VALLEY CITY, ND-- Faith Lutheran Church in Valley City, North Dakota was destroyed by fire October 2013. Pastor Dayne Zachrison and the leadership of Epworth United Methodist Church in Valley City invited the congregation to share their space for Sunday morning worship and Sunday School. The two congregations are planning three joint Christmas Eve services this year.

Photo: The altar at Epworth United Methodist Church in Valley City, ND, is decorated for the advent and Christmas season.

The congregation of Faith Lutheran Church was without a place to worship after a devastating fire.  A couple broke into the church and stole money and wine.   Later, the same day the intruders came back to destroy the evidence of their break-in by starting three different fires in the building.  The invaders eventually pled guilty and were sentenced for the crime in October 2014. 

Responders in Valley City fought the flames from 2 a.m. well into daylight. By noon, the day of the fire, Rev. Dayne Zachrison, Epworth UMC, had received calls from the Chair of Trustees, the Chair of Staff-Parish Committee and the Chair of the Administrative Council seeking ways for Epworth UMC to reach out to Faith Lutheran. All three recommended offering Faith use of the Epworth building.

Faith Lutheran utilized space at Epworth for a couple of events in the fall and winter of 2013, including their Christmas program.  Faith voted to rebuild a new sanctuary and located another space to use temporarily for the remainder of 2013 and 2014.

Conversations between Faith and Epworth continued, which led to more collaboration.   The two congregations of different denominations shared a worship service the Sunday after Easter.  “They had a tradition of a ‘Holy Humor’ Sunday, and we shared our regular worship together.  We were glad to host them and made some plans for some larger events, including a Thanksgiving service where Faith invited an artist to re-create a painting for their new building, “ described Rev. Zachrison.

Faith experienced some concerns with their temporary space throughout the spring of 2014.  On Mother’s Day, the church was forced to turn people away from worship.  The Faith church board, led by the congregation's president, began seeking a new solution for worship space.  The group quietly approached Epworth UMC’s administrative council, asking if the offer of worship space was still good.  It was, so a plan was needed.

The two congregations named a small committee to work out some details, and a sharing agreement between Epworth UMC and Faith Lutheran Church was formed. Starting on the first Sunday in September, 2014, the plans were that Faith Lutheran would worship at 9:00 a.m., and Epworth would have Sunday School at that same time. At 10:00 a.m., both congregations would share in a joint coffee fellowship. Epworth holds worship at 10:30 a.m. and Faith Lutheran has Sunday School at that same time.

A key discussion item for the planning committee was how to share space on Christmas Eve. For the last two years, Epworth has had two services, a large service of over 250 at 5:00 p.m., and a smaller service at 7:00 p.m. Faith Lutheran has a tradition of a small service at 3:00 p.m. and a large service of over 250 at 5:00 p.m. 

Rather than trying to change family traditions or set up a strict timetable for each congregation, the committee decided to share three identical services on Christmas Eve at 3:00, 5:00 and 7:00 p.m.  Pastor Zachrison explained, “We will be sharing a service that is a little ‘stretch’ for each congregation, as we use aspects of both traditions.  We will have communion (Lutheran) but also read a number of scriptures from the Lessons and Carols (United Methodist).  We will have special music from each congregation. A soloist from Epworth will play an offertory with the Faith handbells that have not been used since the fire.”

Both congregations average about 120 in worship, with 50-60 children, youth and adults in Sunday School. Faith Lutheran has experienced a return to the worship attendance they experienced before the fire. Epworth has benefited as well, drawing in new members who have heard about the congregation’s generosity.

“We expect more than 500 people to worship on Christmas Eve, and are preparing accordingly,” said Zachrison.