What’s this Co-op?

Nestled between the West Virginia hills and the Ohio River is a part of Appalachia known

as the Upper Ohio Valley. It is an area rich in the history of our nation’s formation, westward

expansion, and the civil war. In the midst of this area, there are four congregations in three

communities, spanning three counties which currently make up the cooperative ministry. The

location of this cooperative is unique. The communities where the four churches are located

consists of two inner-city congregations, each with long histories in Wheeling that have now

come together to share a building, and two small town communities.

The co-op was originally born out of a partnership between Good Shepherd Lutheran

Church in New Martinsville, and Messiah Lutheran Church in Moundsville. Over time, this

expanded to include St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church (which has since closed), Trinity Lutheran

in South Wheeling, and most recently First English Lutheran Church, formerly located in

downtown Wheeling and now sharing a building as well as worshipping together with Trinity.

The co-op itself is the way in which these congregations have entered into relationship

with each other. For many years, the co-op was served by one pastor. For nine years, the co-op

served as a learning site for pastoral interns, who learned and worked alongside the full time

pastor. This chapter in the life of the co-op closed, and after a time of exploration a second

pastor was called to help serve full time.

Behind the methodology of this organization is the idea that “a rising tide raises all

ships.” The churches that are a part of the co-op share in ministry and resources when they can,

and pay into the co-op what they are able to contribute. Alone, many of the congregations would

be struggling to engage in ministries that become possible together.

This co-op is a dynamic organization, one that is always adapting depending upon the

needs and resources that arise. Most recently, the co-op hired a staff person to manage its

online presence, from this very website to social media.

One of the ongoing goals of this co-op structure is to allow the congregations and people

within them to continue to be faithful witnesses to the Gospel of Jesus in the world in ways that

would be much more challenging without working together. The co-op is a curious creation in

the church, one that we ourselves are still exploring and getting to know.

There are many gifts to being a part of this co-op, including joining together when there

is a 5th Sunday in a month for a joint worship service, sharing the gifts of musicians between

the churches, coming together for other social and worship events throughout the year, and

being able to support the different communities within which each of the congregations is

blessed to be located.