Welcome to Northminster Church! 

We are a spirit-filled community of faith of the Presbyterian tradition with a strong heart for mission with the community and world around us. People here are nurtured in every way through regular worship of God and through a supportive fellowship. We strive to equip every member, young and old, to be an effective, knowledgeable, and loving Christian in the world.  All are encouraged to witness to the love of God in Christ and to serve the needs of people in the community, the St. Louis region, and the whole "global village". We are especially attuned to the needs of "the least, the lost, and the lonely" in our world. Please do drop in any Sunday at 10AM !

          The Transition Times

LIFE IN A SMALL CHURCH

The Rev. Jean Risley, in her book about life and ministry in small churches (those 100 members or less) says that the number of churches in the PC (USA) grew 19% between 1999 and 2007.  About 4,000 of our denomination’s more than 10,000 congregations average fewer than 50 people in attendance each Sunday.  This trend is expected to continue.  Obviously we are not alone at Northminster.

            Rev. Risley calls a small church “a place where everybody matters”.  That means that small churches need the work of all their people to survive.  There is a productive place for every person, no matter how old or challenged they are.  Unlike large or “mega churches”, they are part of a family.  Risley says, “Everyone can learn from those before them and pass on knowledge and experiences to those around them.   Life experiences are a teaching opportunity in a small church”. 

            Equally important is the belief that conflict in the church is part of God’s training program to teach us to love those we don’t like very much at the moment, or those we disagree with, especially in different situations, especially in difficult situations.  We have to find ways to love each other.  There’s an old saying, “You can choose your friends but you can’t choose your relatives”.  We are relatives because we are brothers and sisters in Christ.

            People in small churches have long histories with each other.  They care deeply about one another.  They share a faith and a theology that often goes back many years.  Northminster’s history goes back to 1953…fifty-eight years of being a family!  Now we are part of a different trend, whether we like it or not.  Will we survive one way or another just as many other small churches are?

            There is an article in the November Presbyterians Today magazine about recent seminary graduates being sent out to provide pastoral leadership to small congregations as part of an innovative program of the PC (USA) called, “For Such A Time Like This”.  I highly recommend you reading this encouraging article.  I left my copy in the church Resource Room.  Please do take a look.

                                                                       Shalom,

                                                                    Anne Cox