Five local congregations plan combined Lent and Holy Week services

Five local churches studying new ways to share resources and ministries are hosting several joint events during this year's Lenten season and Holy Week. The churches include the Havre Presbyterian Church, the Harlem Yoked Parish (a combined Presbyterian and Methodist congregation) and Chinook's United Methodist, American Lutheran and Presbyterian churches. Representatives of these churches are exploring new ways they can cooperate in their outreach.

Discerning new paths for small churches

Late last fall the five congregations participated in a conference designed to help small churches find new ways to work collaboratively. Dr. Loren Shellabarger, a retired Presbyterian minister/seminary professor and former corporate specialist in team building, guided participants from the five churches through a short study of ways to move toward increased joint efforts.

Following last fall's conference a smaller group from the five churches began meeting to work through a process of identifying ways to focus their joint resources. One immediate result from that work was a joint Christmas Eve service held last December. This joint service was held at the American Lutheran Church in Chinook and enjoyed a sizeable turnout of worshippers from several churches and multiple denominations.

Attendees at the Christmas Eve service commented on how great it was to be part of a larger group, enjoying music and congregational singing, sharing communion and the camaraderie of fellow Christians. The folks on the study committee who suggested the service felt the response to the joint worship was a good sign of future possibilities. In a follow-up report Dr. Shellabarger had noted, "One important thing I picked up from my first meeting with the group was that all of you seem to know and like each other. That's an important start."

Joint Lenten season and Holy Week opportunities

The study group, with the support of their respective congregations, has scheduled three joint events for this year's Lenten season and Holy week. First will be an Ash Wednesday service, March 2, at the American Lutheran Church in Chinook. The event begins at 7 pm. All are welcome to participate in the imposition of ashes commemorating Christ's 40-day preparation culminating in his crucifixion and resurrection (Easter Sunday).

On the evening of each of the following Wednesdays during Lent (March 9 through April 13) a soup supper will be held, followed each night with viewing of episodes from the first season of "Chosen," a biblical series based on events surrounding the ministry years of Jesus Christ. "Chosen," now in its second season, grew out of a short film first posted online in 2017. In 2018 some 16,000 people paid at least $100 each to fund the first season with a budget of $11 million. It's said to be the largest ever financed by viewers, a testament to its popularity and appeal. One episode, some evening two short ones, will be shown after each soup supper during this year's Lenten season.

Then, on Good Friday, a joint service will be held in the afternoon, at 3 pm, at the United Methodist Church in Chinook. Other Holy Week services, including Easter Sunday, will be held individually in the five churches.

Moving forward

One of the major challenges all five of the churches are either now facing or soon will be, is the lack of available seminary-trained ministers. The Havre and Chinook Presbyterian churches shared a pastor for the past three years. That pastor took a position at Hamilton last year. Rev. Val Putt, who served the American Lutheran Church, died last year. Rev. Jack Mattingly, serves the Chinook United Methodist and Harlem Yoked Parish. He will be retiring June 30 of this year. Congregants from the five churches are hopeful that under a new way of organizing the five churches can deal with the challenge of finding ministers. One possibility is a combination of shared fully trained ministers and certified lay pastors.

The representatives from the five churches are still meeting regularly. At this point they are planning future joint worship services that will be held on a rotational basis at each of the five locations. Plans are already to host joint services each fifth-Sunday (four in a given year) and rotate the fifth-Sunday meeting place through the various churches. Joint summer events under discussion include retreats, picnics and recreational activities involving all the congregations. The big challenge remains of attracting new pastors to serve the churches either singularly as a group. The new model is still very much a work in progress.