
By sharing space, programs and mission work, the two congregations have raised an additional $50,000 in direct mission giving. Attendance is growing at all three worship services.
Essential to this spirit of ecumenism and cooperation is 100-percent support of United Methodism’s Interdenominational Cooperation Fund. Through it, we join other denominations as the living body of Jesus Christ.
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