Working together

Congregations committed to the Manhattan mission:

Christ, Orland Park
Good Shepherd, Frankfort
Immanuel, Mokena
Immanuel, Richton Park
St. Paul, Matteson
Trinity, Tinley Park
Trinity, New Lenox

“It’s different than what was done in the past. The churches are taking ownership.” Rev. William Ryden, Associate Pastor of Immanuel Lutheran Church in Mokena, Illinois, is describing the efforts of a group of churches doing mission work in Manhattan, Illinois, southeast of Joliet.

“None of us pastors have had prior experience in planting a church,” he admits. “It’s a stepping out in faith for a lot of us.” Most of the congregations are “fairly old and well established.” The idea of planting a new church has not been part of their history.

The Manhattan ministry began in September 2005, when a lay couple began talking about the need to start ministry in this growing area. Further discussion identified a group of interested congregations and led to the formation of a steering committee.

And the missionaries are lay people, members of these congregations who live in the Manhattan area. Small group ministry is the outreach tool. Fourteen people have volunteered to be small group leaders and have started a 3 month training program, led by Rev. Ryden. Then these leaders will begin their groups with other church members, as well as unchurched people – their friends, neighbors and co-workers. The goal is that as groups grow, they will become the nucleus of a new congregation.

The steering committee members are very aware that this is a new model, says Rev. Ryden. “It’s circuit-driven, even lay-driven,” he states, not driven by the district, referring to the regional church office that initiated many church plants in recent decades. None of the churches could do this on their own. “Together we have the manpower and the money to make it much more feasible from a human standpoint.”

But district support is appreciated. Rev. Martin Haeger works regularly with the steering committee. Dr. Jack Giles supplies the Groups Ablaze! materials used to form outreach-oriented small groups. Haeger and Giles are both Congregational Services Executives on the Northern Illinois District staff.

Ryden describes Manhattan as “ripe for ministry,” a rural area experiencing tremendous growth. Although still a small town surrounded by corn fields, it’s quickly becoming integrated into suburbia. A new train station has been built for commuters, and a new high school is in the works. People, especially young families, are moving there to get away from closer, more crowded suburbs.

“The harvest is ripe,” he says, “and this time the workers going out into the harvest aren’t wearing clerical collars. They’re lay people going to their friends and neighbors and inviting them into their homes to learn about Christ.”

“It’s really about multiplication. Our 14 leaders, with their nine potential small groups, are able to reach so many more people than I ever could.”

The leaders are looking to the Lord of the harvest for guidance. Members of the seven congregations pray regularly for this mission, and they invite others to join them in prayer support for the leaders receiving training, for the steering committee, and especially for the people of Manhattan, as the Holy Spirit works in their hearts.