Bible Study Survey Here
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.