North Ridgeville, Ohio
Joy Reigns at Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church
Joy Reigns at Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church
http://www.spiritofjoyworship.org/ Mission developer Glenn Zimbelman, pastor of Spirit of Joy Lutheran Church, North Ridgeville, Ohio, says that Mission Partners’ prayer support is critical in the early days and months of a mission congregation, as is help with finances, worship, and publicity.
Zimbelman developed this support in the first four to six months of his ministry while he was also engaging the community to gain an understanding of the mission field and beginning to gather interested people.
Volunteers may choose to assist with occasional Sundays or events, explains Zimbelman, or they may commit to every Sunday for six to 12 months, or become a permanent member of the mission congregation. Some members of Messiah Lutheran, Fairview Park, Ohio, for example, helped Spirit of Joy as part-time missioners, while three joined the mission's praise band, which received equipment donated by another Mission Partner.
People are needed to provide the encouragement of a filled worship space, energy and vision, and worship assistance. Outreach volunteers, meanwhile, are important in knocking on doors, staffing booths at community events, and distributing brochures and door hangers.
Spirit of Joy's Mission Partners also have been encouraged by inviting Zimbelman to lead mission and evangelism classes and to guest preach. He takes these opportunities to demonstrate
that “existing congregations benefit greatly by adapting ministry practices from the mission congregations that they support.”
Zimbelman adds that it is important for Mission Partners to plan to provide consistent, long-term support, because it can take years for a mission congregation to become self-sufficient: “It is also necessary to be flexible. Mission congregations exist to bring non-churched people to God and require alternative ways of doing ministry.”
Spirit of Joy is fulfilling this mission since forming in January 2008 in one of the fastest growing areas of northeastern Ohio, and—with the support of its Mission Partners—plans to spread the joy even more!