WOONSOCKET — After years of struggling to maintain memberships, what was originally three churches in Sanborn County have joined and taken the instruction to ‘Make Disciples of All People’ to heart, and are now taking their faith into the community of Woonsocket and the surrounding area.
Pastor Rhonda Wellsandt-Zell has been leading the congregation as it embarks on its spiritual journey, on a slightly different route.
Historically, there were three churches — a Lutheran church in Forestburg, another in Woonsocket and a Methodist church, also in Woonsocket.
“The churches in Woonsocket were literally on different corners of the same block,” Wellsandt-Zell said, “with a parsonage in between.”
She noted that the three churches at one time shared a minister, who handled services at each on Sundays. That got to be too much for the minister to manage, so it was agreed that there would be one service each week, which would rotate among the parishes.
Wellsandt-Zell became the pastor of the congregations 11 years ago and was in the pulpit when the combined congregations were christened Spirit of Faith Lutheran Church a year and a half ago.
The Lutheran Church in Woonsocket was taken down two years ago and the Methodist Church came down last month. And last weekend, following the first of several planned unconventional services, members broke ground for a new church building.
“We met in the middle (with the new building),” Wellsandt-Zell said.
On May 20, the congregation met... wait for it... at the local lumberyard. “The message was ‘Building up our Faith,” Wellsandt-Zell said. “The lumberyard seemed like the perfect setting for the message we were sharing.”
Afterward, members took their shovels and turned earth on the site where the new Spirit of Faith Church will stand.
This weekend, members will meet at the Sanborn County Courthouse, as a memorial to those who are no longer with the congregation.
Down the road there will a “Walking Wet in our Baptism” Sunday at the local swimming pool, examining how the members live as Children of God; a “Backpack Blessing” at the school and a day at the ballpark, with a softball game, popcorn and hot dogs on God and Recreation Day. If the weather isn’t cooperative, services will move to the nursing home in Woonsocket, the Spirit of Faith fallback worship spot.
“As we continue to work toward having our own building, we are taking our message into the community,” Wellsandt-Zell said. “All we suggested is that people bring a lawn chair, something to drink and a positive attitude.”
Another benefit to meeting in the community is that some people are uncomfortable and feel out of place coming into a new church.
“Joining us in a setting outside the formal church is a good way for younger people to come and give Spirit of Faith a try,” Wellsandt-Zell said.
The idea for the unique services grew from a challenge that the Wellsandt-Zell and others at a national gathering. “We were asked ‘Where do you see your congregation going in the near future, and going forward?’ We got together and felt that we were called to build a building,” she said, “then talked about how we can use our faith as a tool for our community and the area.”
The ideas came quickly and were wide ranging. Accommodating the youth of the area was not the focus, but Wellsandt-Zell said she was glad that it went down that path.
“As we talked the idea of building an individual’s faith with God and then how do we make disciples of others and encourage them to have a relationship with Jesus,” she said. “It really took off from there.”
Down the road, a Harvest Blessing is planned, as is the church’s annual Animal Blessing. There will be a service at Santel Communication to examine how members talk to God and Father’s Day will be spent at MT’s Drive in, enjoying ice cream and honoring fathers as well as those “who father in loving and caring ways.”
Word has spread and the community is coming together in faith, as the congregations - Lutheran and Methodist - have done.
“It’s a unique situation and some people were eager,” Wellsandt-Zell said. “Others have taken a bit to get the vision, but we’re growing. Growing in our faith.”
Photos courtesy of Liz Brueske Brooks Members of the Spirit of Faith congregation were encouraged to “Build Their Faith” at a service held at the local lumberyard last Sunday, the first of many services planned in unconventional locations. Several young people participated in last Sunday’s ground breaking at the new church’s building site.
